<p>Opener Aiden Markram led the way with a career-best 152 as South Africa had the better of the opening day of the fourth Test against a much-changed Australia, reaching the close on 313 for six on Friday.</p>.<p>The tourists, reeling from their ball-tampering scandal and led by new captain Tim Paine, had to endure chants of "where is Warner?" and "where is your captain?" from sections of the 17,023 home support as a reminder of the bans handed to captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.</p>.<p>Needing a win to grab a share of the series, the tourists kept themselves in the game as the excellent Pat Cummins (3/53) claimed the wickets of Markram and home skipper Faf du Plessis first ball.</p>.<p>Debutant Chadd Sayers (2/64) removed AB de Villiers (69) with the new ball and two deliveries later had nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada caught without scoring.</p>.<p>Temba Bavuma (25) and Quinton de Kock (7) will resume on the second morning, looking for a sizeable total on a wicket already taking turn and showing widening cracks as they seek a first home series win over Australia in almost 50 years.</p>.<p>After losing the toss, Australia's bowlers have found enough in the wicket to dispel the notion of a flat pitch.</p>.<p>But it did not come in the form of reverse swing, which was noticeably absent having been a feature of the first three Tests, only becoming apparent with the very old ball.</p>.<p>The excellent Markram was the anchor for the innings, hitting 17 fours and a six on his way to a fourth career century to go with three fifties in 17 Test innings as he scored all around the ground.</p>.<p>His 216-ball vigil ended when he steered Cummins to Mitchell Marsh in the gully, having brought up his 150 the delivery before with a sumptuous drive.</p>.<p>It was the fourth century for the home side in the series, and second for Markram, with Australia's batsmen yet to break their duck, a major difference between the two sides.</p>.<p>South Africa were teetering on the brink of another middle-order collapse when Du Plessis misjudged Cummins's next delivery, leaving the ball as it crashed into his pads for a plumb lbw decision.</p>.<p>But De Villiers and Bavuma steadied the innings again with a fifth-wicket partnership of 52, before two late wickets lifted Australia at the Wanderers.</p>.<p>The other batsmen out were opener Dean Elgar (19), caught off the leading edge from a Lyon delivery for the third time in the series, and Hashim Amla (27), who edged Cummins to Peter Handscombe at second slip.</p>.<p>Australia made four changes from the last Test, replacing the banned trio with Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw and Handscomb. Fast bowler Mitchell Starc has a stress fracture in his leg and was replaced by Sayers.</p>.<p>South Africa, 2-1 up in the series, were unchanged with fast bowler Morne Morkel playing his final Test match before he retires from international cricket.</p>
<p>Opener Aiden Markram led the way with a career-best 152 as South Africa had the better of the opening day of the fourth Test against a much-changed Australia, reaching the close on 313 for six on Friday.</p>.<p>The tourists, reeling from their ball-tampering scandal and led by new captain Tim Paine, had to endure chants of "where is Warner?" and "where is your captain?" from sections of the 17,023 home support as a reminder of the bans handed to captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.</p>.<p>Needing a win to grab a share of the series, the tourists kept themselves in the game as the excellent Pat Cummins (3/53) claimed the wickets of Markram and home skipper Faf du Plessis first ball.</p>.<p>Debutant Chadd Sayers (2/64) removed AB de Villiers (69) with the new ball and two deliveries later had nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada caught without scoring.</p>.<p>Temba Bavuma (25) and Quinton de Kock (7) will resume on the second morning, looking for a sizeable total on a wicket already taking turn and showing widening cracks as they seek a first home series win over Australia in almost 50 years.</p>.<p>After losing the toss, Australia's bowlers have found enough in the wicket to dispel the notion of a flat pitch.</p>.<p>But it did not come in the form of reverse swing, which was noticeably absent having been a feature of the first three Tests, only becoming apparent with the very old ball.</p>.<p>The excellent Markram was the anchor for the innings, hitting 17 fours and a six on his way to a fourth career century to go with three fifties in 17 Test innings as he scored all around the ground.</p>.<p>His 216-ball vigil ended when he steered Cummins to Mitchell Marsh in the gully, having brought up his 150 the delivery before with a sumptuous drive.</p>.<p>It was the fourth century for the home side in the series, and second for Markram, with Australia's batsmen yet to break their duck, a major difference between the two sides.</p>.<p>South Africa were teetering on the brink of another middle-order collapse when Du Plessis misjudged Cummins's next delivery, leaving the ball as it crashed into his pads for a plumb lbw decision.</p>.<p>But De Villiers and Bavuma steadied the innings again with a fifth-wicket partnership of 52, before two late wickets lifted Australia at the Wanderers.</p>.<p>The other batsmen out were opener Dean Elgar (19), caught off the leading edge from a Lyon delivery for the third time in the series, and Hashim Amla (27), who edged Cummins to Peter Handscombe at second slip.</p>.<p>Australia made four changes from the last Test, replacing the banned trio with Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw and Handscomb. Fast bowler Mitchell Starc has a stress fracture in his leg and was replaced by Sayers.</p>.<p>South Africa, 2-1 up in the series, were unchanged with fast bowler Morne Morkel playing his final Test match before he retires from international cricket.</p>