12:03: STUMPS! That’s it for day one and honours belong firmly and squarely with Australia. Even the last over of the day from Maharaj was clobbered for 12 runs, following the earlier pasting of Steyn and Rabada .

Warner’s explosive 73 not out has put the Aussies in the box seat at the WACA, with South Africa desperate for an early breakthrough tomorrow.

Thanks for being with us along the way today. We’ll be back just before 04:30 tomorrow morning – bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready for a tumble of wickets. You just never know.

Australia 105-0: Warner 73*, S Marsh 29*. South Africa 242.

11:51: The people of Perth will be going home happy tonight. After Warner’s early blitz, the Baggy Greens have been perfectly content to knock the singles around since. The wind has well and truly been taken out of South Africa’s sails.

Still, now things have cooled off, captain Du Plessis reckons it’s safe to give Maharaj a go. Deep breath everyone!

Australia 86-0: Warner 59*, S Marsh 24*. South Africa 242.

11:38: We’re nearing stumps on day one and it can’t come soon enough for sorry South Africa. Their all out total of 242 is looking pretty puny up against the mighty sword of Warner. With the run-rate at more five-an-over, he’s letting Shaun Marsh soak up some of the bowlers’ remaining energy as the shadows lengthen in Perth.

Does Du Plessis dare bring Maharaj on?

Australia 76-0: Warner 56*, S March 17*. South Africa 242.

11:25: 50 UP FOR WARNER! Exactly what the Proteas set out to avoid. Warner reaches his 50 off a laughable 39 balls. Not too much more of him and South Africa are in deep trouble.

Australia 66-0: Warner 53*, S Marsh 10*.

11:18: It is indeed Rabada time. A furtive shout for a catch behind first up, before Warner flukes a third four down to third man. Young Kagiso must just hold his nerve here.

Australia 46-0: Warner 35*, Marsh 9*. South Africa 242.

11:05: It’s hotting up out there as Warner collects two streaky boundaries – and a filthy glare – from Steyn. All great fun and the Aussies remain unscathed. We can’t be far from Rabada time.

Australia: 32-0: Warner 29*, Marsh 1*. South Africa 242.

10:57: DRS ALERT… NOT OUT! Philander slips one past Warner’s defences and it clatters into the pad for what looks like a mighty convincing LBW shout. Umpire Dar says no and Du Plessis is quite right to send it upstairs for review. The only problem being his bowler had overstepped. Criminal.

10:53: Hmm. Warner really is a pain in the backside, isn’t he? The 30-year-old has 17 of Australia’s 18 so far, with Marsh yet to get off the mark after 15 nervy deliveries. 

Australia 18-0: Warner 17*, Marsh 0*. South Africa 242.

10:37: They’re back out there and Warner – who averages nearly 100 at the WACA – is off and running against Steyn with a cheeky single into the off side. He’s partnered by Shaun Marsh and it’ll be Philander to roll in from the other end. Rabada will have to wait his turn.

10:26: WICKET! No fun any more! Steyn is castled by a rare full delivery from Starc and it’s a disappointing return for the tourists on a flat deck after winning the toss on a perfect batting day.

Quinton de Kock led the way with a rapid 84, after Temba Bavuma made a crafted 51 of his own. Those two aside, though, there wasn’t much to write home about after they were reduced to 32-4 early on.

Time for a crack with the ball, then. If they can just sneak Warner out early, South Africa will fancy their chances of creating some havoc of their own.

South Africa 242 all out.

10:21: The last pair are just having a little bit of fun here as they nudge the score up towards 250. Rabada is leading his senior partner along in the face of plenty of short stuff. They will both remember that later on…

South Africa 242-9: Rabada 11*, Steyn 4*.

10:08: WICKET! Ah man. That’s blown it. De Kock mis-times a pull straight to midwicket off Hazlewood, who seemed to rush him with a bit of extra nip from the middle of the track. He played beautifully and you can’t take away shots like that from his game. We’re operating a no-blame policy here.

South Africa 227-9: Rabada 0*, Steyn 0*.

10:03: WICKET! Well you wouldn’t have been offered great odds on this. Maharaj, who suggested about as much permanence as Kevin Pietersen’s Three Lions tattoo, clobbers Nathan Lyon straight down David Warner’s throat at long on. Not pretty.

South Africa 223-8: De Kock 84*, Rabada 0*.

09:52: Wow! Maharaj has just managed to hoik Starc – the fastest bowler around – straight back over his head for six. 12 from the over as the Proteas try to scramble a total amidst a volley of effing and jeffing from the mardy bowler.

South Africa 210-7: De Kock 72, Maharaj 15.

09:48: DRS ALERT! Umpire Aleem Dar turns down a huge LBW shout from Josh Hazlewood and Smith uses up his second futile review of the day. It was, unsurprisingly for a hard Perth track, going some way over the top. No problemo.

Almost a very big problemo was Maharaj nearly running out De Kock, who was once again gone for all money at the non-striker’s end if there had been a direct hit. There wasn’t. So we’ll pretend it never happened. 

