Such is the time difference, many back home missed this fightback, having rolled over when Scott Boland was left out again, Cummins chose to bowl under blue skies and South Africa plundered the bowling through the opening session.
When Starc was being slapped and steered for four consecutive fours by Ackerman, few anticipated this finale. Not since Ponting’s insertion of England 21 years ago had a 100-run opening partnership been made for a side put into bat for Australia.
But Cummins’ Australia held firm again where other sides have folded.
As a side they remain imperfect. They could yet lose this Test – a result that could have wider repercussions going forward to next year’s Ashes.
Their batting line-up, with opener Nic Maddinson sent on a flight home after two Tests, Marnus Labuschagne retained despite a run of innings without a century longer than most careers and, crucially, with Steve Smith out injured is flawed.
But Australia find a way, often when teetering somewhere near the brink.
It is 11 months since knives were sharpening after four sessions of last winter’s Ashes series.
Batter Usman Khawaja was injured playing golf, the batting line-up weak and the back-ups to an ageing pace attack not up to the mark. They won that Test in two days and took the series 4-1.
This could prove an even more impressive reversal at the bottom of Africa.
The end result does not prove Cummins was right with his morning decision, however.
“It feels like there’s a bit of moisture in the wicket so we will have first use of it,” he said after putting South Africa into bat.
Eleven overs later, Lyon was bowling his spin. Not since Shane Warne in 2000 had an Australian spinner been in the attack so early after their captain chose to bowl.
Instead, the obvious explanation appears that he made his call to protect a struggling batting line-up.
Matt Renshaw will be pushed back up to open, having impressed in the first Test at number five, and Labuschagne given another, possibly final, chance.
Batter Josh Inglis, one of the four to come into this Australian XI, has not faced a red ball in a competitive match since March – nor Cameron Green since August.
Will a day’s play help ease those batters back into this Test, or simply delay the inevitable?
Cummins’ entry into that unwanted club has been delayed by his bowlers’ streetwise nature and ability to sense a moment.
Now his batters must ensure he never steps foot inside at all.
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