South Africa beat Australia by an innings, level Test series 1-1
South Africa won the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha by an innings and 31 runs, levelling the three-Test series against Australia at 1-1. The match was part of the Australia tour of South Africa 2026.
Captain Temba Bavuma scored 179 as South Africa declared on 425 for 9. Marco Jansen then took 5 for 22 to bowl Australia out for 99 and enforce the follow-on.
The details
Australia were bowled out for 295 in their second innings. Kagiso Rabada took 4 for 77 and Wiaan Mulder 3 for 64, while Jansen finished with six wickets in the match.
Travis Head made 121 in the second innings and nightwatchman Scott Boland added 40.
Cricket Australia’s match report says Australia lost a Test for the first time in almost 40 years after being bowled out in consecutive innings. The ICC notes that the win gives South Africa a significant boost in the World Test Championship 2025-27 standings.
How the series got here
Australia had won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs. South Africa responded with an innings win at Gqeberha, and the series now goes to a decider.
What’s next
The third and decisive Test is scheduled for Newlands in Cape Town from 27 to 31 October, with the first day’s play starting at 2:00 PM IST on Tuesday, 27 October.
South Africa’s next fixtures after that are the first two matches of their series against England, on 17 December and 26 December, both at 1:30 PM IST. Australia’s next scheduled matches are two games of the white-ball series against England, on 13 November and 15 November, both at 9:00 AM IST.
