South Africa were 20/2 on the opening day and 110/6 on the second. By Thursday evening, they had beaten Australia by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha, with captain Temba Bavuma’s 179 and Marco Jansen’s five-wicket haul leading a remarkable turnaround to level the three-Test series 1-1.
With large parts of the first two days lost to rain, few would have expected South Africa to finish the match with such a convincing win. Australia had made early inroads after winning the toss and electing to bowl, leaving the hosts in trouble on a surface that offered movement off the seam and inconsistent bounce.
Bavuma changed the course of the match on the third day, producing a superb 179 to rescue South Africa’s innings. Jansen and Simon Harmer also scored valuable half-centuries, both making important contributions as the hosts recovered from 110/6 to post a formidable total.
South Africa carried that momentum into their bowling innings. Jansen claimed five wickets as Australia were dismissed for just 99, leaving the visitors with a substantial deficit and forcing them to follow on.
Australia showed greater resistance in their second innings, led by Travis Head’s 121. But even after rain wiped out the final day’s morning session, South Africa kept pressing for the wickets they needed to wrap up the match.
HEAD LEADS AUSTRALIA’S RESISTANCE
Head resumed on 87 on Thursday alongside nightwatchman Scott Boland, with Australia at 156/4. The pair added 53 runs to frustrate the South African attack and keep the visitors’ hopes alive.
Head completed his century before Wiaan Mulder ended his innings with a rising delivery that the batter chopped onto his stumps. His 121 was Australia’s strongest contribution in a second innings that required a much bigger effort to erase the deficit.
Boland continued to dig in, facing 166 balls by the time South Africa finally dismissed Australia. He scored 40 off 154 balls, his highest Test score, and made the hosts work hard for the breakthrough.
Steve Smith, who had struggled with a neck problem on Wednesday, made three before falling to Kagiso Rabada. Smith pulled a delivery towards midwicket, where Matthew Breetzke juggled the ball before completing the catch.
At tea, Australia were 253/6, trailing by 73 runs with four wickets remaining. Alex Carey was unbeaten on 12 alongside Boland, and South Africa needed to make the most of the final session to avoid the match drifting towards a draw.
Rabada and Mulder helped maintain the pressure before Jansen delivered the final blow. Josh Hazlewood edged a rising good-length delivery outside off stump, and Aiden Markram held the catch at second slip to end Australia’s innings and seal the win.
SA ADD TO AUSTRALIA’S GQEBERHA MISERY
The victory was another setback for Australia in Gqeberha, where they also lost Tests in 2014 and 2018. For South Africa, it was a win built on Bavuma’s innings, valuable lower-order runs and a bowling attack that made the most of the conditions.
The result also extended South Africa’s impressive record after enforcing the follow-on. They have won 29 of the 34 Tests in which they have enforced it, with the other five ending in draws. Australia, meanwhile, have lost 30 of their 41 Tests after being asked to follow on, with the remaining 11 ending in draws.
South Africa had previously enforced the follow-on against Australia in Johannesburg in 1902, when the match ended in a draw, and in Durban in 1967 and 1970, winning both Tests.
The series is now level at 1-1, with the third Test set to decide the winner.
– Ends
