A controversial decision has stolen the spotlight on the first day of the third Test at the SCG, while bad light and rain cut the day short.
Usman Khawaja (54*) and Marnus Labsuchagne (79) both notched half-centuries as Australia reached 2-147 in 47 overs, after Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat on a pitch that looked ripe for breaking up later in the match.
South Africa felt they had Labuschagne caught at first slip for 70, only for the third umpire to give the prolific Queenslander a second life.
Simon Harmer and the South African fielders claimed a low catch at first slip off the bowling of Jansen in the 40th over.
The on-field umpires referred the decision with a soft signal of out, only for third umpire Richard Kettleborough to rule that the ball had touched the ground between the fingers of Harmer.
The soft signal is only applied if the technology fails, meaning the third umpire did not overturn the decision, but made a ruling based on the evidence he was shown on the replay screen.
The South Africans were frustrated and captain Dean Elgar was shown in conversation with the umpires after the decision had been made.
Given the on-field umpires' soft signal, many pundits watching on were confused as to how the mixed replays — slow-motion from in front looked like a clean catch but side-on cast doubt — constituted conclusive enough evidence to go in another direction.
"That's a catch for me. I felt like he got his fingers underneath that ball. That's a real shame for South Africa," former Australia cricketer Kristen Beams said on ABC Grandstand.
"If all of a sudden that's out, Labuschagne, who looks like he's making runs for fun, he's out and you'd say South Africa aren't on top but it's probably the best performance we've seen from them so far.
"I feel a little bit frustrated for the South Africans because, I think, based on the soft signal, that should've been given out.
"I think you've got to give the benefit of the doubt to the fielder … That is just out."
Veteran ABC commentator Jim Maxwell tweeted that Labuschagne should have been out, labelling it a "poor decision".
Another sodden day in the Sydney Test
Soon after the controversy, bad light stopped play for the first time at drinks in the second session, around 2:15pm AEDT, with South Africa opting to go off rather than only bowl their spinners under heavy clouds.
That brought about an early tea break, during which rain arrived.
Play was eventually set to get back underway in slightly better light an hour-and-a-half later for a 45-over final session but, as the players stood on the boundary in their whites, umpires Paul Reiffel and Chris Gaffaney told them to hold off as they made their way out to the middle.
As the crowd grew restless over yet another stop-start day at the SCG, the officials took another light reading on the pitch and ultimately told the teams to head back to the sheds.
When they eventually got back onto the park another hour later with the final session reduced to 30 overs, only four could be bowled, during which Labuschagne nicked off to Anrich Nortje.
Adding salt in the wound, both teams followed him off the ground as umpires called play due to bad light immediately after the wicket.
The rain settled in for good after that, meaning no more play was possible and cricket will hopefully get back underway at 10am on Thursday.
Australia fielding new-look side
With injuries to Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green, plus a spin-friendly pitch, Australia made three changes to the team what won inside four days at the MCG.
Matt Renshaw, Josh Hazlewood and Ashton Agar all came into the side, with Scott Boland surprisingly dropped in favour of Agar as a second spin option, despite having played just one match and taken one wicket in the Sheffield Shield for Western Australia this season.
Renshaw, returning to the side for the first time since 2018, stood apart from his teammates during the anthems.
It was later revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19 — something that 12 months ago would have had him stripped from the squad but, in 2023, will not stop him playing unless his condition deteriorates.
After his MCG heroics, David Warner failed to fire on his home turf, flashing an edge to Marco Jansen at first slip for just 10.
Labuschagne joined Khawaja in playing out a very circumspect opening session as South Africa's spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, operated in tandem before lunch.
After reaching lunch on 1-68, the Aussie pair kicked on, with Labuschagne reaching a half-century, his first 50 of this series, having scored 471 runs in his first three innings against the West Indies earlier this summer.
After surviving the controversial caught chance on 70, Labuschagne was joined by Khawaja in reaching his half-century, his first of the series but third of the summer.
