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Arsenal are currently leading the chase to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer as Mikel Arteta looks set to strengthen his midfield.

What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are in pole position to sign Lavia during the transfer window after the youngster verbally agreed to join the Gunners.

He will cost around £50m and the north Londoners have jumped ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United with regard to the move, although Manchester City do have a buy-back clause which is active next summer, but the report claims they are undecided on acting sooner.

Will Romeo Lavia join Arsenal?

It is looking increasingly likely that he will arrive at the Emirates ahead of next season and Arteta will be hoping to put Arsenal’s failed Premier League title challenge from last season behind him as the 2023/24 campaign looms on the horizon.

Indeed, the Spaniard is close to signing Chelsea star Kai Havertz for a fee of £65m, as with the added rigours of the Champions League next term, bolstering his options is a shrewd move and could certainly pay dividends.

It is unclear to what position the German will play upon joining Arsenal, as he was mainly deployed as a centre-forward during Chelsea’s underwhelming season, yet with Gabriel Jesus likely to be leading the line for Arsenal next term, he could drop back slightly deeper, perhaps into an attacking-midfield role.

With Lavia coming in and solidifying the midfield, there is potential for a key partnership to be formed which may spur the club onto success next term, with the Belgian’s defensive acumen allowing Havertz the freedom to express his creative talents.

He ranked second in the Southampton squad for tackles made per game (2.1) while also having the second-highest pass success rate (86%) across the whole squad, being able to dictate the play well. The midfielder also ranks in the top 17% across Europe’s big five leagues for ball recoveries per 90 (7.58), suggesting he is effective at sweeping up loose balls in order to move the ball onto more creative talents.

The German could benefit from having someone like Lavia playing behind him. Havertz, across Europe’s top five leagues, ranks in the top 9% for passes received per 90 (34.24) and the top 18% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (5.98), indicating that he is keen to receive the ball as often as possible deep into the opposition half.

Lavia’s passing ability could find Havertz in these ideal positions and they could form a dream duo for Arteta. Reporter Benjy Nurick hailed the teen gem as a “monster” earlier this year and Arsenal must get this move over the line as soon as possible.

A round-up of the matches from the third round of New Zealand’s Ford Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2017A 33-ball partnership of 64 runs for the eighth wicket between Josh Clarkson and Seth Rance led Central Districts to a two-wicket win over Northern Districts after five rain interruptions at Hamilton’s Seddon Park. Central Districts faced a revised target of 200 runs in 33 overs after Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten knock of 93 took Northern Districts to 266 for 6 in their 50 overs.Clarkson struck three fours and three sixes in his 24-ball 48 and was ably supported by Rance, who hit a 19-ball stay of 32. This after some tight bowling from Ish Sodhi and Scott Kuggeleijn – both of whom picked up two wickets each – had Central Districts struggling at 123 for 7. Once Rance fell with Central Districts needing another 13 runs to win, Clarkson took over and finished the match with five balls to spare.Earlier in the day, Mitchell struck seven fours and four sixes in his 93. Dean Brownlie struck 47 and Nick Kelly hit 57 runs, but that proved to be not enough for Northern Districts. The win was Central Districts’ first of the season in three games.Inclement weather in Dunedin and Wellington meant the fixtures between Otago and Canterbury, and Wellington and Auckland respectively were washed out without a ball being bowled.

No fewer than 141 overs were lost to rain but Australia, led by their captain Steven Smith, secured a dramatic Test and series victory with the last hour to spare at the MCG

The Report by Daniel Brettig at the MCG30-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA double-century from Azhar Ali. Pakistan batting until after lunch on day three. No fewer than 141 overs lost to rain. Fifteen wickets in four days on a surface more concrete than pitch. Australia won the Boxing Day Test. Yep, really.Pakistan fined for slow over rate

Pakistan have been fined for a slow over rate during the second Test against Australia at the MCG. Match referee Ranjan Madugalle imposed the fine after Pakistan were ruled to be two overs short of their target when time allowances were taken into consideration.
Players are fined 10% of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined 20%, in accordance with Article 2.5.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Misbah-ul-Haq was hence fined 40% of his match fee; he pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction.

