- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR8.4 inside edge onto the stumps. Markram looked so good. He was so judicious about what to play and what to leave. So Boland had to be perfect to produce the mistake. The length to draw him forward and think about the drive but nowhere near the half-volley that makes the shot riskfree. Australia's metronome hits it. His wobble seam gets the ball to nip in. Beat the middle of the bat. Snag the inside half and crash into the sticks, producing a doleful clang. 12/114.3 the slightest indiscipline and it's punished. Boland askes the batter to drive. But he doesn't give the half-volley. Ackerman says it's fine. He's gonna go for it. Hard hands. Thrusting way out in front of his body. Leaves him vulnerable to the away seam. Nick. Gone 25/38.5 two in two! Boland's accuracy is making things happen for Australia. New batter goes feeling for one outside off. This time it seams away. Snags the edge of a half-hearted push down the ground. Simple catch for Carey. 12/2127.1 Nicked, gone! Bavuma done in by the angle. Has to walk back, gets a few handshakes, calls in Rabada too. SA HAVE DECLARED. Scrambled seam, landed on a length around off and seemed to straighten. Bavuma looked to defend straight and Carey dove low to the left to take his 200th Test catch. Ends Bavuma's 179, his personal best, it's taken SA from a point of deep trouble to one of comfort if not luxury 425/921.3 goooone. Told you he was on it today. Breetzke might have helped Starc out a bit here, playing well away from his body. Of all the wickets that SA have lost, this might be the worst one. Breetzke has been leaving balls that were a lot closer to his off stump from the right-arm quicks. The left-armer, the change in angle, makes him loose, makes him go chasing 40/439.4 the dropped catch will not haunt Australia anymore because Scotty B has come up clutch again! And this is an absolute worldie. Back of a length in the channel. A bit of jag away and Rickelton goes following it. The ball takes the outside edge and Carey, for some reason, does not dive for it. Renshaw realizes that at the last moment, and flings out his right mitt to make it stick inches off the turf. Not sure how Renshaw has pulled that off, but that tallies with how this series is going for him. Huge breakthrough just before stumps! 92/549.6 bounced out? Umpire says no. Australia opt for DRS. 144kph nasty from Starc. After all those freebies that Mulder could just let go, could just switch off, this one bangs into the middle of the pitch on leg stump and almost gathers pace off it. Mulder is caught in the crease, not knowing what to do, his hands come up for a shot, then he decides to duck, in the end he's just all crampled up and UltraEdge seems to suggest the ball bounces off the glove through to first slip. That's Starc's 450th Test wicket and it's what fast bowlers dream off. Complete annihilation of the opponent. 110/680.5 times it so well but forgets to place it anywhere near good. A huge partnership, a great rescue operation is now undone and Jansen walks off looking ruefully at the middle of his bat, the big meaty middle off which this good length ball on off stump went flying and then settled safely in the hands of short midwicket. Good grab from Head moving to his left and taking it shoulder height. And five for Boland. 242/7126.6 Hits off stump and ends a decade-long partnership, it's felt like one. Flat length ball on off, Harmer got on one knee for the slog sweep. Ball looked to have skidded on, under the bat. Ends a match-defining knock 425/8Extras14 (lb 8, nb 1, w 5)TOTAL425/9d (127.1 Overs, RR: 3.34)Did not bat: A NortjeFall of wickets: 1-12 (Aiden Markram, 8.4 ov), 2-12 (David Bedingham, 8.5 ov), 3-25 (Marques Ackerman, 14.3 ov), 4-40 (Matthew Breetzke, 21.3 ov), 5-92 (Ryan Rickelton, 39.4 ov), 6-110 (Wiaan Mulder, 49.6 ov), 7-242 (Marco Jansen, 80.5 ov), 8-425 (Simon Harmer, 126.6 ov), 9-425 (Temba Bavuma, 127.1 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB MA Starc 24.1 4 89 3 3.68 1 1 JR Hazlewood 14 2 43 0 3.07 0 0 SM Boland 29 7 81 5 2.79 0 0 PJ Cummins 26 3 96 0 3.69 0 0 BJ Webster 19 6 43 0 2.26 0 0 MT Renshaw 8 1 33 0 4.12 0 0 NJ Maddinson 5 0 24 0 4.8 0 0 M Labuschagne 2 0 8 1 4 0 0
Player of the Match
Player of the Match
