AP

Jacques Rudolph is bowled.

South Africa lost an early wicket but went on to consolidate before lunch on day two of the opening Test against Australia at Newlands on Thursday.

Opening the batting with Graeme Smith, Jacques Rudolph made 18 runs before he played down the wrong line and lost his off-stump to Ryan Harris.

Smith and Hashim Amla took the total to 49/1 with Smith on 22 and Amla on three at the break.

The morning session probably belonged to Australia as they took their overnight total of 214/8 to a more competitive 284 all out.

Their captain, Michael Clarke, played a remarkable innings for his 151 runs.

The Baggy Greens resumed at 214/8, after Clarke and Shaun Marsh had shared a fourth-wicket stand of 103 on day one.

A partnership down the order between Clarke and Peter Siddle kept the tail wagging.

Clarke came to the crease on 107 in the morning and went on to make his highest Test score against South Africa, falling 17 runs short of his highest ever Test score.

He survived an early chance on 109, when there was no second slip in place to Vernon Philander and, by his own admission, he had ducked and dived a bit at the start of his innings on day one.

Otherwise, he played a masterful innings to lift his team from 40/3 and turn the tide as wickets tumbled around him.

Siddle, who made 20, was dropped on five, but went on to support his skipper and the pair added 59 runs for the ninth wicket, the second highest partnership of the innings.

Fast bowler Dale Steyn took 4/55, while Philander, on debut, and Morne Morkel took three apiece. – Sapa