Hayden falls as Australia struggle

Under-pressure Hayden had cautiously made his way to 31 before chasing a wide delivery from Dale Steyn and dragging the ball onto his stumps.

The Queenslander cut a dejected figure as his made his way off the ground, the big first-day crowd giving him a rousing send off in the knowledge he could well have batted at international level for the last time.

Michael Clarke (22) and debutant Andrew McDonald (12) were still at the crease when tea came. Hayden's dismissal left Australia vulnerable at 109 for three following the loss of Simon Katich (47) and Ricky Ponting for a duck in the morning session.

And with the score on 130, Michael Hussey - who had fought hard to reach 30 - edged Paul Harris to Jacques Kallis at slip and was on his way back to the pavilion to leave the home side in further trouble.

The spinner exuberantly celebrated the wicket but appeared to twist a knee after leaping through the air in delight. While he was off the field receiving attention, McDonald arrived at the crease and was welcomed into the Test arena by a fierce delivery from Morne Morkel that struck him on the body.

Two deliveries later, he edged the seamer but was relieved to see the ball fall just short of the slip cordon. Harris returned to the attack and almost had Clarke caught at mid-off when on 12, Makhaya Ntini putting down a difficult chance after the Australian vice-captain had attempted to drive down the ground.

McDonald took nine balls to get his first Test run, whipping Harris off his pads for a boundary through mid-wicket but was lucky to survive beyond five, though, after his helmet was dislodged and almost fell onto his stumps while attempting to dodge a Morkel bouncer.

After winning the toss and batting first in overcast conditions, Australia had lost Katich and Ponting during a tense first session. Katich looked in good touch in racing to 47 from 52 balls before edging a Kallis delivery to AB de Villiers at second slip.

The in-form Ponting was then on his way for a first-ball duck shortly afterwards. Morkel got a ball to seam back, catching the inside edge of the Australian skipper's bat and presenting wicket-keeper Mark Boucher with a catch, much to the delight of the South Africans.