Day wrap: Honours even on tense opening day

Some fifteen months ago a humiliated Steve Smith fronted the media in Hobart after his team had suffered a fifth-straight Test defeat.

On day one of that Test, they'd been skittled for a paltry 85, while South Africa closed out the contest by taking 8-32 in Australia's second innings.

It was a scarcely believable outcome for an Australian side, particularly on home soil, and one that left the captain searching for answers.

Lunch wrap: Proteas grab three before the break

"I'm hurting," Smith said at the time. "It's another disappointing performance, to lose 8-30 – another big collapse. It's happening way too often.

"We've got to find a way to start turning things around; whether the ball's seaming or spinning or swinging, we don't have an answer at the moment.

"We're not resilient enough. We're not digging in enough. We're not having that pride in our wicket.

QUICK SINGLE Aussies fight on tense opening day

"Too many times we've lost wickets in clumps. Eight for 30 today. Ten for 85 in the first innings. It's happening way too consistently for my liking.

"I need players that are willing to get in the contest and get in the battle and have some pride playing for Australia. That's what I need."

Spin will feature on two-paced pitch: Warner

After day one of the return series in South Africa – ahead of which Smith openly stated his desire for revenge following that 2-1 home defeat – the captain can take solace in the fact that he looks to have found at least a few more of those players.

In Mitchell and Shaun Marsh, who ironically both missed the Hobart debacle due to form and injury respectively, but have since come back into the side, revitalised and reliable.

And in Tim Paine, who has defied his poor Sheffield Shield record in recent years to so far prove himself a consistent performer at No.7.

Together with Smith, it is a middle order that has allowed Australia to enjoy a far more fruitful period than that which they were enduring between August and November 2016.

Wasted reviews cost the Proteas wicket of Marsh

The collapses – for now – have halted; with the exception of the Adelaide Ashes Test, in which Jimmy Anderson hit his straps with the pink ball and Australia's middle order disappeared to the tune of 5-36, the fewest runs compiled between the fall of the second and sixth wickets is 172. And that was in Brisbane, before Mitchell Marsh's recall.

Since coming back with a century in Perth, Marsh, maligned for so long as a nearly man, has proven himself on the biggest stage. In assessing the situation of the match and batting accordingly, he has played the No.6 role to a tee.

QUICK SINGLE Five moments that mattered: day one

At the WACA Ground he came to the crease with the score at 4-248 and pushed the game along spectacularly. In Melbourne, with Australia needing to last the final day to earn a draw, he stonewalled alongside his captain for more than three hours, soaking up 166 balls in making an unbeaten 29.

His freewheeling hundred in Sydney was a statement that this second – or third, or fourth – coming of Mitchell Marsh was in fact the real deal.

Bancroft 'got himself into trouble': Smith

And on day one in Durban he was at it again, recognising the need for a measured hand following the loss of Smith, and playing watchfully for 77 balls in making 32no as the light faded and an early stumps was called.

The story has been a similar one for Shaun, who has over the years received more criticism than even his brother, as detractors saw a batsman who routinely wasted his gifts.

But the 34-year-old's Ashes campaign ended the argument; his tally of 445 runs at 74.16 was second only to Smith, while what proved to be a match-winning century in Adelaide was perhaps the finest knock of his career.

It's little wonder Smith was visibly elated when the brothers celebrated each other's hundreds out in the middle during the Sydney Test; these were the men who had responded to his call.

Rabada, de Kock brilliance does for Khawaja

Finally, there's Paine, the most unlikely figure in this middle-order reinvention.

The 33-year-old, who ironically made his Test debut in the same match as Smith way back in July 2010, was close to calling time on his career last year after finding himself out of favour in Tasmania. Even this summer, he was plucked from relative obscurity for Test duties, having played just one Shield match after being left out of the Tigers team at the beginning of their campaign. Quite remarkably, he is averaging 53.25 since his return to the Test side.

QUICK SINGLE Smith weighs in on Bancroft dismissal

The right-hander has brought considerable maturity to his role, showcasing an ability to capitalise on anything errant and a willingness to dig in and support batsmen above him through more challenging periods, as he did with Mitch Marsh in making 21no from 51 balls to see Australia safely through to the close at Kingsmead overnight.

In all, Paine has batted seven times for a lowest score of 11, but even in that innings he occupied the crease for more than 40 minutes, stemming whatever momentum the opposition had gained.

Smith said he wanted fighters in his team, players who were desperate enough to battle through the inevitable hard times Test cricket would present.

While he will be wary that one swallow does not a summer make, the three men below him in the batting order have so far given him exactly what he requested.

Plans paid off against Smith: Maharaj

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Kingsmead, Durban, March 1-5. Live coverage

Second Test St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, March 9-13. Live coverage

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage