South Africa vs Australia — Match Centre

2nd Test · Sun 18 Oct 2026 · 2:00 PM Bangladesh time · St George's Park, Gqeberha · Australia tour of South Africa, 2026

South Africa425/9 (127.1)

Australia99/10 (42.3)295/10 (107.1)

South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs

Toss: Australia chose to bowl

Cricket ball resting on a floodlit outfield

Match details

Status: Result · South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs
Match: 2nd Test · TEST · International
Series: Australia tour of South Africa, 2026
Scheduled start: Sun 18 Oct 2026 · 2:00 PM Bangladesh time
Sun 18 Oct · 10:00 AM (local time, UTC+02:00)
Scheduled end: Thu 22 Oct 2026 · 9:00 PM Bangladesh time
Thu 22 Oct · 5:00 PM (local time, UTC+02:00)
Scheduled length: 4 days
Ball-by-ball (provider): first update Sun 18 Oct 2026 · 5:53 PM Bangladesh time
last update Thu 22 Oct 2026 · 1:12 PM Bangladesh time (4 days)
Venue: St George's Park, Gqeberha, South Africa
Toss: Australia chose to bowl
Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)
Umpire: Arno Jacobs (RSA)
Umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
Data: Scores fetched Thu 29 Oct 2026 · 8:35 PM Bangladesh time

Scorecard

South Africa · 425/9 (127.1)

Batter	Dismissal	R	B	4s	6s	SR
Aiden Markram	b Scott Boland	11	28	2	0	39.29
Marques Ackerman	c Alex Carey b Scott Boland	6	38	0	0	15.79
David Bedingham	c Alex Carey b Scott Boland	0	1	0	0	0.00
Temba Bavuma (c)	c Alex Carey b Mitchell Starc	179	334	18	1	53.59
Matthew Breetzke	c Alex Carey b Mitchell Starc	4	17	0	0	23.53
Ryan Rickelton †	c Matt Renshaw b Scott Boland	31	51	5	0	60.78
Wiaan Mulder	c Matt Renshaw b Mitchell Starc	13	38	1	0	34.21
Marco Jansen	c Travis Head b Scott Boland	85	100	9	3	85.00
Simon Harmer	b Marnus Labuschagne	82	157	10	1	52.23
Kagiso Rabada	not out	0	0	0	0	0.00

Did not bat: Anrich Nortje

Bowler	O	M	R	W	Econ
Mitchell Starc	24.1	4	89	3	3.70
Josh Hazlewood	14.0	2	43	0	3.10
Scott Boland	29.0	7	81	5	2.80
Pat Cummins	26.0	3	96	0	3.70
Beau Webster	19.0	6	43	0	2.30
Matt Renshaw	8.0	1	33	0	4.10
Nic Maddinson	5.0	0	24	0	4.80
Marnus Labuschagne	2.0	0	8	1	4.00

Australia · 99/10 (42.3)

Batter	Dismissal	R	B	4s	SR
Nic Maddinson	c Simon Harmer b Kagiso Rabada	0	4	0	0.00
Travis Head	lbw b Marco Jansen	14	24	3	58.33
Scott Boland	c Ryan Rickelton b Marco Jansen	2	14	0	14.29
Marnus Labuschagne	c Simon Harmer b Anrich Nortje	14	25	3	56.00
Steven Smith	b Wiaan Mulder	28	88	2	31.82
Matt Renshaw	c Simon Harmer b Marco Jansen	12	48	0	25.00
Alex Carey †	c Ryan Rickelton b Marco Jansen	0	2	0	0.00
Beau Webster	c Aiden Markram b Marco Jansen	13	28	2	46.43
Pat Cummins (c)	c Matthew Breetzke b Wiaan Mulder	7	16	1	43.75
Mitchell Starc	c Ryan Rickelton b Kagiso Rabada	1	4	0	25.00
Josh Hazlewood	not out	2	3	0	66.67

Bowler	O	M	R	W	Econ
Kagiso Rabada	12.0	2	33	2	2.80
Simon Harmer	5.3	0	9	0	1.60
Aiden Markram	1.0	1	0	0	0.00
Marco Jansen	11.0	2	33	5	3.00
Anrich Nortje	3.3	0	5	1	1.40
Wiaan Mulder	9.3	3	14	2	1.50

Australia · 295/10 (107.1)