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR0.4 Maddinson has a four-ball duck that's felt much longer than it was. The struggle ends with a catch third slip. His front foot didn't go across much, the fullish length ball was angling away and he tried to drive through cover. All-hands stuff and the ball took a thin edge. Poor shot. Rabada strikes first over on Test return. He punches the air across his chest 0/19.2 lbw shout, not given. On a length in the channel, and this decks back in. Head props forward and seems to keep it out via a combination of bat and pad. SA deliberate and review. They think it is pad-first. Could be close if that was the case. No bat involved, but this might be a touch high. Oh, what do we know. Ball Tracking returns three reds, with the ball crashing into the top of middle. Jansen has two, and Australia reeling now! 22/35.1 nicked and gone! Easy game, ain't it?! First ball in the innings for Jansen, and he lands it on a hard length on off. Wobble seam, and the ball nips away just a smidgen. Boland wafts at it and gets a healthy edge that Rickelton gobbles up. Jansen on the board early on day four, and Australia's night-watcher departs! 11/213.6 what a screamer, and Labuschagne's lean run continues! Full outside off, and this entices Labuschagne into a drive. The ball straightens just a smidgen and takes the outside edge. Harmer, stood at gully, flings out his left mitt and makes it stick. World-class catch to hand a world-class bowling attack another wicket, and Australia well under the cosh! 45/440.4 hot knife through butter, and Smith falls! Back of a length outside off. Jags back in sharply and Smith gets cut in half. Does not move his feet enough, and does not get behind the line either. A small gap between bat and pad, and the ball bursts through to knock back off stump. Smith seemed to be struggling throughout and now, he has to trudge off. Australia in a whole heap of trouble! 96/829.4 Taken... and Jansen is chuffed. Lets Renshaw know too. Renshaw turns back, camera pans away, Renshaw walks back disappointed. 139ks back of lengther around off. It was angling in and reared a touch. Could Renshaw have left it on length? Hard to pin that against him because of the angle. Anyway, Renshaw tried to defend it with a vertical bat in front of his chest, bat-face opened and the ball went to third slip 65/529.6 Tall runs and now Tall wickets! Jansen has Australia falling off a height. Gentle punches of the air before a leap as the cordon run in to celebrate. Back of length outside off, this was definitely there to leave. Carey wanted to run it to third, went for the late dab but had to check his shot because of the extra bounce. Feeling-for-it shot. Thin edge, high on the bat too. Ricks couldn't have smiled any wider upon taking it 65/637.4 gone this time, and Jansen has five! Back of a length in the fifth stump channel. Webster sees the width and decides to have a pop. Does not get over the bounce, though, and the ball might have angled in slightly to rid him of the requisite room. A thick outside edge on the jab and Markram moves smartly to his left at second slip to snaffle it up. Australia sink deeper into trouble! 84/742.3 skewed up, and Australia have been rolled over for 99! Follow-on enforced too! Slanted in on a length on middle and leg. Cummins looks to whip it away but gets under it way too much. Only gets height on it, and deep square leg is placed exactly for that type of miscue. Easy catch in the deep, and Australia concede a mammoth first-innings lead! 99/1041.2 Rabada nicks off Starc, and Australia are nine down! Back of a length in the channel, and this straightens ever so slightly. Starc, because of the angle from around the wicket, feels the need to play at it. All he manages is a tickle through to Rickelton, and Australia in danger of getting bowled out for a sub-100 total! 97/9Extras6 (b 4, lb 1, nb 1)TOTAL99 all out (42.3 Overs, RR: 2.32)Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Nic Maddinson, 0.4 ov), 2-11 (Scott Boland, 5.1 ov), 3-22 (Travis Head, 9.2 ov), 4-45 (Marnus Labuschagne, 13.6 ov), 5-65 (Matt Renshaw, 29.4 ov), 6-65 (Alex Carey, 29.6 ov), 7-84 (Beau Webster, 37.4 ov), 8-96 (Steven Smith, 40.4 ov), 9-97 (Mitchell Starc, 41.2 ov), 10-99 (Pat Cummins, 42.3 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB K Rabada 12 2 33 2 2.75 0 0 SR Harmer 5.3 0 9 0 1.63 0 0 AK Markram 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 M Jansen 11 2 33 5 3 0 0 A Nortje 3.3 0 5 1 1.42 0 0 PWA Mulder 9.3 3 14 2 1.47 0 1
