SportsCricket
Bavuma's career-best 179 puts South Africa in charge of Gqeberha Test
From 110 for 6, South Africa reached 425 for 9 declared on day three, with Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer making the most of their captain's long vigil. Australia lost Nic Maddinson before stumps.
Key points
- Temba Bavuma made a Test-best 179 off 334 balls against Australia.
- Bavuma added 132 with Marco Jansen and 183 with Simon Harmer, who made a maiden Test fifty.
- Australia closed on 3 for 1, trailing by 422, after Kagiso Rabada removed Nic Maddinson.
Temba Bavuma batted for almost the whole of day three at St George’s Park on Tuesday, and by the end of it South Africa had turned the second Test against Australia upside down. The captain made 179, the best score of his Test career, as the hosts went from 110 for 6 to 425 for 9 declared.
Australia then had four awkward overs to survive before stumps and did not get through them intact. Kagiso Rabada had Nic Maddinson caught by Simon Harmer for a four-ball duck, and Australia closed on 3 for 1, still 422 behind, with Travis Head and nightwatchman Scott Boland at the crease.
The captain’s innings
Bavuma had come in with South Africa in trouble after Boland’s spells on the rain-hit first two days. He faced 334 balls and hit 18 fours and a six. His fifth Test hundred came off 226 balls, and he went past his previous best of 172, made against the West Indies in Johannesburg in 2023.
He had two very different partners. Marco Jansen attacked from the start and made 85 off 100 balls with nine fours and three sixes, putting on 132 for the seventh wicket, 106 of them before lunch, before he was caught by Head at short midwicket off Boland.
Harmer then dug in alongside his captain. The off-spinner made 82 off 157 balls, his first Test half-century, and the pair added 183 for the eighth wicket, wearing down an attack that had looked so sharp earlier in the match. By the declaration, Australia had bowled 127.1 overs in the innings. Harmer was eventually bowled by Marnus Labuschagne, and Bavuma was caught behind off Mitchell Starc. South Africa declared soon after, with Anrich Nortje not needing to bat.
Australia’s bowlers toil
Boland was the pick of Australia’s attack with 5 for 81 from 29 overs, his third five-wicket haul in Tests. Starc took 3 for 89, including Wiaan Mulder for his 450th Test wicket in the morning. Pat Cummins went wicketless in 26 overs for 96, and Josh Hazlewood and Webster also failed to strike.
Where the Test stands
Australia lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning in Durban. Rain wiped out much of the first two days here, so time remains South Africa’s main opponent. They need 20 wickets in two days to level the series, and Australia need to bat long to make sure they head to the final Test still in front.