Smith’s brilliance turns Kingsmead into a box seat

Steve Smith and Mitchell Cummins were the architects of Australia’s comfortable edge over South Africa at Kingsmead, leaving the visitors feeling as if they were watching from a box seat.

The duo, backed by a fearsome pace quartet, turned the pitch into a playground for the tourists, with the bowlers’ speed and accuracy making the South African batsmen chase shadows.

Commentators noted that Smith’s bat work and Cummins’ blistering spell were the perfect recipe for cornering the opposition, a theme echoed in the analysis by Dan Brettig and Adam Collins.

As the day unfolded, the Australian side kept the pressure on, using the conditions at Kingsmead to their advantage and leaving South Africa scrambling for a foothold.

Looking ahead, Australia will aim to carry the momentum into the final, while South Africa will regroup and look for ways to turn the setback into a learning point.