Proteas pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada and allrounder Wiaan Mulder cleaned up the Australian lower order in the final session on Thursday’s fifth and final day to secure the hosts a memorable innings and 31-run win in the heavily rain hit second test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha.
It was an incredible result for the Proteas after the rain-disrupted first two days saw just 43 overs possible from an expected 180, followed by the entire morning session on day five being washed out, only for the hosts to somehow conjure an innings win.
🚨 MATCH RESULT 🚨 What a phenomenal game, what an incredible display from #TheProteas! An absolutely heart-stopping performance! 🤩 Bavuma led the way with the bat, and our bowlers ran riot with the ball! 💪🔥 #TheProteas level the series 1-1 with a comprehensive victory by an innings and 31 runs! 🇿🇦 #Unbreakable #SAvAUS
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 22, 2026
The result, which draws up the three-test series heading into the final test in Cape Town next week, was built around a career best century from captain Temba Bavuma (179), and lower order fight from Marco Jansen (85) and Simon Harmer (82) on day three that saw the Proteas declare their only innings on 425-9.
The bowlers then did their job in the first innings, led by Jansen’s 5-33, as they skittled the Aussies for 99 in their first innings, a huge deficit of 326, which allowed Bavuma to enforce the follow-on in the afternoon on day four.
The Australians showed better fight in the second innings, particularly from nightwatchman Scott Boland who faced an incredible 166 balls in scoring 40 runs, and opener Travis Head who hit his 13th test century, but Rabada, 4-77, and Mulder, 3-64, kept chipping away to eventually bowl them out for 295.
“The weather wanted to play a part today and we were scrambling a little bit in the changeroom (this morning), with us not too sure about the weather. But we were very excited as soon as we got on,” said Bavuma after the game.
“They made us work hard for those six wickets, and obviously everyone is happy. But we still have a job at hand with another match still to go, and we are now focused on that.”
A career-best score and a Test win at St George's Park 🇿🇦👏 Temba Bavuma reflects on the second Test 🎙️ #SAvAUS | #SSCricket https://t.co/0jYpm8rgNq
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 22, 2026
After tea Australia resumed on 253-6, with Boland and Alex Carey (37*) at the crease, but the tailenders' amazing rearguard effort was finally brought to an end by Mulder, who got the ball to jag back in between bat and pad and crash into the stumps to send him on his way.
In his next over Mulder got rid of Pat Cummins (4) in similar fashion, clipping the top of off stump to leave the Aussies in massive strife on 262=8.
Boland ✅ Cummins ✅ Wiaan Mulder Madoda 😮💨🏏 📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw https://t.co/roeBS54vaC
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 22, 2026
With some menacing looking clouds looming, Mitchell Starc (11) and Carey tried to delay the inevitable with a 28-run ninth-wicket partnership, but Rabada then returned to the attack and immediately struck, getting a ball to seam back in and bowl Starc.
Mitchell Starc gets a taste of KG Rabada's pace 😮💨🇿🇦 📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw https://t.co/kFjNGCaRG9
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 22, 2026
Carey initially managed to protect last man Josh Hazelwood, but Jansen then fittingly ended the match by having him caught for a second-ball duck by Aiden Markram at slip to seal a brilliant win.
HEAD TON
Earlier in the day the first session was washed out by rain, before the Proteas made good inroads by removing Head for a superb 121 off 190 balls (15x4) and the experienced Steve Smith in the early afternoon session.
Australia resumed their second innings on 156-4, still needing 170 more runs to make the Proteas bat again, with opener Head unbeaten on 87 and Boland on two, and they immediately dug in while extending their fifth-wicket stand.
Head eased his way to his hundred, while sharing in a 59-run partnership with Boland, before Mulder got the massive breakthrough, cramping Head with a short ball that he ended up deflecting onto his own stumps, leaving them on 209-5.
Travis Head brings up his first Test century against South Africa and a fourth as Australia's opener 🇦🇺🏏 📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyR504 https://t.co/RvYo1dtewV
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 22, 2026
Despite battling a neck injury from the first innings, Smith (3) came in next, but it looked like he wasn’t comfortable at all during his 20-ball stay and shortly after the new ball was taken he played an uncharacteristic shot in the circumstances.
He tried to pull a short and wide ball from Rabada that could have easily been left, and only ended up skying it in the swirling wind to Matthew Breetzke at midwicket who took the catch after a juggle, which saw them slip to 225-6.
Carey was in next and along with Boland they eased their side to tea without further trouble, but it wasn’t enough as the Proteas cleaned things up in the final session.
PROTEAS: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood
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