In a conjuring act to rival those of Sydney 2010 and Adelaide 2006, Steven Smith’s men produced a Test and series victory from seemingly nowhere. Nowhere that is, apart from Pakistan’s unrivalled propensity for either triumph or disaster, with little in between.This, we had been told, was a sturdier Pakistan, capable of fighting a match out in the manner they did at the Gabba after a horrid start. This was also the Pakistan side that had ascended to No. 1 in the world earlier in the year. But their descent from the summit has been just as rapid as Australia’s: both sides know what it is like to lose five consecutive Tests from the moment they reached the top of the ICC’s rankings.From the opening moments of the day, Pakistan had looked a team worried about defeat, Australia a team alert to the prospect of victory. After Smith and Mitchell Starc supercharged their scoring rate so effectively as to post the highest ever Test total in Melbourne, a pair of early wickets either side of lunch gave the hosts a glimmer.It was exploited brilliantly by Nathan Lyon, who in the space of a single spell unseated Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq. Under extreme pressure to hold his spot entering the final day, Lyon’s response was emphatic, but not enough to cause Smith to keep him on after the tea break: he is not the first Australian spin bowler to struggle to retain the full confidence of his captain.That being the case, the final blows were struck by the seamers. Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird and Starc all found deliveries incisive enough to cut through the tail, much to the delight of a final day crowd that swelled the total attendance to 142,188, a figure as admirable in the rain-affected circumstances as Australia’s charge to victory.Much of Pakistan’s early bowling and fielding had been lacklustre when placed under pressure by Smith and Starc, personified by Sohail Khan’s wretched drop of Starc at long-off. Sohail finished with three wickets but was one of four expensive bowlers, none able to contain even with the help of Misbah’s often defensive fields.So quickly did Smith and Starc score that the home captain had the luxury of declaring before the interval, meaning the visiting openers were compelled to survive two bursts of the new ball either side of lunch.Mitchell Starc ripped out Sarfraz Ahmed with reverse-swing•Getty ImagesIn four overs before the interval, Pakistan lost the wicket of Sami Aslam, dragging a ball from Hazlewood onto the stumps via his body. The first over of the afternoon brought another, when Babar Azam was struck on the pad by a Starc inswinger that the umpire Ian Gould judged to be hitting leg stump – a decision the batsman’s referral showed to be marginal.Younis scored freely enough until Lyon’s introduction, when a fraction of extra bounce saw him turn an offbreak in the air towards short leg. Peter Handscomb moved forward to claim the chance a matter of millimetres above the turf. Misbah, out of sorts with the bat all series so far, tried a sweep first ball and then repeated it to his second, the top edge well caught around the corner by Nic Maddinson.This double left the door ajar for Australia, and it opened further when Shafiq advanced and pushed Lyon directly to Handscomb, who this time hung on after a juggle. Lyon, for so long this summer a harried figure, was now dictating terms, and his team could sense a remarkable result.It was a surprise when Smith did not keep Lyon on when play resumed, preferring Starc from the Great Southern Stand End. Hazlewood had found a modicum of reverse-swing and his tight lines were rewarded with Azhar’s wicket, the opener’s guard finally let down after 476 deliveries across two innings. Again, Gould ruled marginally in Australia’s favour on an lbw.That opened up an end, and after Bird surprised Mohammad Amir with a quicker delivery that was dragged onto the stumps, an exultant Starc blasted out Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah in a fashion that would have impressed Wasim Akram.Australian celebrations were unrestrained and it was not hard to work out why. For most of the past five days it appeared that time was getting away from both sides; in the end Australia toasted victory with the last hour to spare.

Arsenal seem to be closing in on their top target for the summer, with reports referencing a deal close to completion…

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

That's according to Football Insider, who claims that Edu has agreed terms with West Ham United's captain Declan Rice.

The Gunners are set to make an initial bid of around £92m, with £8m worth of add-ons to take the deal into a nine-figure sum.

The 24-year-old has also agreed personal terms, seemingly rendering this deal all but done. Having won the Europa Conference League with the Hammers, their chairman David Sullivan admitted that his exit was an almost certainty. This latest report seeks to confirm that.

Would Declan Rice improve Gabriel Jesus?

Whilst the acquisition of someone who was originally a defensive midfielder might have little impact on a striker on the surface, what Rice has accomplished this season alongside his growth has made him much more than someone to simply protect the back four.