Batter	Dismissal	R	B	4s	SR
Nic Maddinson	c Ryan Rickelton b Kagiso Rabada	8	10	2	80.00
Travis Head	b Wiaan Mulder	121	190	15	63.68
Marnus Labuschagne	c Marco Jansen b Simon Harmer	39	98	4	39.80
Matt Renshaw	b Kagiso Rabada	11	23	2	47.83
Beau Webster	lbw b Simon Harmer	8	33	0	24.24
Scott Boland	b Wiaan Mulder	40	166	6	24.10
Steven Smith	c Matthew Breetzke b Kagiso Rabada	3	20	0	15.00
Alex Carey †	not out	37	69	4	53.62
Pat Cummins (c)	b Wiaan Mulder	4	8	1	50.00
Mitchell Starc	b Kagiso Rabada	11	28	1	39.29
Josh Hazlewood	c Aiden Markram b Marco Jansen	0	2	0	0.00

Bowler	O	M	R	W	Econ
Kagiso Rabada	23.0	3	77	4	3.30
Marco Jansen	17.1	3	34	1	2.00
Wiaan Mulder	21.0	5	64	3	3.00
Simon Harmer	39.0	8	93	2	2.40
Aiden Markram	7.0	1	18	0	2.60

Commentary

Both teams have their own fitness concerns. For South Africa, Anrich Nortje walked off with a suspected right groin injury yesterday and took no further part in the day's play. There is still no update on whether he will be available today. Meanwhile, Steve Smith did not come out to bat in Australia's second innings due to a neck problem, but is expected to bat today. However, his neck problem seemed to affect him in the first innings too, when he was far from his usual best. It remains to be seen whether he can bat with his usual fluency today.

Telford Vice checks in with a rather gloomy update from the ground: "Morning. Cloudy and windy - same wind as yesterday, the batting wind. Oh dear. Drizzle …" Not the kind of update South African fans were hoping for! Fingers crossed the drizzle clears soon and we get underway as scheduled.

A lot has happened over the last two days. Temba Bavuma led the fightback with a career-best Test score, while Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer chipped in with knocks in the 80s to propel South Africa to 425/9 (decl). Jansen then ran riot with the ball, claiming a five-wicket haul as Australia crumbled to 99 all out. Bavuma enforced the follow-on, and the Proteas tightened their grip further by reducing the visitors to 156/4 by stumps on Day 4. Australia still trail by 170 runs with six wickets in hand. South Africa will know there is still work to be done, but they have given themselves an excellent chance of levelling the series. Six good deliveries, six errors from the Australian batters - whatever it takes! Australia are staring at a mountain to climb if they are to save this Test. Can they pull off a great escape, or will South Africa finish the job? Day 5 is set up for an exciting finish. Hello and welcome, everyone!

09:00 Local Time, 07:00 GMT, 12:30 IST: With more than 75 percent of the overs lost to persistent rain and damp conditions, and South Africa ending Day 2 at 97/5 before slipping to 110/6 early on Day 3, few would have given the hosts much of a chance of saving this Test, let alone putting themselves in a position to push for victory. Yet, here we are on Day 5, with South Africa now firmly in the driver's seat and a famous win well within reach. That's the beauty of Test cricket!

-- Australia’s 13 wickets lost in a day are their most since the 1954-55 Ashes Test in Sydney.

Steven Smith’s fitness will be key, given that he has been dealing with a neck issue and did not come out to bat at his usual No. 4 position in this innings. South Africa’s seamers will get some much-deserved rest and return all guns blazing tomorrow, while Harmer will also be expected to make an impact. There is still no update on Anrich Nortje’s fitness following his suspected groin injury, but South Africa won’t be too worried about that for now. Tomorrow promises to be an enthralling day of Test cricket, and we will be there nice and early to bring you all the updates. Until then, good night and take care!

17:47 Local Time, 15:47 GMT, 21:17 IST: What a day for South Africa! They have managed to take a staggering 13 wickets today. From trying to save the Test after the first two days, to pushing for a result after Day 3, they’re now in a position where they should be looking to seal a win on Day 5. This is clearly South Africa’s game to lose. Marco Jansen was phenomenal at the start of the day, claiming a five-wicket haul and playing a key role in bowling Australia out for a mere 99. Not a single Australian batter managed to cross the 30-run mark. Once they secured a lead of 326, enforcing the follow-on was always on the cards, and that’s exactly what Temba Bavuma did. In the third innings, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne put on 92 runs, but once that partnership was broken, South Africa took control of the game again. Harmer found turn and dismissed Labuschagne and Beau Webster, while Rabada chipped in with two wickets of his own. Australia could have been in an even worse position had Jansen not put down a sitter at gully when Head was on just 9. The left-hander has since moved to 87 and is fighting a lone battle for Australia. Australia are still 170 runs behind with six wickets in hand.