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR2.4 Rabada has the last laugh, and Maddinson's lean return to international cricket continues! Back of a length in that probing corridor in and around off. Maddinson does not know whether to play at it or to leave it. Hangs out his bat tamely and the ball kisses the outside edge before lodging in Rickelton's gloves. Rabada gets rid of Maddinson again, and Australia under strife early! 8/174.4 Chop-on and Mulder's the one flying now! That's come out of nowhere, five overs before the new ball is due. Was a back-of-length ball from around the wicket. Head was in the crease with the keeper up. Not sure what shot he was trying to play. Shaped for something off side before being forced to adjust. The bat was vertical, jamming down last second, somewhere between a forward punch and a flick. He played it onto the pitch and it bounced to the stumps. Massive moment 209/531.6 a rush of blood, and Labuschagne falls in the 30s! Labuschagne looks up to the heavens, perhaps questioning how and why he played that shot. Fullish just outside off, and Labuschagne is tempted into charging. He looks to go over the long on fence but the ball clinks off the lower part, not to mention that Labuschagne was hitting into a very strong breeze. Jansen runs back from a deepish mid on position and takes it smartly over his right shoulder. Labuschagne withers away another start, and SA have the breakthrough they were looking for! 100/238.5 Left onto off stump! Renshaw leaves it on line. The wobble ball around 132ks was delivered from around the wicket and landed on a length outside off, it seamed back in and kept a touch low as Renshaw shouldered arms. He tried to move his back leg across to off stump as a second line of defence but, by then, the ball had hit the outside-half of off pole. Rabada smiiles and pumps his fists. What a day South Africa are having! 123/347.5 Harmer's veins are popping and that can mean only one thing! SA strike again Smith padding up? Harmer with a pearler from around the wicket, 87ks length ball landed around off and straightened. Webster was pinned to the crease. Tried to defend straight, ball skidded and hit him on the back leg, just below the knee-roll. Toast. No review, right call. Hitting middle and off. No Smith, it's Boland who's walked out 150/494.6 It's a miracle! Mulder does to Boland what he did to Smith in the first dig. Angles it away outside off, lands it on a length and decks it back in. That's the magic. With the keeper up, Boland takes a forward stride with foot pointing towards cover and looks to defend with the bat facing mid-off. There's a gap between bat and pad, and the ball breached it in some style to rattle stump. Boland - who's generally doing this exact thing to batters - walks back, having played out 27.4 overs! 256/782.1 Rabada gets the BIG wicket of Smith, and the new ball has worked its magic! Not in the conventional new-ball fashion, but Rabada will take that any day of the week. He bangs it in short on off, Smith goes for the pull but gets a massive top-edge that balloons straight up. Breetzke runs back from midwicket, with the stiff breeze making life difficult. He goes reverse-cupped, the ball pops out, but he keeps his composure and grabs it at the second attempt. 225/696.5 If Boland can become Bradman, then Mulder can turn into Boland! Gives Cummins a taste of his medicine by hitting top of off. Keeper up plays a part again as Cummins looked to keep the back foot in the crease while trying to defend that straight. Ball was on a length, maybe a touch back, and coming in towards middle and off, he covered the line and the ball duly nipped away. The word 'joy' in the dictionary needs to be updated with the picture of Mulder smiling while getting his hair ruffled during celebrations 262/8104.5 It's a tail-ender but shot selection is back in focus. Rabada, to his credit, strikes in his first over back. Starc stood dead still and looked to tee-off a drive down the ground. He went after the full length, but the ball landed around off and seamed in to beat the inside edge. Hits the outer-half of leg pole. SA one away 290/9107.1 That's that! How