His 7.19 average Sofascore rating for the term, whilst largely buoyed by defensive figures, is also married to the nine goal contributions he recorded in all competitions. This was partnered with an 88% pass accuracy, one key pass, 2.1 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

What is set to make the England international so important in bolstering Jesus' numbers is a mix of all those statistics just mentioned, as not only will he provide the defensive foundation for the Brazilian to occupy better goalscoring areas, but this added creativity from midfield could prove crucial.

In what has been an injury-hit debut year in north London, the former Manchester City finisher still notched 11 goals with seven assists. However, his main role ended up being the spearhead of Mikel Arteta's pressing system, rather than the goalscoring monster he likely dreams of being.

By signing Rice, who boasts incredible football intelligence as well as technical proficiency, he could perhaps occupy spaces that the ageing Granit Xhaka could not, offering further fluidity and athleticism to allow his would-be 26-year-old teammate to apply more of a focus on finding the back of the net.

After all, he was not lauded as a "world-class" asset by manager Danny Cowley for nothing. His efforts in dictating the play could see the Gunners exert even more control over games than they have done, surely resulting in more chances for the forward.

Rice has starred in a struggling Irons team, and the step-up will likely not phase someone so confident and talented.

Arteta and Edu will hope that he can be the final piece to complete their side, arguably improving everyone around him.

Chittagong’s new-look squad beat defending champions Comilla Victorians by 29 runs in the first match of the Bangladesh Premier League

Mohammad Isam08-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
File photo – Mohhamad Nabi took four wickets as Chittagong strangled Comilla Victorians’ chase•ICC/SportsfileChittagong Vikings sent out an early warning as they beat defending champions Comilla Victorians by 29 runs in the tournament’s opening game. After Tamim Iqbal and Shoaib Malik helped them set up a fighting total, Man of the Match Mohammad Nabi took control of the game with his four-wicket haul.Tamim sped to 50 off 32 balls with his team score on 69 for 1 at the end of the ninth over. But he was having trouble running between the wickets with Anamul Haque and, almost predictably, the second-wicket pair had a meltdown when Tamim ran for a second despite Anamul calling no after pushing to long-on.Tamim, who had been dropped on 23 by Nahidul Islam running back from cover, was furious as he fell for 54 off 38 balls. His knock was studded with two sixes – over long-off and cover – and six attractive boundaries. Anamul was also run out when he backed up too far in the hunt for a single. Marlon Samuels, running in from midwicket, struck down the stumps at the non-striker’s end.Chittagong’s innings looked in danger of getting derailed, but Malik and Jahurul Islam added 60 runs for an unbroken fourth-wicket stand that took the Vikings to 161. Malik struck two fours and two sixes in his 28-ball 42, while Jahurul contributed 29 off 21 balls. The unbroken partnership meant that Chittagong were deprived of Mohammad Nabi’s big-hitting prowess in the slog overs, but the Afghanistan allrounder made up with the ball.Nabi removed Liton Das and the dangerous Ashar Zaidi in the eighth and tenth overs respectively, to reduce Comilla to 58 for 4, after Imrul Kayes had fallen early to a reckless waft outside off against Dwayne Smith, and Samuels had chipped a catch to short midwicket off Abdur Razzak.Mashrafe Mortaza, who promoted himself to No. 6 to breathe life into the faltering chase, fell to Tymal Mills and was followed into the dressing room by Imad Wasim four balls later.Nabi picked up his third and fourth wickets off consecutive deliveries in his last over, by bowling Al-Amin and trapping Sohail Tanvir in front. Debutant Nazmul Hossain Shanto (54*), who had watched his team crumble around him after coming in at No. 4, provided some late entertainment for the half-packed stadium, hitting Taskin Ahmed for four boundaries in a row in the last over to bring up his fifty. But it all came too late for Comilla.

Arsenal are monitoring the availability of Chelsea striker Kai Havertz ahead of a potential summer move, according to a report from The Telegraph.

Is Kai Havertz leaving Chelsea?

According to reports, Havertz is set to leave Chelsea this summer, though it is now unlikely he will be moving to Real Madrid, as the Spanish side are said to have cooled their pursuit amid concerns about the Blues' asking price.

The same report details that Chelsea are keen to keep hold of the German, but that they would sell him for the right price as they need to raise money after failing to qualify for the Champions League despite spending heavily.

