South African captain Dean Elgar's terrible first amid Boxing Day Test disaster

South Africa are at risk of another first innings batting collapse after dropping three wickets in the last five over before lunch on day one of the Boxing Day Test. After getting off to a solid start, the visitors went into lunch teetering at 4/58.

Australian captain Pat Cummins raised some eyebrows when he elected to bowl after winning the toss, with the MCG pitch showing some signs of being a more batter-friendly wicket than the previous one faced in the first Test at the Gabba. But his gamble soon paid off, with home hero Scott Boland striking first to remove opener Sarel Ervee for 18.

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It would be almost another 10 over before Australia found another wicket - but after they did, they kept them coming until the lunch break. A sharp bouncer from Cameron Green caught the bat of Theunis de Bruyne and saw him dismissed for 12, but what unfolded after that would have left South African fans fuming.

Captain Dean Elgar had been doing well to hold down the fort after opening partner Ervee was dismissed, but an inexplicable brain-fade led him to challenge the fielding of Marnus Labuschagne for a quick single. That was an ill-advised decision, with Labuschagne running him out with a direct hit on the stumps for the first run-out of Elgar's Test career.

On the very next ball, Mitchell Starc had Temba Bavuma caught behind for just one run - placing the visitors in a hugely precarious position. Fox Cricket commentator Ian Smith was scathing in his assessment of South Africa's play leading up to the lunch break, particularly the way de Bruyne lost his wicket.

“That’s a big mistake. Just as we talk about them owning the session, they don’t. If he’s not cross with himself, he should be ... this is a very poor and tough option," he said. “South Africa have given Australia three gifts in this session, three gifts they didn’t need.”

South Africa torched over brutal Boxing Day Test collapse

Former Australian coach Justin Langer was also brutally honest in describing what he'd seen from the South African captain, describing it as 'dumb cricket' as he lambasted their middle-order collapse.

“The great Allan Border once told me, Test cricket is about five days of cricket. What we have seen in this first session, we have seen some pretty dumb cricket from South Africa,” Langer on commentary for Channel 7. "A poor decision by the captain to take on Marnus in the first session. A cardinal sin. Run- outs in Test cricket are a cardinal sin.

"Then what happens, Bavuma next ball. All of a sudden a run-out. We have seen some poor decisions by South Africa today. As Ricky (Ponting) said, Bavuma could have left that ball with the extra bounce here every day of the week. There’s five days of cricket. De Bruyn’s dismissal, poor decision making. This has not been great batting by South Africa all morning.”

Australia cricketing great Adam Gilchrist also said Elgar's run-out was the 'cardinal sin of cricket' - but things didn't get much better for the Proteas after the break. Soon after the resumption of play, Khaya Zondo picked out a diving Labuschagne, who took the catch to claim a fourth wicket at the cost of just 13 runs from the moment de Bruyne lost his wicket.

After 30 overs, South Africa were in dire straights at 5/70, with Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen at the crease. After Boland made the first breakthrough, Green picked up one wicket and Mitchell Starc two.

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