fitting is it that Jansen has the final say, sealing a famous South Africa victory in Gqeberha! He shifted the momentum in South Africa's favour with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, and despite Australia's resistance, the quicks held their nerve to get the job done. With nearly two days lost to rain, South Africa have pulled off a stunning win in the final session of day five. It was a rising good-length delivery outside off stump, and Hazlewood goes for a drive, only to get a thick outside edge. Markram, stationed at second slip, makes no mistake, going reverse-cupped and pouching a safe catch. South Africa celebrate and level the series 1-1. 295/10Extras13 (b 4, lb 5, nb 4)TOTAL295 all out (f/o) (107.1 Overs, RR: 2.75)Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Nic Maddinson, 2.4 ov), 2-100 (Marnus Labuschagne, 31.6 ov), 3-123 (Matt Renshaw, 38.5 ov), 4-150 (Beau Webster, 47.5 ov), 5-209 (Travis Head, 74.4 ov), 6-225 (Steven Smith, 82.1 ov), 7-256 (Scott Boland, 94.6 ov), 8-262 (Pat Cummins, 96.5 ov), 9-290 (Mitchell Starc, 104.5 ov), 10-295 (Josh Hazlewood, 107.1 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB K Rabada 23 3 77 4 3.34 0 1 M Jansen 17.1 3 34 1 1.98 0 0 PWA Mulder 21 5 64 3 3.04 0 2 SR Harmer 39 8 93 2 2.38 0 1 AK Markram 7 1 18 0 2.57 0 0
Match Details
Series
Toss
Australia , elected to field first
Player Of The Match
Series result
3-match series level 1-1
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
11.00 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.30-15.50, Close 17.15
Match days
18,19,20,21,22 October 2026 (5-day match)
Test debut
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Points
South Africa 12, Australia 0
Close of Play
- Sun, 18 Oct - day 1 - South Africa 1st innings 20/2 (MJ Ackerman 5*, T Bavuma 4*, 12.2 ov)
- Mon, 19 Oct - day 2 - South Africa 1st innings 97/5 (T Bavuma 41*, PWA Mulder 2*, 43 ov)
- Tue, 20 Oct - day 3 - Australia 1st innings 3/1 (TM Head 1*, SM Boland 2*, 4 ov)
- Wed, 21 Oct - day 4 - Australia 2nd innings 156/4 (TM Head 87*, SM Boland 2*, 54 ov)
- Thu, 22 Oct - day 5 - Australia 2nd innings 295 (107.1 ov) - end of match
Match Notes
- Wet Ground: Australia - 156/4 in 54.0 overs (TM Head 87, SM Boland 2)
- Lunch: Australia - 156/4 in 54.0 overs (TM Head 87, SM Boland 2)
- TM Head: 100 off 151 balls (12 x 4)
- Australia: 200 runs in 67.6 overs (410 balls), Extras 4
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 122 balls (TM Head 30, SM Boland 18, Ex 3)
- Drinks: Australia - 205/4 in 74.0 overs (TM Head 117, SM Boland 18)
- New ball taken at 80.1 overs
- Australia: 250 runs in 91.5 overs (554 balls), Extras 11
- Tea: Australia - 253/6 in 92.0 overs (SM Boland 40, AT Carey 12)
- Drinks: Australia - 291/9 in 106.0 overs (AT Carey 33, JR Hazlewood 0)
- Australia 1st innings
- Over 9.2: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - A Jacobs, Batter - TM Head (Upheld)
- Drinks: Australia - 48/4 in 18.0 overs (SPD Smith 17, MT Renshaw 1)
- Australia: 50 runs in 18.4 overs (112 balls), Extras 0
- Lunch: Australia - 69/6 in 33.0 overs (SPD Smith 26, BJ Webster 0)
- Over 36.2: Review by Australia (Batting), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - RK Illingworth, Batter - BJ Webster (Upheld)
- Innings Break: Australia - 99/10 in 42.3 overs (JR Hazlewood 2)
- Australia 2nd innings
- Australia: 50 runs in 16.5 overs (101 balls), Extras 0
- Tea: Australia - 50/1 in 17.0 overs (TM Head 26, M Labuschagne 16)
- Over 18.1: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - A Jacobs, Batter - TM Head (Struck down)
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 105 balls (TM Head 29, M Labuschagne 21, Ex 0)
- Over 27.6: Review by Australia (Batting), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - RK Illingworth, Batter - M Labuschagne (Upheld)
- TM Head: 50 off 81 balls (5 x 4)
- Australia: 100 runs in 30.5 overs (186 balls), Extras 1
- Drinks: Australia - 102/2 in 34.0 overs (TM Head 54, MT Renshaw 0)
- Australia: 150 runs in 47.1 overs (284 balls), Extras 1
- End Of Day: Australia - 156/4 in 54.0 overs (TM Head 87, SM Boland 2)
- South Africa: 100 runs in 44.3 overs (267 balls), Extras 2
- Over 49.6: Review by Australia (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batter - PWA Mulder (Upheld)
- T Bavuma: 50 off 140 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 6)
