Match Summary
- South Africa 329 & 387: Mulder 115, Rickelton 101
- Australia 429 & 111: Lyon 33*; Rabada 3-39; Harmer 6-16
- South Africa won by 176 runs; won series 2-1
South Africa secured a famous Test and series victory in Cape Town after Australia crumbled under the pressure of a 288-run chase. The tourists, who began the final day with hopes of winning the contest, lost two wickets in the very first over bowled by Kagiso Rabada and never regained their footing. Huge credit must also go to South Africa, but as poor as Australia were. Having beaten Australia in the final in 2025, there were still lingering doubts about South Africa’s standing, given the gentle run of opponents to that Lord’s showpiece, despite being reigning Test world champions.
Rabada proved unstoppable, claiming three wickets in his opening spell to become the fastest bowler to reach 350 Test wickets. Rabada’s first spell of five overs returned three wickets for 14 runs as he targeted the stumps with pace and found seam movement.
His performance included the crucial dismissal of Travis Head, caught at slip.
The Australian collapse was further exacerbated by a run-out of Josh Inglis, prompted by a miscommunication with Cameron Green, and a reckless reverse-sweep dismissal from Alex Carey.
Watching from the sidelines, former Australia opener David Warner described the performance as “terrible,” “utterly disgraceful,” and “un-Australian,” noting that the lack of fight from the batting unit had undermined the bowlers throughout the series. Former opener Warner, who retired from Test cricket in January 2024, tore into his former team-mates, at 60-7 at lunch. The batters have let the bowlers down all series. [Matt] Renshaw showed fight in that first Test but I think the batters have been utterly disgraceful.
Warner specifically highlighted the top-order struggles, including Marnus Labuschagne, whose failure to score a century now spans 49 innings, and the general inability of the team to show resistance. After opener Matt Renshaw was unfortunate to be caught down the leg side second ball, Marnus Labuschagne could not survive the remainder of the first over as he was dismissed shouldering arms. It extended the 32-year-old’s run of innings without a century to 49.
As the collapse deepened, Australia adopted an ultra-defensive strategy, with captain Pat Cummins facing 40 balls without scoring before attempting any runs. Spinner Simon Harmer exploited the turning pitch, taking career-best figures of 6-16 to wrap up the tail. Number 10 Nathan Lyon ended as Australia’s top scorer in the second innings with 33 not out. Taking the final wicket for career-best figures of 6-16 as Australia were dismissed for 111, australia then dropped anchor in a bizarre period – one scoring shot came in 50 minutes – but Harmer was not to be denied. Green, dropped on 10, survived to lunch but at one stage he was being protected from Harmer’s spin by number eight Mitchell Starc. After lunch, and ironically given Warner’s words, Australia changed tack completely, with Cummins facing 40 balls before scoring a run as he abandoned any thought of victory with two sessions to go. When Green did face Harmer he was bowled through the gate. Harmer utilised the significant turn on offer and finished with match figures of 10-120.
This defeat marks a difficult start to a high-pressure period for Pat Cummins’ squad, with upcoming series against New Zealand, India, England, and an Ashes tour on the horizon. The result leaves serious questions regarding the stability of Australia’s batting lineup, particularly in the absence of the injured Steve Smith.
For South Africa, the victory serves as a definitive statement of their quality.
After having their world ranking status questioned following a relatively easy path to the 2025 world title, this win against Australia reaffirms their status as a top-tier side.
The Proteas, who fought back from a 1-0 deficit—including a pivotal second-Test century from captain Temba Bavuma—are now ranked second in the World Test Championship standings. Already 1-0 down in the series, the hosts were 40-4 and facing defeat before captain Temba Bavuma’s epic century, on day two of the second Test.
The series, while lacking the off-field controversy of the 2018 encounters, is being regarded as one of the most compelling in recent memory. South Africa’s ability to capitalize on fluctuating match conditions has ensured them momentum ahead of their upcoming three-Test series against England during the Christmas period. But they are formidable – and will provide England an almighty test in their three-Test series over Christmas, they may not have the star names of Protea teams of the past.