The 200 is up as well, by the way. It’s all go. Just when some of us are trying to finish eating breakfast/lunch/dinner/whatever it is…

South Africa 204-7: De Kock 72*, Maharaj 9*.

09:34: They’re back out there in Perth. Hazlewood to bowl as debutant Keshav Maharaj gets underway with a boundary. Meanwhile, check this out from earlier:

What a catch by @shaunmarsh9!

Replay it here, along with @mitchmarsh235‘s effort earlier today: https://t.co/8J4lQH30VX #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/eDOizT6fRY

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 3, 2016

09:12: WICKET AND TEA! Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Vernon Philander reckons he’s an all-rounder, but not with lousy shots like that. Starc’s delivery was never short enough to pull, but pull Philander did. Straight into his off stump and he’s perished for 10. Irresponsible in the extreme and as badly executed as that Jacques Kallis hair loss advert.

De Kock, meanwhile, was a whisker away from being run out by David Warner moments before. Get off the park and regroup, young man.

South Africa 175-7: De Kock 53*.

09:05: 50 UP FOR DE KOCK! The boy wonder has excelled today. He pulls to long leg for his seventh boundary with Tea looming large on the horizon.

South Africa 174-6: De Kock 52*, Philander 10*.

09:02: DRS ALERT! Huge shout as the Aussies think they have De Kock caught down the leg side. Umpire Nigel Llong says nope, which turns out to be bang on as third umpire Richard Kettleborough confirms it was nothing more than thigh pad by watching the telly really slowly. Result: Australia lose a review. Hurrah!

South Africa 169-6: De Kock 48*, Philander 9*.

08:58: Back on Kevin Pietersen commentary watch – he’s securing his next Big Bash contract praising Australian hospitality, particularly the pancakes. Sounds more waffle-like to us.

South Africa 168-6: De Kock 47*, Philander 9*.

08:44: Tee hee.

Fun fact: collectively, the Australian cricket team has written more books than they have won tests in the last twelve months. #AUSvSA

— Mindy Pawsey (@MKPS001) October 31, 2016

08:35: 50 FOR BAVUMA! AND WICKET! Young Temba reaches 50 for the fourth time in Test cricket with his best shot yet – a gorgeous cover drive off the returning Nathan Lyon.

But Lyon induces a tickle to the diving Shaun Marsh at short leg just two balls later, meaning Bavuma won’t replicate that historic Cape Town ton against England at the start of the year. He’s gone for 51.

South Africa: 157-6: De Kock 44*, Philander 1*.

08:20: 50 PARTNERSHIP! It’s worth shouting after the calamity that was earlier on. Bavuma belts a couple of fours of his own off the tame bowling of Mitchell Marsh, shakes the hand of his partner and follows it up with another boundary through the covers off Hazlewood. Lovely stuff.

South Africa 139-5: Bavuma 46*, De Kock 32*.

08:10: The youngsters have made it through to drinks and are, whisper it, looking good. De Kock has studded his knock so far with a bundle of boundaries, while Bavuma is looking sharp, decisive and confident between the wickets. If they can get through to Tea, things will be looking decidedly less alarming. Cross yer fingers, hold yer toes.

South Africa 124-5: Bavuma 32*, De Kock 31*.

07:54: Another brace of boundaries for De Kock, as South Africa just begin to take the sting out of things once more. The first was streakily through the slips, the second was a beauty through cover point. Keep going, men.

South Africa 112-5: Bavuma 30*, De Kock 21*.

07:40: De Kock looks ominous. He’s cracked consecutive boundaries through the off side of Siddle. If he sticks around until the close the Proteas will be a decent shape. If…

South Africa 97-5: Bavuma 27*, De Kock 9*.

07:33: 

After 30 overs of the 2016 Perth Test, SA are 5-87.

After 30 overs of the 2012 Perth Test, SA were 5-75. They won by 309 runs #AUSvSA

— Martin Smith (@martinsmith9994) November 3, 2016

07:21: WICKET! Starc comes around the wicket and coaxes a rash shot from Du Plessis with the change of angle. He chops to Adam Voges at first slip, ending a 37-run vigil. It’s back to the drawing board again as Quinton de Kock joins Bavuma out in the middle.

South Africa 82-5: Bavuma 21*, De Kock 0*.

07:15: We’re off and running with the second session from Perth, which begins with a Peter Siddle maiden. Du Plessis and Bavuma are seeking to build on an impressive pre-lunch stand of 46 following an early collapse.

If you’re just waking up to join in the fun… welcome! You’re well capable of getting yourselves up to speed without us repeating ourselves – just scroll on down for the story of the day so far.

06:34: LUNCH! South Africa 78-4: Du Plessis 37*, Bavuma 17*.

To simply say they’ve survived doesn’t do justice to how well Du Plessis and Bavuma have engineered the Proteas’ recovery from 32-4 in Perth.