53.6

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, forward and blocked with conviction - that will be stumps on Day 4

53.5

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, 86.8kph, flatter on the pads and Scott Boland tucks it to backward square leg and Head says no to a single

53.4

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, comes round the wicket and floats in on the middle, defended off the front foot

53.3

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, a bit too short and Scott Boland has all the time in the world to block it back to Simon Harmer

53.2

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, stays on the back foot and defends this flatter delivery to point

53.1

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, blocks it with soft hands and it drops in front of short leg

Four men in front of Boland - with one slip and one leg slip as well

52.6

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, no run, flatter with his length, Travis Head hangs back and defends it to cover

52.5

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, no run, nicely tossed up close to off, Travis Head prods forward and pushes it to mid-off along the carpet

49.6

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run

49.5

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, comes over the wicket - Scott Boland gets an inside edge onto the pads as the ball drops in front of short leg

49.4

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, slightly on the fuller side as it angles across, steers it to point off the outside half

49.3

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, almost a replica of the previous delivery, blocked off the back foot

49.2

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, hangs back on this length delivery, and defends it into the surface

49.1

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, floats this one on middle and leg, Scott Boland blocks it to short leg

48.6

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, no run, way down the leg side as Travis Head kneels down for a sweep but makes no connection

48.5

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, no run, tossed up on the middle and Travis Head offers the full face of the bat

48.4

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, no run

48.3

Aiden Markram to Scott Boland, 1 run, quicker on the stumps, Scott Boland works it to deep mid-wicket and takes a single

48.2

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, 1 run, works this leg-lined delivery to mid-wicket and moves to the other end

48.1

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, 2 runs, flatter with his length and Travis Head punches it to mid-off where the fielder fumbles and that allows the batters to collect two

Marco Jansen was about to come into the attack, but the light-meter is out, and the umpires inform Bavuma that only spin will be allowed because of the fading light.

47.6

Simon Harmer to Scott Boland, no run, angling across as Scott Boland blocks it with the inner half

47.5

OUT! Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, Lbw!! Given LBW, and he decides not to review it. Stays back to a delivery that’s quite full and is pinned right in front. Harmer strikes again and takes his second wicket! Harmer is pumped up, and so are his teammates! Webster stays on the back foot as the ball turns in sharply from a fullish length and pins him right in front. He looks to defend but plays down the wrong line. Would have gone on to hit the top of off stump and he looks disappointed with himself.

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, Lbw!!

47.4

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, no run, comes on the front foot and defends

47.3

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, no run, some drift there as Beau Webster is happy to work it to the same fielder at square leg

47.2

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, no run, tucks this leg-lined delivery to square leg

47.1

Simon Harmer to Travis Head, 1 run, a bit of miscommunication there! Tossed up outside off, and Head drives it towards cover before taking off for a single. A brief yes-no moment, but they eventually make it through safely

46.6

Marco Jansen to Beau Webster, no run, banged into the pitch at close to 134kph, Beau Webster ducks under it and allows it to travel through to the keeper

46.5

Marco Jansen to Beau Webster, no run, 134.4kph, angles in off the length and Beau Webster offers a solid block to cover

46.4

Marco Jansen to Travis Head, 1 run, this one comes at the right height and Travis Head cuts it to sweeper cover

46.3

Marco Jansen to Travis Head, no run, short and wide, but keeps low, and Travis Head misses on a cut and signals Webster that it stayed low

46.2

Marco Jansen to Travis Head, no run

46.1

Marco Jansen to Beau Webster, 1 run, comes round the wicket and drops it short close to off, Beau Webster knocks it in front of mid-on and collects a quick single

45.6

Simon Harmer to Travis Head, no run, blocks this to cover off the front foot

45.5

Simon Harmer to Travis Head, no run, nicely bowled! . Slower through the air as the ball drifts in, grips, turns and bounces. Head initially looks to drive before deciding to stay back, ending up with a tentative waft and getting beaten on the outside edge

45.4

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, 1 run, eases this tossed up delivery to long-on for a single

45.3

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, no run, works this one to the right of the bowler who dives and makes a good stop

45.2

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, no run, comes forward and defends

45.1

Simon Harmer to Beau Webster, 2 runs, very nicely played! Tossed up on off stump, and Webster drives it straight down the ground for a brace

44.6

Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, , to third man

44.5

Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, no run, 128.6kph, a bit too full around off and Travis Head drives it off the toe-end as the ball rolls to cover

44.4

Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, no run, punches this incoming delivery off the back foot to mid-on and says no to a single

44.3

FOUR! Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, , wrong line once again, down the leg side, and this time Travis Head gets some bat on it as the ball races past the right of the keeper and runs away for four. No chance for fine leg

44.2

Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, no run, drops this one down the leg, and Travis Head misses on a clip. The keeper dives to his right to gather the ball

