Vigour replaced by rigour as South Africans hit back

Mental strength will undoubtedly be a pre-requisite for success in this series between Australia and South Africa. And so it was that lapses of concentration cost the Australians dearly as the three-match battle opened at the Adelaide Oval today, robbing them of dominance that might have been expected when they had reached a mark of 1/182 in mid-afternoon.

By stumps, the hosts had been reduced to a mark of 6/272 by a resilient South African team that refused to be overwhelmed at any stage of a combative day's cricket.

All the portents for a satisfying start for the locals were in place as a massive first day crowd of 19,266 filtered into the ground in fine conditions; captain Steve Waugh won the toss for the first time at Test level this season; and Justin Langer (115), Ricky Ponting (54) and Matthew Hayden (31) unfurled a particularly impressive beginning to the innings.

For as propitiously as things began, though, Australia was never able to completely snuff out the fight that was being taken to them by the tourists.

Even the resilient Langer, who maintained an individual purple patch to register a fourth century in the space of six Test innings, became all but becalmed as the combination of disciplined bowling and sustained pressure loosened Australia's grip. The Western Australian left hander had played some sparkling strokes on the way to three figures, timing the ball delightfully to both sides of a wicket that played truly all day. And the century itself was even raised with a sweetly struck six over mid wicket.

But five wickets fell as only 60 runs were added through a period of play on either side of tea. And only 69 runs in total were scored in an absorbing closing session to the day.

There had been nothing in the first three and a half hours of action to hint at Australia's impending decline. Langer added 80 in a fortifying opening stand with Hayden and then another 102 runs came in a freewheeling association with Ponting.

Hayden's innings ended late in the first session as he miscued a drive at Lance Klusener (1/28) and lobbed a catch to mid off. And then the run out of Ponting from a badly misjudged Langer call, as he pushed a Claude Henderson (3/55) delivery to Boeta Dippenaar at cover, proved a pivotal turning point.

It was left arm spinner Henderson who capitalised best on the Australians' mistakes, tying the batsmen down with turn and bounce and provoking the appearance of frustrated strokes as his opponents tried in vain to regain command. Steve Waugh (8) looked particularly unlucky to end on the wrong side of a decision from umpire Srinivas Venkatraghavan on a catch at silly point. But there was little doubt about the departure either of Langer to a top edged cut to slip or Adam Gilchrist (7) to a mistimed pull.

Tearaway fast bowler Nantie Hayward (1/67) had helped in the cause by luring Mark Waugh (2) into feathering a drive at a leg cutter in the shadows of tea, and captain Shaun Pollock (0/48) had been typically miserly in each of three accurate spells.

The South Africans' day hadn't been without some lapses of its own, though, and Ponting was twice permitted to escape brushes with death in his innings.

The right hander should have been caught by Gary Kirsten at 6 as he edged Jacques Kallis (0/28) to third slip, and then dodged another bullet at 26 when a top edged hook at Pollock landed the ball in the hands of Dippenaar at deep square leg.

Pollock had cleverly outwitted Ponting by surprising him with a bouncer of sharp pace. What he hadn't counted on, though, was the sight of umpire Simon Taufel stretching his arm sideways to indicate that the South African captain had slid past the line of the bowling crease after planting his front foot.

The two errors were threatening to become very expensive as the Australians made their way toward their stronghold at 1/182.

But the tourists were swiftly able to expose frailties in the Australian middle order that have been uncovered more than once this summer. Therein, they crowned an engrossing start to the series.