Renshaw and Cummins lift Australia to 187-6 before bad light ends Durban opener

Matt Renshaw and Pat Cummins shared an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 63 to take Australia to 187-6 on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa in Durban on Friday. Bad light halted their recovery at Kingsmead, with Renshaw unbeaten on 46 and captain Cummins on 33, according to Cricket Australia's match report.

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The BBC Sport scorecard recorded 65.2 overs in Australia's first innings after the visitors won the toss and chose to bat. Renshaw faced 115 deliveries for his 46, while Cummins reached 33 from 72 balls. Their stand followed the loss of Alex Carey and Beau Webster in the same over, leaving the tourists six wickets down with only 124 on the board.

South Africa's three seamers divided the wickets equally. Wiaan Mulder returned 2-31 from 15 overs, Marco Jansen took 2-35 from 16 and Anrich Nortje finished with 2-40 from 13.2, the BBC scorecard showed. Neither spinner took a wicket: Keshav Maharaj conceded 33 runs in seven overs and Simon Harmer 34 in 14. South Africa had still to begin their reply.

Australia's top order had been unable to turn starts into a substantial innings. Travis Head scored nine, Nic Maddinson was dismissed without scoring after 33 balls, Marnus Labuschagne made 37 and Steve Smith 25. Carey contributed 14 and Webster two. Renshaw's unbeaten innings was the highest individual score of the day, keeping Australia from being bowled out before the close.

Cricket Australia reported that Mulder dismissed Labuschagne lbw on the final delivery before lunch, before Jansen removed Smith three balls into the afternoon session. Nortje then had Carey caught at second slip by Aiden Markram and dismissed Webster caught behind two balls later after a review. Renshaw and Cummins prevented any further wickets before play was stopped.

The recovery left Australia's first innings unfinished rather than reversing South Africa's earlier breakthroughs. Four wickets remain for the visitors when play resumes. This is the first of three Tests, with the series schedule listing the second match in Gqeberha from October 18 and the third in Cape Town from October 27.