44.1

Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, no run, 124.4kph, angling into the off stump, Travis Head whips it to mid-on and does it away from his body

43.6

Aiden Markram to Beau Webster, no run, fullish on the off stump, Beau Webster has his stumps covered as he defends to mid-off

43.5

Aiden Markram to Beau Webster, no run

43.4

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, 1 run, rocks back and crunches this length delivery to wide long-off for a single

43.3

FOUR! Aiden Markram to Travis Head, , tossed up, but the line is wrong. Travis Head gets bat on it and sends it rolling down to fine leg for four

43.2

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, no run, fuller this time around, Travis Head presses forward and drives it back to Aiden Markram

43.1

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, no run, drifts into the stumps, Travis Head stays back and knocks it back to the bowler

42.6

Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, 1 run, full and fairly wide outside off, Head creams it to sweeper cover for a single

42.5

Wiaan Mulder to Travis Head, no run, 124.7kph - full and angling in, Travis Head whips it to mid-on

42.4

Wiaan Mulder to Beau Webster, 1 run, half-volley outside off, Beau Webster drives it to sweeper cover and gets to the other end

42.3

Wiaan Mulder to Beau Webster, no run, fullish on leg stump, and the right-hander looks to work it to the on side but gets a leading edge that rolls along the ground towards mid-off

42.2

Wiaan Mulder to Beau Webster, no run, width on offer and Beau Webster stands tall and crunches it to the fielder at cover. A bit to his left or right and it would have been a boundary

39.6

Aiden Markram to Beau Webster, 1 run, turns this flatter delivery to the left of short leg and collects a quick single

39.5

Aiden Markram to Beau Webster, no run, 89.2kph, fullish around off and Beau Webster leans forward in his defence

39.4

Aiden Markram to Beau Webster, no run, 87.9kph, fires it on the pads as Beau Webster works it to the on side

39.3

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, 1 run, short and wide once again, Travis Head transfers his weight and cuts it to sweeper cover

39.2

Aiden Markram to Beau Webster, 1 run, pushes this one quicker on the pads, Beau Webster flicks it to deep mid-wicket

39.1

Aiden Markram to Travis Head, 1 run, short and slashed away to sweeper cover for a single

38.6

Kagiso Rabada to Beau Webster, no run, shortish outside off, Beau Webster punches it to point off the back foot

38.5

OUT! Kagiso Rabada to Matt Renshaw, Bowled!! Someone who batted so well in Durban has offered a and been ! Comes round the wicket and it stays low as the ball angles in. Renshaw, for some reason, lifts his bat, allowing the ball to brush his front pad before crashing into off stump. There wasn’t much pace on offer from Rabada, but the angle, low bounce and Renshaw’s error of judgement have South Africa charged up and celebrating!

36.4

Kagiso Rabada to Matt Renshaw, no run

36.3

FOUR! Kagiso Rabada to Matt Renshaw, , to long-on

36.2

Kagiso Rabada to Matt Renshaw, no run, 129.3kph, angled into middle and leg, Matt Renshaw wrists it to mid-on

36.1

Kagiso Rabada to Matt Renshaw, no run, short of a length around off, Matt Renshaw defends down the wrong line and is beaten on the outside edge

35.6

Simon Harmer to Travis Head, , what happened there? Short and wide from Harmer, pushed through quicker. Head goes for the cut, gets a thick outside edge, and the ball flies past the right of backward point for four. Could easily have gone straight into his hands

35.5

Simon Harmer to Travis Head, no run, 87kph, fullish as Travis Head reaches out and drives to cover

35.4

Simon Harmer to Matt Renshaw, 1 run, pushes this to cover with soft hands and takes off for a quick single

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Recent form · last 5 completed

South Africa

LLWLL

Last: Afghanistan won by 3 wkts

Australia

WWLWD

Last: Australia won by 38 runs

W won · L lost · D drawn or tied · NR no result

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Info

Result	South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs
Match	2nd Test · TEST
Series	Australia tour of South Africa, 2026
Date & time	Sun 18 Oct 2026 · 2:00 PM Bangladesh time
Ended	Thu 22 Oct 2026 · 9:00 PM Bangladesh time
Venue	St George's Park, Gqeberha
Toss	Toss: Australia chose to bowl
Match referee	Javagal Srinath (IND)
Umpire	Arno Jacobs (RSA)
Umpire	Richard Illingworth (ENG)
TV umpire	Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

Playing XI

South Africa

Bench: Kyle Verreynne, Keshav Maharaj, Corbin Bosch, Dane Paterson, Senuran Muthusamy, Gerald Coetzee

Australia

Bench: Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Josh Inglis, Sam Harper, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Cooper Connolly