South Africa were bowled out for 329 on the opening day of the deciding third Test against Australia at Newlands in Cape Town, after a strong start gave way to a collapse. Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that initially looked costly as the home openers put on 158 for the first wicket.

Marques Ackerman scored 95 and Aiden Markram made 78, but neither converted a half-century into a century on what ESPNcricinfo described as a benign surface. South Africa lost wickets in clusters either side of tea, undoing the platform built by the openers.

Starc turns the day with the second new ball

Marco Jansen, who scored 52, and Ryan Rickelton combined for a 95-run seventh-wicket partnership that pushed South Africa beyond 300. Mitchell Starc then took charge with the second new ball, finishing with six wickets for 72 runs from 16.3 overs, while recalled spinner Nathan Lyon took two for 71.

Starc dismissed Rickelton and Jansen in quick succession and then removed the tail, as South Africa lost their final four wickets for just two runs to be dismissed for 329 in 82.3 overs. Four South Africa batters reached half-centuries, but none went on to a century, leaving a first-innings total that felt below what the opening stand had promised.

The match is the series decider, with the series level at 1-1 after Australia won the first Test and South Africa responded in the second. Australia's batting line-up will begin its reply on day two, with the result set to decide the series.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo and Reuters