HOBART, Australia (AP) Captain Steve Smith stood almost alone against a rampant South African attack led by Vernon Philander as Australia crumbled to 43-6 at lunch on the first day of the second cricket test on Saturday.
Smith came to the crease with Australia already 2-2, having lost both openers inside the first two overs, and lost four partners in quick succession before reaching lunch with his score 20 from 61 balls.
Philander took three wickets for three runs and came close to a hattrick in an opening spell of 6.2 overs before being forced from the field after a mid-pitch collision with Smith in the 13th over.
He made full use of the swing available to the South African bowlers after the tourists won the toss and bowled in heavily overcast conditions, setting in motion the Australian collapse when he dismissed David Warner (1) with the last ball of his opening over.
Kyle Abbott, called up as a replacement for the injured Dale Steyn, also claimed a wicket with the last ball of his first over, dismissing Joe Burns (1) and bringing Smith to the wicket with the match only two overs old.
Philander then struck a double blow in the ninth over which turned a troubling start by Australia into a full-blooded collapse. He dismissed Usman Khawaja (4), who edged a swinging delivery to Hashim Amla at first slip, then removed Adam Voges next ball with a thin edge to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
Australia was 8-4 and Callum Ferguson, making a belated test debut at 31, was left to face a hattrick ball in his first test innings. Ferguson barely survived a delivery which angled into middle stump, then moved away and never looked comfortable before being run out for 3.
The run out occured only three balls after Philander left the field in pain from a shoulder injury after his collision with Smith, and left Australia 17-5. Ferguson was beaten by a direct hit from substitute fielder Dane Vilas.
Smith had short-lived support from wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, who made 3 from 25 balls before falling lbw to Kagiso Rabada, hero of South Africa's 177-run win in the first test at Perth. He then had more unlikely help from the second player on debut in Australia's lineup, fast bowler Joe Mennie, who hit two boundaries and was 10 not out at lunch.
