South Africa made a remarkable comeback on Day 3 of the second Test against Australia at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. Captain Temba Bavuma led the fight with a brilliant 179, while Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer also played key roles with the bat.
South Africa, who were struggling at 110/6, went on to score 425/9 before declaring their innings.
Bavuma’s century helped South Africa set several records against Australia. His partnership with Harmer was also one of the biggest eighth-wicket stands in South African Test cricket history. Australia lost opener Nic Maddinson early in their reply and ended the day under pressure, with two days left in the match.
How Did Temba Bavuma Make History Against Australia?
Bavuma scored 179 runs, his highest score in Test cricket. His innings was also the second-highest individual Test score at Gqeberha. Former South African batter Herschelle Gibbs holds the record, having scored 196 against India in 2001.
Bavuma’s knock also ranks among the highest Test scores by a South African captain in a home match. Hashim Amla holds the top two spots with scores of 208 against West Indies in Centurion in 2014 and 201 against England in Cape Town in 2016. Former captain Graeme Smith is third with 183 against England in Cape Town in 2010.
Bavuma’s 179 against Australia places him fourth on the list, highlighting the importance of his innings in a difficult situation for his team.
How Did South Africa Recover From 110/6?
South Africa were in trouble after losing six wickets for 110 runs. However, Bavuma led the recovery with help from Jansen and Harmer.
Bavuma and Jansen added 132 runs for the seventh wicket. Jansen scored 85 runs and helped South Africa put pressure on the Australian bowlers.
Bavuma then joined Harmer for an 183-run partnership for the eighth wicket. It became South Africa’s highest eighth-wicket partnership in their 137-year Test history.
The biggest eighth-wicket or lower partnership for South Africa remains the 195-run stand between Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 1998. Bavuma and Harmer’s 183-run stand now ranks second on the list.
What Other Records Did South Africa Break?
South Africa scored 315 runs after losing their sixth wicket. It was the second-highest total by a team after losing six wickets in a Test innings, based on the figures provided.
The record belongs to South Africa themselves, who scored 318 runs after the sixth wicket fell against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2008.
South Africa’s total of 425/9 declared was also their second-highest innings score against Australia at Gqeberha. Their highest remains 470/8 declared in 1970.
These numbers show how well South Africa recovered after being pushed onto the back foot by Australia’s bowlers.
How Did Australia Start Their Second Innings?
Australia had a difficult start to their reply. South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada dismissed Nic Maddinson for a duck in his first over, with the batter edging a loose drive to the third slip.
Australia ended the day with one wicket down and were still 422 runs behind South Africa’s total. With two days remaining, the visitors needed a strong batting performance to get back into the match.
South Africa, meanwhile, had a chance to push for a win after their excellent recovery with the bat. The home side needed to keep taking wickets and bowl Australia out twice if they wanted to secure victory.
What Is the Follow-On Rule in Test Cricket?
The follow-on rule allows the team batting first to ask the opposition to bat again if it has a lead of at least 200 runs after the first innings in a five-day Test match.
Rain interruptions do not automatically reduce the follow-on target. Since play took place on Day 1 of this Test, the usual 200-run lead requirement remained in place.
When Will the South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test Resume?
The third day ended with South Africa in control after their strong batting performance. The teams will return for Day 4 on Wednesday, October 21, with South Africa looking to build on their advantage.
The weather forecast for the remaining two days was expected to be favourable, offering the teams a chance to push for a result.
Where Can You Watch South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test Live in India?
- Match: South Africa vs Australia, 2nd Test
- Venue: St George’s Park, Gqeberha
- Start time: 1:30 PM IST
- TV broadcast in India: Eurosport
- Live streaming in India: FanCode app and website