Debutant paceman Stuart Clark took five wickets for 55 to put Australia on top on the first day of the first Test against South Africa on Thursday.

Clark helped Australia bowl out South Africa, who won the toss and chose to bat, for 205.

Australia were 63 for one in reply at the close.

Matthew Hayden [Images] was 22 not out with Ricky Ponting [Images] on 20.

Clark maintained a disciplined line and length and made good use of the responsive pitch.

Fast bowler Brett Lee [Images] offered Clark steady support and took three for 37

The match started under heavy cloud cover and a pitch that offered movement off the seam provided further assistance for the bowlers.

Australia preferred Clark to leg-spinner Stuart MacGill and the decision paid dividends when Clark took key wickets in South Africa's top and middle order.

Fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz drew first blood for Australia when he moved a delivery off the seam back into the right-handed AB de Villiers, who drove down the wrong line and was bowled through the gate for eight.

Clark first struck when he angled a delivery across the left-handed Graeme Smith [Images], who pushed forward tentatively and edged a catch to keeper Adam Gilchrist [Images] to be dismissed for 19.

Jacques Kallis [Images], who scored six, became Clark's second victim when he cut at a short delivery and was caught by Matthew Hayden in the gully.

Nine balls before lunch Herschelle Gibbs [Images] drove down the wrong line to Clark and was bowled for 18 as South Africa stumbled to 61 for four.

Jacques Rudolph was out eight balls after lunch when he steered a Kasprowicz delivery to first slip, where Shane Warne [Images] juggled the ball and kicked it upward as he fell backward. Gilchrist was on hand to complete the catch.

Clark had Mark Boucher [Images] well caught by a diving Gilchrist for 16 as South Africa lurched to 104 for six in the ninth over after lunch.

Ashwell Prince stood firm for 105 minutes and 67 balls for his 17 before he edged Brett Lee to Hayden in the gully.

Hayden took his 100th Test catch when he dived forward to hold a low chance offered by Andrew Hall [Images] off Lee in the third over before tea. Prince's 24 was South Africa's top score.

The game is the first between the two teams since last Sunday's record-breaking one-dayer, won by South Africa.

Scorecard

South Africa (1st innings):
G. Smith c Gilchrist b Clark 19
A. de Villiers b Kasprowicz 8
H. Gibbs b Clark 18
J. Kallis c Hayden b Clark 6
A. Prince c Hayden b Lee 17
J. Rudolph c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 10
M. Boucher c Gilchrist b Clark 16
A. Hall c Hayden b Lee 24
N. Boje lbw b Clark 31
A. Nel lbw b Lee 18
M. Ntini not out 17.
Extras: (lb-6 nb-15) 21
Total: (all out, 63.5 overs) 205

Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-42, 3-48, 4-61, 5-76, 6-104, 7-124, 8-148, 9-173, 10-205

Bowling: B. Lee 14.5 - 2 - 37 - 3 (nb-1), M. Kasprowicz 13 - 0 - 44 - 2 (nb-10), A. Symonds 10 - 2 - 22 - 0 (nb-2), S. Clark 17 - 3 - 55 - 5 (nb-1), S. Warne 9 - 0 - 41 - 0 (nb-1)

Australia (1st innings):
J. Langer lbw b Nel 16
M. Hayden not out 22
R. Ponting not out 20.
Extras: (lb-5) 5
Total: (for 1 wicket, 23 overs) 63

Fall of wicket: 1-21

To bat: D. Martyn, M. Hussey, A. Symonds, A. Gilchrist, S. Warne, B. Lee, M. Kasprowicz, S. Clark. 

Bowling: M. Ntini 9 - 1 - 30 - 0, A. Nel 8 - 4 - 14 - 1, A. Hall 5 - 2 - 14 - 0, N. Boje 1 - 1 - 0 - 0.