Second test, Gqeberha (day five of five)
South Africa 425-9 December: Bavuma 179, Jansen 85; Boland 5-81
Australia 99 and 295: Head 121; Rabada 4-77, Mulder 3-64
South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs
Dashboard
South Africa broke Australia’s resistance in the final session to claim a famous victory in the second Test and set up a series decider in Cape Town.
Travis Head made 121 for Australia and Scott Boland survived 166 deliveries for 40 runs to try to escape Gqeberha with a draw – the tourists’ hopes were also boosted by the rain-dashed first session.
But the Proteas stuck to their task and claimed the six wickets needed to win by an innings and 31 runs as the light faded late on the final day.
Opening pacer Kagiso Rabada finished with 4-77 while Marco Jansen, whose 5-33 on day four gave South Africa the ascendancy, took the final wicket as Australia were dismissed for 295.
But all-rounder Wiaan Mulder also played a crucial role, playing with precision and finding movement off the field to dismiss Head, Boland and Australian captain Pat Cummins.
Some of South Africa’s big Test victories have come against Australia – notably in the last World Test Championship final two years ago and in a Test at this ground in 2018 in the infamous Sandpaper series. This must surely rank high among them.
They were heavily beaten in the first Test in Durban and with 40-4 and 110-6 in their first innings of that Test, there was only one winner in that series.
Instead, the competition was turned on its head by Bavuma’s epic 179 and South Africa twice dismissing Australia, setting up a mouth-watering final in Cape Town.
The third test begins on Tuesday.
Gn sports
