Quick hits: Starc's six balls of fury after Cummins's questionable call

Mitch Starc produced one of the most destructive spells of his storied career and Josh Hazlewood took a special catch as the Aussies fought back from what looked to be a calamitous early call.

Here are the quick hits from day one of the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town. 

1. Head's drop compounds Cummins's questionable call

It was already a horror morning for Australia.

Having sent the South Africans in to bat in what looked to be pristine conditions, Cummins was in need of quick wickets to validate what always looked to be a bizarre decision.

He didn't get them.

Instead, Proteas openers Marques Ackerman and Aiden Markram made light work of Australia's much-vaunted bowling attack, flying towards 100 at close to five runs an over.

But finally, a chance presented itself, with Markram mistiming a drive and finding Travis Head in the covers.

It was an absolute dolly, but the Australian somehow put it down, the ball slipping through his fingers and hurtling to turf.

By lunch, the South Africans had flown to 0-140 from 27 overs, suggesting Cummins's call may well take a place among Test cricket's all-time clangers.

2. South African openers throw away tons

Ackerman went to lunch having plundered his way to a 75-ball 82.

Playing just his second Test, the southpaw made a mockery of Australia's aging attack, including taking Starc for four consecutive boundaries for the first time in the quick's Test career.

He looked odds on for a maiden Test ton — but things tightened up after the first break.

Growing increasingly impatient, he faced 18 balls for his next 13 runs before charging down the track and running past a Nathan Lyon off break.

Alex Carey broke the stumps with little fuss and Ackerman was out for 95.

The 30-year-old was filthy with himself, throwing his head and grimacing on his way from the middle.

And not long after, Markram was following his opening partner back to the pavilion after also turning down a golden opportunity for a Test ton, having top-edged a Josh Hazlewood short ball to be caught on the boundary for 78.

Even so, it was a 158-run partnership that guaranteed a dream morning for the South Africans.

3. Hazlewood's quick thinking sends South Africa rocking

The Proteas were cruising — until they weren't.

Having lost Temba Bavuma and Matthew Breetzke before tea, South Africa's collapse continued when Josh Hazlewood took a remarkable boundary catch early in the evening session.

The big fast bowler steadied himself as a David Bedingham top edge flew his way, before contorting his body, rising high and plucking the ball from the air.

Landing with his foot perilously close to the rope, Hazlewood was composed enough to release the ball and then complete the catch inside the field of play.

And only two deliveries later, Starc had a second for the over, having Wiaan Mulder caught behind with another short ball.

Suddenly, South Africa had lost 4-29 and that explosive start was a distant memory.

Marco Jansen and Ryan Rickleton then came together to steady the ship, with a 95-run partnership, but the day's momentum swings weren't done there

4. Starc's stunning six-ball special

With twilight beginning to set in, Rickleton and Jansen looked to be cruising towards stumps.

But with Starc about to get his hands on the second new ball, the set pair would have been well aware they weren't out of the woods just yet.

And sure enough, Australia's premier spearhead proceeded to produce a devastating two-over spell.

First, he had Rickleton plumb in front to a searing swinging yorker before bowling Jansen with something similarly venomous just two balls later.

He then castled the newly-arrived Gerald Coetzee for a golden duck with the first ball of his next over, setting up a hat-trick delivery against number 11 Kagiso Rabada.

The South African survived the initial thunderbolt, but was helpless to the second, out LBW to yet another stunning Starc special.

Starc had four wickets in the space of six deliveries and South Africa was all out for 329 as stumps were called on a ridiculous, topsy-turvy day of Test match cricket.

5. The best seats out of the house

Given the questionable decision to start the Cape Town Test on a Tuesday, there may well have been a few sick notes handed in ahead of day one at Newlands.

So, it seemed slightly unfair for the broadcast cameras to pick on the two spectators who had definitely shown up to work.

Sitting in surely the most ideally-located office block in world cricket, overlooking the oval from behind the hill, they were pictured with their eyes firmly fixed on the action unfolding below them.

Caught out, it wasn't long before their heads were back in their work.

Despite being a weekday, day one in Cape Town provided an engaged, colourful crowd, and undoubtedly the best of the series — both in and out of the ground.

6. Sore neck prevents Smith's Newlands return

Prior to a pulsating day in Cape Town, a dodgy neck robbed cricket fans of one of the most eagerly awaited returns in the sport's history.

Having struggled through a couple of ginger net sessions, Steve Smith was unable to prove his fitness in the hours before play on day one, succumbing to the neck issue that had troubled him in Gqeberha.

With David Warner retired and Cameron Bancroft years out of the Test team, it meant that none of the three Sandpapergate antagonists would feature at the venue where Australian cricket was thrown into crisis eight years earlier.

Smith's late withdrawal saw Australia make four changes, with Josh Inglis, Cam Green, Lyon and Cooper Connolly all coming into the side.

Remarkably, the last time Australia made as many alterations during a single series was after that very same Cape Town Test, when Bancroft, Smith and Warner began serving their suspensions.