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'As easy as it gets': Lyon made to pay for dropped sitter

Australia did well to wrestle the advantage back off South Africa in the third Test at Newlands but it could have been much different if Nathan Lyon had taken an easy catch to remove Dean Elgar.

The Proteas opener has faced more balls in Test cricket this year than any other batsman but Lyon gifted him a glorious opportunity to add to that statistic.

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Elgar slashed a Josh Hazlewood delivery to Lyon at point when he was on 53 but the spinner seemed to be completely bamboozled by the speed at which the ball was travelling.

Lyon's hands were all over the shop as the ball smashed into his wrist and onto the ground.

Lyon will not want to see this one again. Pic: Getty/Fox Sports
Lyon will not want to see this one again. Pic: Getty/Fox Sports

"That's as easy as it gets at backward point," was the assessment of one commentator as the camera panned to an incredulous Lyon.

The squandered chance would come back to bite Australia hard as Elgar piled on 68 more runs to remain unbeaten on 121 at stumps on day one.

As good as he was in a first ton of 2018, Elgar was unable to stop a collapse of 6-37, adding just 12 runs as the wickets tumbled.

The carnage started when AB de Villiers fell for 64, chipping a catch to David Warner at mid-off to become the first victim in a game-changing burst of 4-7 from Cummins.

Cummins, some six and a half years after announcing himself as a future superstar with a sparkling Test debut at age 18 in South Africa, removed de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock.

"It felt like I was pretty ordinary in my first 10 overs," Cummins said.

"I wasn't hitting my length as well as I would have liked. I was a bit worried I was going to be a passenger.

"It was just one of those spells where the ball was going exactly where you want it to and it's swinging away and had a bit of bounce. I'd say it would be up there (with the best he's ever bowled)."

It was an eventful day for Cummins, whose conduct was questioned by the host broadcaster after he accidentally stood on the ball in front of the standing umpire.

South Africa will resume day two at 8/266, with Elgar and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada at the crease.

With AAP