Early signs suggest the pitch isn’t lightning fast like the WACA of old, but quick enough to keep things interesting with some lateral movement to boot. The hint of some reverse swing at this tender stage is also a tad unsettling for everyone of a South African persuasion except Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada.

Cook, Amla, Elgar and Duminy are the men to perish so far, with opening pair Starc and Hazlewood in particular making life distinctly uncomfortable for the tourists.

Time to get the kettle on. Join us in half an hour or so for the second session and, in the meantime, why not get in touch with us here!

06:20: They’re nothing if not proactive, these pesky Australians. Steve Smith brings offie Nathan Lyon into the attack a full 13 minutes before the obligatory-one-over-before-lunch. Du Plessis disappears him down to fine leg for four. If these two can just manage another 10 minutes…

South Africa: 69-4: Du Plessis 34*, Bavuma 11*.

06:12: The master and the apprentice are actually looking really rather good as they begin to claw their side out of the abyss. Here’s a look at why Faf is just the man for the job.

Hazlewood is back on with South Africa 57-4: Du Plessis 26*, Bavuma 7*. 

06:00: “Quinton de Kock isn’t a guy who thinks too much,” says Kevin Pietersen on the telly. He adds: “He’s an incredibly great human being.” Make of his verbal diarrhoea what you will.

“I’ll tell you one thing for free,” he then says. Twice. Er, that’s two things, Kev! A bargain at twice the price.

30 minutes to go until Lunch. South Africa 51-4: Du Plessis 21*, Bavuma 7*.

05:47: What do you need in a time of crisis? A man out there whose name means ‘hope’. Let’s face it, that’s all the Proteas are clinging to at this early stage. Tiny Temba Bavuma has the task of seeing things through to Lunch with his captain.

There’s nothing wrong with the pitch, by the way. Just a rocky start. Speedster Starc is back on after his unnerving four-over burst earlier, but Bavuma clips him away to the square leg boundary to get off the mark. It’s 38-4: Du Plessis 9*, Bavuma 6*.

05:33: WICKET! Duminy can consider himself unlucky there. He’s given out caught behind after the longest review since the state capture report. Forensic evidence shows a teeny tiny inside edge off the bat before the ball from Peter Siddle also clips the thigh pad on the way through to keeper Nevill.

The first hour is done and dusted – and it has belonged entirely to the hosts. 32-4: Du Plessis 9*, Bavuma 0*.

05:10: WICKET! Elgar is the next to bite the dust, with the faintest of edges through to keeper Peter Nevill as he can’t draw the bat inside the line quick enough off Hazlewood. He considers a review but it would only be a futile attempt to cheat the system. He made 12 and his side are 20-3.

Captain Faf marches out at number five with South Africa in strife. Have you ever seen a snake strangle a protea?

05:03: Drop! Well, technically. Elgar clips firmly into the onside and Usman Khawaja, perched at something of a deep short leg, has the ball bounce in and out of his left hand before so much as a ‘brace yourself, Bruce’ warning from his team-mates. Starc was the bowler again, unsurprisingly. It’s 18-2 after seven.

The South Africans are struggling manfully to see off the opening burst. While they busy themselves with that, Antoinette Muller has busied herself with a preview. You can check it out here.

Have something to say? Send us your thoughts: [email protected]

04:46: WICKET! Starc’s ferocity at one end has set up Josh Hazlewood at the other. Amla pokes one to captain Smith at second slip and is on his way for a duck.

The Proteas have pulled the old switcheroo with their batting line-up, with JP Duminy marching out to face the music. Faf du Plessis is clearly favouring the armchair general role. It’s 12-2 at the end of the fourth.

04:34: WICKET! It’s the ferocious, but slightly crocked, Mitchell Starc opening up to Stephen Cook – and he whistles his third delivery past the outside edge. The fourth isn’t so lucky for the veteren opener, who nicks one that Starc drops a touch shorter. It’s plucked out of the air by the leaping Mitchell Marsh in the gully.

Gulp. Hashim Amla up next. 

04:15: In debut-related news, Keshav Maharaj has been given the nod over Tabraiz Shamsi and Morne Morkel. 

That gives the Proteas a left-arm spinning option, plus a bit of heft to the batting against a side that crumbled against the turning ball in Sri Lanka recently.

Here are the teams…

South Africa: Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj.

Australia: David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

04:05: G’day! Or g’night! Or whatever it is at this unholy hour! If you thought Pommie Mbangwa on your TV screen in the middle of the night was the vision of a dystopian future, you’re quite right.

Anyway, on to the good news while the first coffee brews… stand-in skipper Faf du Plessis has guessed right on the twirl of the coin and South Africa will bat first in sunny Perth. DM

Main photo: Perth, AustraliaCricket – Australia v South Africa – First Test cricket match – WACA Ground, Perth, Australia – 3/11/16 South Africa’s Quinton de Kock hits a boundary from the bowling of Australia’s Mitchell Starc. REUTERS/David Gray