South Africa Secure a Memorable Victory Over Australia in Gqeberha

Second Test, Gqeberha (day five of five)

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

Australia 99 & 295: Head 121; Rabada 4-77, Mulder 3-64

South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs

South Africa overcame Australia’s resistance in the final session to complete a famous victory in the second Test and set up a series decider in Cape Town.

Travis Head made 121 for Australia, while Scott Boland survived 166 deliveries for 40 runs in an attempt to escape Gqeberha with a draw, a hope that was also revived when the first session was lost to rain.

But the Proteas stuck to their task and took the six wickets needed to win by an innings and 31 runs as the light faded late on the final day.

Premier paceman Kagiso Rabada finished with 4-77, while Marco Jansen, who took 5-33 on day four to put South Africa in the ascendancy, claimed the final wicket as Australia were dismissed for 295.

But all-rounder Wiaan Mulder also played a crucial part, bowling with accuracy and finding movement to dismiss Head, Boland, and Australia captain Pat Cummins.

Some of South Africa’s great Test wins have come against Australia, notably in the World Test Championship final two years ago and a Test on this ground in 2018 in the infamous Sandpaper series. This must surely rank highly among them.

They were heavily beaten in the first Test in Durban, and when they were 40-4 and 110-6 in their first innings of this Test, there appeared to be only one winner in this series.

Instead, the contest was turned on its head by Bavuma’s epic 179 and South Africa’s two dismissals of Australia, setting up a tantalising finale in Cape Town.

The third Test begins on Tuesday.

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