DURBAN, March 2 (Reuters) - An unbeaten 60 from MitchellMarsh and a quickfire 35 from Mitchell Starc helped Australia toreach 300 for eight at lunch on the second day of the first testagainst South Africa.
Marsh brought up his third test 50 in 125 balls and is nowtop scorer for the Australians in their first innings as heweathered the second new ball with a circumspect approach.
He and Tim Paine resumed on Friday with Australia on 225-5but once South Africa took the second new ball, it took justfour deliveries for Paine to edge a full delivery from KagisoRabada behind to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock for 25.
Pat Cummins (NYSE:CMI) batted patiently before being undone by the spinof Keshav Maharaj, who bowled him through the gate for three,leaving Australia 251-7.
But Starc scuppered home hopes of restricting Australia tounder 300 on a slow, batting-friendly wicket, hitting some lustyblows for a rapidfire 35 runs off 25 balls before Maharaj bowledhim in the last over before lunch.
Maharaj now has four wickets for 103 runs off 30.4 overs andwill resume at the start of the second session as South Africalook to finish off the tail.
Captain Steve Smith (56) and David Warner (51) contributedruns on the opening day with Vernon Philander taking two wicketsfor the home team.
Warner said after the first day's play that any total over300 would be considered "a crucial lead".