- South Africa: 150 runs in 55.5 overs (336 balls), Extras 3
- Drinks: South Africa - 151/6 in 57.0 overs (T Bavuma 52, M Jansen 31)
- 7th Wicket: 50 runs in 48 balls (T Bavuma 12, M Jansen 38, Ex 1)
- M Jansen: 50 off 43 balls (7 x 4, 2 x 6)
- Over 64.4: Review by South Africa (Batting), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - RK Illingworth, Batter - M Jansen (Upheld)
- South Africa: 200 runs in 65.4 overs (395 balls), Extras 3
- 7th Wicket: 100 runs in 113 balls (T Bavuma 29, M Jansen 70, Ex 1)
- Lunch: South Africa - 216/6 in 72.0 overs (T Bavuma 76, M Jansen 72)
- Arno Jacobs replaced Chris Gaffaney as an on-field umpire after Lunch on Day 3
- New ball taken at 80.1 overs
- South Africa: 250 runs in 83.3 overs (502 balls), Extras 9
- Over 83.4: Review by Australia (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - A Jacobs, Batter - SR Harmer (Struck down)
- Drinks: South Africa - 263/7 in 86.0 overs (T Bavuma 98, SR Harmer 6)
- T Bavuma: 100 off 226 balls (11 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Over 94.3: Review by Australia (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - RK Illingworth, Batter - T Bavuma (Struck down)
- 8th Wicket: 50 runs in 90 balls (T Bavuma 26, SR Harmer 17, Ex 9)
- South Africa: 300 runs in 96.2 overs (579 balls), Extras 13
- Tea: South Africa - 318/7 in 101.0 overs (T Bavuma 125, SR Harmer 30)
- 8th Wicket: 100 runs in 167 balls (T Bavuma 53, SR Harmer 37, Ex 10)
- South Africa: 350 runs in 110.2 overs (663 balls), Extras 14
- T Bavuma: 150 off 299 balls (16 x 4, 1 x 6)
- SR Harmer: 50 off 116 balls (6 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Drinks: South Africa - 376/7 in 118.0 overs (T Bavuma 158, SR Harmer 54)
- 8th Wicket: 150 runs in 249 balls (T Bavuma 77, SR Harmer 66, Ex 10)
- South Africa: 400 runs in 123.1 overs (740 balls), Extras 14
- Innings Break: South Africa - 425/9 in 127.1 overs (K Rabada 0)
- Australia 1st innings
- End Of Day: Australia - 3/1 in 4.0 overs (TM Head 1, SM Boland 2)
- Australia 2nd innings
- Evan van der Merwe replaced Arno Jacobs as the 4th umpire from Lunch Day 3
- Rain: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- Lunch: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- Wet Ground: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- Tea: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- Wet Ground: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- South Africa: 50 runs in 25.1 overs (151 balls), Extras 1
- Drinks: South Africa - 52/4 in 27.0 overs (T Bavuma 28, RD Rickelton 2)
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 99 balls (T Bavuma 20, RD Rickelton 31, Ex 1)
- End Of Day: South Africa - 97/5 in 43.0 overs (T Bavuma 41, PWA Mulder 2)
- South Africa 1st innings
- Rain: South Africa - 0/0
- Wet Ground: South Africa - 0/0
- Arno Jacobs stood as on-field umpire for Chris Gaffaney for the first 2 days of the match
- Rain: South Africa - 11/0 in 5.3 overs (AK Markram 10, MJ Ackerman 1)
- Lunch: South Africa - 11/0 in 5.3 overs (AK Markram 10, MJ Ackerman 1)
- Rain: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- Tea: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- Rain: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
- End Of Day: South Africa - 20/2 in 12.2 overs (MJ Ackerman 5, T Bavuma 4)
Match Coverage
All Match NewsWhat Temba Bavuma's innings reaffirmed about the enduring art of batting
His 179 in the Gqeberha Test came off the back of a simple philosophy - play it close, play it late
Cummins: Australia can't 'paper over cracks' after innings thrashing
Australia will need to seriously consider changes to their batting line-up for the deciding Test in Cape Town
'Everyone wants to have a go at us' - Bavuma on life as world champions
Rabada's spirit, Jansen's performance and Bavuma's own runs offered a strong response from the WTC champions after going down in Durban last week
South Africa conjure comeback win despite losing two days to rain
Mulder played a key role on the final day, ending Head's century and removing nightwatcher Boland after he had survived 166 balls
SA flex their championship mettle through rain, nerves and late drama
The hosts rediscovered their champion spirit, turning adversity into opportunity and belief into a statement win that reshapes the series





