Lunch Australia 68 for 1 (Labuschagne 30*, Khawaja 25*, Nortje 1-17) vs South Africa

Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne steadily laid a platform for a new-look Australia side on a slow SCG surface after the early loss of David Warner in the opening session of the third Test against South Africa.

Captain Pat Cummins won a crucial toss and elected to bat on a dry surface that is expected to spin sharply during the match. It was the sixth straight toss Australia had won in Test cricket.

Having spectacularly rediscovered his form in the Boxing Day Test, Warner was in an aggressive mood and slashed a boundary off the first delivery he faced. He added another before edging to first slip in the fourth over after a rash attempt at a cut shot off quick Anrich Nortje.

In a contrast to Warner's cavalier approach, Khawaja and Labuschagne played watchfully and decided to mostly leave outside off stump. Eyeing the long haul, they notched a half-century partnership as Australia reached lunch at 68 for 1.

Amid overcast and humid conditions in Sydney, with rain forecast later in the day, South Africa's attack hoped for early breakthroughs but their quicks failed to attack the stumps often enough.

Much like his lionhearted effort in Melbourne, Nortje bowled quickly and consistently around 145kmh/90mph but fellow quick Kagiso Rabada was again erratic.

After a wayward start, Rabada found better rhythm to shackle Australia and restrict the scoring rate, which South Africa's bowlers were not able to do during a pummelling in Melbourne.

Wicketless from 43.5 overs in the opening two Tests, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj hoped for better fortune in more favourable conditions for him. He entered the attack 30 minutes before lunch but started poorly with a full-toss dispatched to the boundary by Khawaja as the batters started to settle.

Recalled offspinner Simon Harmer, selected in place of quick Lungi Ngidi, looked dangerous in the two overs he bowled before lunch and conjured menacing turn in a sign of what's ahead.

Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood and Matthew Renshaw were named in an Australia team attempting a clean sweep of the series and a spot in the World Test Championship final in June.

With the SCG surface set to play more traditionally, Australia selected left-arm spinner Agar, the last of whose four previous Test matches was in 2017 in Bangladesh. It is the first time Australia named two frontline spinners at home in six years, but they resisted selecting five specialist bowlers.

Regular quick Hazlewood returned from a side strain having edged out cult favourite Scott Boland and uncapped tearaway Lance Morris.

Along with Harmer, who replaced Lungi Ngidi, South Africa named batter Heinrich Klaasen in place of Theunis de Bruyn, who has returned home for the birth of his first child.