Madrid may have backed away from the negotiating table for now, though they could go back in for him at a later stage, while Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also named as potential suitors.

The 23-year-old may also have the option to remain in the Premier League, as The Telegraph reports that Arsenal are monitoring his situation with Chelsea, although the £70m price tag has so far dissuaded them from making a move.

Chelsea are holding out for a large fee given that the Germany international's contract does not expire until 2025, but the player himself could push for a move, as he is interested in a move elsewhere – particularly to Real Madrid.

It is deemed unlikely that any potential suitor will offer more than £50m for the forward, giving the Blues a big decision to make this summer.

Should Arsenal sign Kai Havertz?

Considering the £150k-per-week attacker scored just seven goals in 35 Premier League appearances last season, despite most commonly being utilised as a striker, £70m would surely be far too much of an outlay. However, he could be a solid addition for a lower fee.

Hailed as "exceptional" by members of the media, the former Bayer Leverkusen man recorded 14 goals in all competitions during the 2021-22 campaign, the second-highest figure of any Chelsea player.

There have been reports indicating that Mikel Arteta is keen on bringing a more physical striker this summer, and the 6 foot 3 colossus could fit the bill in that regard, considering he has averaged more aerials won per 90 than Gabriel Jesus over the past year.

However, Havertz's record in front of goal is a real issue, missing 14 big chances in the Premier League last season, and he should only be signed if Chelsea lower their asking price.

Sri Lanka took under an hour on day five to wrap up a 2-0 series whitewash of Zimbabwe with a 257-run win

The Report by Shashank Kishore10-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRangana Herath finished with 19 wickets in the series•AFPIt took Sri Lanka a little over 50 minutes to wrap up proceedings on the final day in Harare. Resuming on 180 for 7, Zimbabwe folded for 233 to give Sri Lanka a 257-run win. Rangana Herath, in his first and perhaps last series as Sri Lanka captain – he was standing in for the injured Angelo Mathews – celebrated a 2-0 series win with his seventh ten-wicket haul in Tests. His match figures of 13 for 152 took his series tally to 19 wickets.Craig Ervine, who made a battling half-century on the fourth day, stood between Sri Lanka and an early finish. In the first six overs, he seemed keen on playing according to the merit of the ball. But the frustration of being unable to get runs – Zimbabwe had just one scoring shot in the first 23 minutes – resulted in him gloving an audacious reverse sweep from the rough off Herath to Dhananjaya de Silva at slip.Dhananjaya, who was initially moving to his right in anticipation of the sweep going a lot squarer, changed directions and dived low to complete an excellent two-handed catch. Ervine referred the decision, but it was eventually upheld as there was sufficient evidence of the ball brushing the glove before hitting his forearm. Off the first ball of his next over, Herath had Carl Mumba with an arm ball that drifted back in to trap him in front.Christopher Mpofu came out playing shots. A slog sweep over deep midwicket off Herath even had the dressing room in splits as he acknowledged the applause by raising his bat. He swung at everything thereafter, but the party did not last much longer as Herath’s slider came back in to beat his forward push and trap him lbw.This was Sri Lanka’s fifth successive Test win – they swept Australia 3-0 at home prior to this series – to equal their second-longest winning streak in Tests. Their longest is nine, which they achieved in 2000-2001.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Manchester City centre-half Aymeric Laporte this summer, with the French-born Spain international reportedly "available" for transfer this summer.

That's courtesy of a recent report from 90min, which claims that while there are other clubs in the running for his signature, Spurs could look to tie up a deal to solve their defensive quandary.

The north London side shipped 63 goals in the Premier League this season, a tally bettered by every team in the top 14, which illustrates exactly where new manager Ange Postecoglou needs to prioritise as he looks to manufacture a winning mentality to return to European competition and end a 15-year trophy drought.

Laporte is valued at around £40m by the Citizens, and while he still has two years remaining on his current deal at the Etihad Stadium, limited game time has left the general consensus that he will leave for new pastures when the transfer window swings its door wide open, and Tottenham could benefit.

How good is Aymeric Laporte?

Having signed for the Sky Blues from Athletic Bilbao for £57m in 2018 – then a club-record acquisition – Laporte has chalked up 179 appearances, winning five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four Carabao Cups, with the Champions League final but a day away.

