Warner goes cheaply as Australia reach 68-1 at lunch

Australia patiently dug in after losing David Warner cheaply on the opening day of the third Test against South Africa in Sydney Wednesday, as recalled batsman Matt Renshaw tested positive for Covid-19.

The Australians reached lunch at 68 for one with Usman Khawaja, who averages 98 in Sydney Tests, on 25 and Marnus Labuschagne 30.

Anrich Nortje struck a significant blow in his second over when he had Melbourne Test double-centurion Warner caught head-high at first slip by Marco Jansen for 10.

Renshaw, recalled for his first Test since April 2018, returned a positive Covid-19 test on the morning of the match after he was named in the team but team officials said he would continue to play in the match.

Skipper Pat Cummins won his fifth successive toss and decided to play an extra spinner with left-armer Ashton Agar, and Renshaw coming in to bolster the batting, squeezing out in-form paceman Scott Boland on a dry cracking Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

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"This is as close as we're going to get to India here in Australia so it would be good to see Ash (Agar) have a go after a little while and Matty (Renshaw) as well," Cummins said at the toss.

South Africa did likewise, with off-spinner Simon Harmer ousting Lungi Ngidi while Heinrich Klaasen replaced Theunis de Bruyn at number three.

Harmer looked threatening on the turning pitch, pinning down Khawaja heading into lunch with some light rain beginning to fall.

Apart from a series clean sweep, Australia will be looking to lock in a place in the ICC World Test Championship final in London in June. The Proteas still have an outside chance but must first cause an upset in Sydney.

The Australians have already wrapped up the three-match series after hammering the Proteas by an innings and 182 runs in Melbourne following a six-wicket rout in the opener in Brisbane inside two days.