Bavuma’s Century Brings South Africa Back into the Test Match Against Australia

Second Test, Gqeberha (day three of five)

South Africa 425-9 dec: Bavuma 179, Jansen 85; Boland 5-81

Australia 3-1: Boland 2*; Rabada 1-0

Australia trail by 422 runs

Captain T’mba Bavuma dragged South Africa back into their Test series against Australia with a masterful century on day three in Gqeberha.

Emerging from the shadows at 12-2 on day one, Bavuma batted for 552 minutes across three days to post his highest Test score, enabling South Africa to declare on 425-9 with approximately half an hour remaining, having been 110-6 earlier in the session.

Khasho Rabada took the wicket of Australia opener Nic Maddinson in the very first over of Australia’s reply, giving the hosts a crucial boost.

While Bavuma’s century matched Matthew Renshaw’s 190 for Australia in their opening Test victory, it arguably stood out even more given the momentum Australia had built since South Africa’s batting struggles and the quality of the tourists’ attack.

Bavuma remained composed throughout, anchoring vital partnerships of 132 with Marco Jansen and 183 with number nine Simon Harmer – the latter representing the finest eighth-wicket partnership in South Africa’s Test history.

This century marked Bavuma’s fifth Test hundred, a milestone achieved 10 years after his maiden Test hundred made him the first Black African to score a Test century for the Proteas.

“Definitely” one of his finest innings.

“At least three of that bowling attack rank in the world’s top ten,” he said. “There is a reason why.”

For the remainder of this series and England’s subsequent tour over Christmas, this remains Bavuma’s fourth century in 14 Tests as South Africa captain.

As captain, Bavuma now averages 54.36, a staggering leap from 34.53 across 93 innings before he took the reins – a transformation few captains can match.

Source link