By Estea Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
Photo Credit: CSA.
South Africa completed a remarkable comeback at St George’s Park on Thursday, beating Australia by an innings and 31 runs to level the three match series at 1–1 and set up a decider at Newlands next week.
The hosts had been 110 for six earlier in the Test, with rain disrupting the first two days, but Temba Bavuma’s 179, Marco Jansen’s 85 and Simon Harmer’s 82 lifted them to 425 for nine declared. Australia, dismissed for 99 in their first innings, were forced to follow on and eventually made 295 before the innings defeat was sealed in the final session.
Jansen took the last wicket, catching Josh Hazlewood’s edge at slip, to cap a match in which he contributed with bat, ball and in the field. Wiaan Mulder was central to the final day, taking three for 64 and breaking Australia’s strongest resistance by dismissing Travis Head and Scott Boland.
Head made 121 from 190 balls, reaching his century after play had been delayed until midday by morning rain. It was his first Test hundred against South Africa and gave Australia hope of extending the contest. Mulder, however, cramped him for room from around the wicket and forced a bottom edge onto the stumps.
Boland, who had taken five for 81 in South Africa’s first innings, faced 166 balls in a stubborn innings as Australia tried to save the match. His resistance ended when Mulder found a way between bat and pad. The allrounder then bowled Pat Cummins, while Kagiso Rabada removed Mitchell Starc and dismissed Steven Smith with the second new ball.
Smith, who had dropped to number seven because of a neck complaint, never looked entirely comfortable. He top edged a pull from Rabada and Breetzke held the catch at midwicket despite the gusting wind around the ground. Smith had reached 11,000 Test runs during the match, but his injury leaves questions over his readiness for the series finale.
Rabada finished with four for 77, while Jansen’s five for 33 in the first innings had helped reduce Australia to their lowest total of the match. South Africa’s attack also had to manage the absence of Anrich Nortje, who left the field with a groin injury and bowled only a limited amount during the Test.
The victory followed a defeat by 214 runs in Durban and represented a sharp change in South Africa’s fortunes. Bavuma’s innings was the turning point. His restraint against the new ball helped steady the innings before Jansen and Harmer added valuable runs lower down the order.
Bavuma said he took pride in making a career best score while putting his team in a competitive position. He also credited Rabada’s ability to take responsibility in the attack and the quality Jansen brought to the match. “You saw a guy like Marco Jansen first innings coming through with his class, and even in the second innings as well,” he said.
The captain said South Africa’s approach was to wear down their opponents and take opportunities when they arrived. “We play good old Test cricket,” he said. “Try wear the opposition down and then take them down when the opportunity presents itself.”
The Proteas had to work hard for the wickets on the final day, despite losing the first session to rain. Cummins said his side needed to score more runs, adding that the pitch had been good enough for a stronger batting performance.
He described the match as almost the reverse of the first Test, with South Africa gaining early momentum and putting Australia under sustained pressure.
Jansen had made a similar point after the fourth day, stressing the importance of discipline rather than waiting until a team was in trouble. “Resilience can also be making good decisions and just sticking to a plan,” he said. His own performance illustrated the point, as South Africa recovered from their early batting collapse and maintained pressure with the ball.
The win means the series will be decided in Cape Town. South Africa will be encouraged by their response and by Rabada’s return to form, but Nortje’s fitness remains a concern. Australia, meanwhile, must address two poor batting performances in succession after being bowled out in both innings.
The balance has shifted, and neither side can claim control of the series. Newlands will decide it.