He would bring experience and aptitude to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a defender for one of the best teams in world football for half a decade, perhaps instilling his winning mentality into an outfit desperate to clinch a slice of silverware after an interminable period without silver-laden success.

While Tottenham's backline hasn't been at the races this term, star centre-back Cristian Romero remains a formidable rock, albeit somewhat haphazard in his approach at times, branded "emotional" by Rio Ferdinand and "reckless" by Chris Sutton.

The robust Argentinian only featured 27 times in the Premier League this season but recorded an average Sofascore rating of 6.97 – the highest of any Spurs central defender – and completed 88% of his passes, also averaging 2.5 tackles, 3.6 clearances and 1.6 interceptions per game.

The £165k-per-week has been heralded as a "Rolls-Royce" by Martin Keown this season and is undoubtedly a sparkling prospect.

With Laporte beside him, the 25-year-old World Cup champion could finally demonstrate his full might for his club side, already ranking among the top 5% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 20% for interceptions and the top 17% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

An unyielding colossus with a "street-wise" attitude – as remarked by Jamie Carragher – Romero could benefit from the composure of Laporte, who has been hailed as the "best left-central defender in the world" by City manager Pep Guardiola.

Indeed, the 20-cap international ranks among the 3% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 1% for attempted passes, progressive passes and progressive carries, and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90, which could provide Postecoglou, who favours a "positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play" – according to chairman Daniel Levy – with the perfect orchestrator from the heart of the defence.

Romero's tenacious grit and Laporte's "exceptional" talents, as praised again by Guardiola, could work seamlessly upon the City ace's integration, and Spurs must now tie up a deal for Laporte, unleashing a dynamic new backline to cast aside the cobwebs of the 2022/23 campaign and chart a course for success unseen in what feels like a perpetual cycle of near-misses and years mired in obscurity.

Aston Villa are in pole position to sign Sporting Lisbon star Pedro Goncalves and are leading the race for his signature. according to reports.

Who could Villa sign this summer?

It was a phenomenal end to the Premier League campaign for Unai Emery, who guided his side to a seventh-placed finish and subsequent qualfication for next season UEFA Europa Conference League.

This is despite Villa undergoing a very poor run of form at the start of the season under Steven Gerrard, but after Emery turned the tide, it is now the club's job to back their capable manager this summer.

Central midfield may well be a position of importance in this regard, with Villa thought to hold an interest in the likes of Joao Palhinha (Fulham), James Ward-Prowse of Southampton and even free agent Youri Tielemans – who recently departed Leicester City.

Meanwhile. additions further forward are not out of the question either, as Villa have even been linked with audacious moves for the likes of Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus) and Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid).

Sporting Lisbon star Goncalves, nicknamed 'Pote', is also a player on Emery's radar and the Villans have been tipped to move for him this summer.

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, via Sport Witness, Aston Villa are "in the lead" for his transfer, while Sporting expect his exit to be "imminent".

While Pote has starred under Ruben Amorim, Sporting's lack of Champions League qualification for next campaign means they have to sell and generate much-needed funds.

That's why the Primeira Liga side are happy to sell for the right price, with Pote's contract also containing an €80m (£68.8M) release clause.

Going by this update, Emery could well be edging closer to the signing of Pote.

Who is Pedro Goncalves?

The 24-year-old, as per WhoScored, has played a dazzling role for Sporting as a key player in their set up.

Pote stood out as their top goalscorer in the Portuguese top flight last season with 15 goals, registering a further 11 assists and totaling an impressive 26 goal contributions (WhoScored).

The central midfielder also attempted more shots at goal per 90 than any other Sporting player over 2022/2023, averaging their second-highest rate of key passes per 90 as well (WhoScored).

Journalist Sacha Pisani, commenting on the "incredible" Pote all the way back in 2021, tipped him for stardom and for Europe's elite to come calling.

Two of South Africa’s least experienced batsmen – Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock – fought back with half-centuries on the first day in Perth, but Australia remained on top at the tea break

The Report by Brydon Coverdale03-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:04

Chappell: Steyn got sucked into the challenge with Warner

The first day of Australia’s Test summer began with Mitchell Starc striking in the opening over. It ended with David Warner racing to a brisk half-century. In between, South Africa faltered and fought back, but not enough to be comfortable with their position at stumps. Four years ago they won at the WACA having been bowled out for 225 in the first innings. This time they reached 242, but Warner’s late-afternoon efforts ensured Australia were firmly on top.It was not what Faf du Plessis would have envisaged from the day, after he won the toss on a good pitch for batting. Still, South Africa’s recovery from 4 for 32 meant they were still in with a chance in the match. And they had two of their most inexperienced Test batsmen – Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma, in their 11th and 12th Tests respectively – to thank. Had Vernon Philander not overstepped early in Australia’s innings, things could have been very different.On 17, Warner survived an lbw shout from Philander, who convinced du Plessis to ask for a review. Indeed, the ball was pitching in line, hitting in line, and the decision would have been overturned – except it was a no-ball. Eventually, Warner went to stumps unbeaten on 73 with his new opening partner, Shaun Marsh, on 29 and Australia’s total had moved on to 0 for 105. It meant their deficit was already eroded to 137.Warner has always been a massive threat at the WACA. His first Test innings at the ground – a blisteringly fast 180 against India in 2011-12 – was a sign of things to come. By stumps, he was only six runs away from overtaking Matthew Hayden as the all-time most prolific Test opener at the venue, no mean feat considering he has played barely half as many WACA innings as Hayden, who broke the Test record score there with 380 against Zimbabwe.He drove hard when South Africa’s bowlers overpitched, and cut when they fell a fraction short. Remarkably, 62 of his 73 runs came through the off side. At the other end, Marsh needed to do little but rotate the strike. Dale Steyn bowled quick, reaching 150kph, but was not consistent enough, and Kagiso Rabada took a little while to find his best. Philander was perhaps the best of the bowlers, but wasted his best chance with a no-ball.By stumps, Australia’s openers had a century partnership, something that no pair achieved during the South Africa innings. There was, in fact, only one half-century stand, the 71-run combination from Bavuma and de Kock, which came after some serious top-order wobbles.For the 19th time since the start of last year, Starc struck in the first over of an international innings. This time his victim was Stephen Cook, who had been in shaky form during South Africa’s warm-up matches against second-string opposition. It was no preparation for facing Starc with the new ball. The fourth delivery moved away just enough and Cook’s edge was taken by a diving Mitchell Marsh at gully.A bigger blow was to come for South Africa in the fourth over, when Hashim Amla was done by the subtle variations in Josh Hazlewood’s swing. Amla’s edge was comfortably taken at second slip by Steven Smith. It was the second duck of the innings, and South Africa were 2 for 5. Hazlewood also muddled Dean Elgar, who couldn’t decide whether to play or leave, and did neither, feathering behind to Peter Nevill.A fourth wicket was to come inside the first hour, when Peter Siddle moved one back in to kiss the inside edge of JP Duminy’s bat on the way through to Nevill. Du Plessis and Bavuma saw South Africa through to lunch without further loss, but du Plessis did not last long after the resumption. On 37, he edged Starc to Adam Voges at slip, and at 5 for 81, South Africa still looked in danger of a seriously sub-standard total.De Kock and Bavuma worked solidly at building the score up past 150, and Bavuma reached his half-century from his 84th delivery. It took an outstanding catch to end Bavuma’s innings, his inside edge off Nathan Lyon brilliantly snapped up by Shaun Marsh, lunging to his right at short leg. It was a key moment for Australia, as South Africa were threatening to undo all of Australia’s good work from the morning session.De Kock played his shots when the opportunity arose and found some support from the lower order, but wickets still fell regularly. Philander played on for 10 trying to pull Starc in the final over before tea, debutant Keshav Maharaj holed out to long-on off Lyon for 16, and de Kock missed the chance for a century when he pulled Hazlewood to Shaun Marsh at midwicket on 84 from 101 deliveries. It was a fine innings, but one that might not even cancel out Warner’s runs.The innings ended with Steyn bowled by Starc for 4. Starc finished with 4 for 71 and bowled with impressive pace throughout the day, given his very limited match practice after recovering from a nasty leg injury suffered at training in September. Hazlewood and Siddle were both accurate and found enough movement to trouble the batsmen, and Australia’s fielding was generally outstanding.Australia’s home summer usually begins at the Gabba – or the Gabbatoir – where they have not lost a Test since 1988. Their record at the WACA is much more mixed, but after one day of the Test season, they have made a fine start regardless of the venue.