South Africa beat Australia by an innings and 31 runs in the South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Thursday, 22 October, to level the three-match series at 1-1. After rain cost most of the first two days, Temba Bavuma’s 179 and Marco Jansen’s five wickets set up the win, and Australia, following on, were bowled out for 295 an hour after tea on the final day despite Travis Head’s 121.
The result lifts South Africa to 66.67 in the World Test Championship (WTC) table and cuts Australia’s lead at the top to 75.00. The series will be decided at Newlands, Cape Town, from 27 October. This page has the team news, a report on each day’s play and the updated WTC table.
Match details
| Match | South Africa vs Australia, 2nd Test (of 3) |
| Dates | 18 to 22 October 2026 |
| Venue | St George’s Park, Gqeberha |
| Start time | 10am local (1:30pm IST) |
| Series | Level 1-1 (South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs) |
| Next Test | Newlands, Cape Town, 27 to 31 October |
Rain is forecast for the first two days, according to cricket.com.au, so time could be lost early in the match.
Team news
South Africa: Rabada set to return
South Africa are set to make several changes after Durban. Kagiso Rabada, who missed the first Test with a hamstring injury, bowled a 45-minute spell at close to full pace at training and is expected to play. Anrich Nortje, who bowled a heavy workload on his Test return in Durban, is the most likely to make way.
Matthew Breetzke comes in for Tristan Stubbs, who has been left out after one Test. Ryan Rickelton is set to take the gloves, with Kyle Verreynne dropped but kept in the squad as the reserve keeper. Marques Ackerman, who recently made a double century for South Africa A, is in line for a Test debut. South Africa also have to decide whether to keep two spinners, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, as they did in Durban.
Rabada has 58 Test wickets against Australia at an average of 21.39, and he took nine wickets against them in the 2025 WTC final at Lord’s. South Africa coach Shukri Conrad has called him the team’s “Rolls Royce”.
Australia: Green ruled out, Inglis a doubt
Before the toss, Australia were expected to name an unchanged XI, but they made one change (see the day 1 report). Cameron Green, who strained an abdominal muscle about two weeks ago, has only just started batting again and is unlikely to play before the third Test in Cape Town. Josh Inglis is trying to prove his fitness after breaking a finger, but his place in the side is uncertain.
Assistant coach Matthew Wade expects a fired-up Rabada. “He’ll keep coming for the whole Test match,” Wade said.
Matt Renshaw, player of the match in Durban for his 190, is expected to stay at No. 5. Pat Cummins has said there would need to be a “compelling” case to move him back up to open.
St George’s Park: what to expect
Australia have won three and lost four of their seven Tests at St George’s Park, and South Africa won the last two meetings here, in 2014 and 2018. Since 2020, spinners have taken 40 wickets at the ground at an average of 22.77, compared with 35 wickets at 34.17 for the fast bowlers, which makes it the most spin-friendly Test venue in South Africa in that period. Both sides went the other way on day 1: Australia left out Nathan Lyon for a fourth seamer, and South Africa dropped Keshav Maharaj, keeping Simon Harmer as their only spinner.
WTC table after the South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test
South Africa’s win is worth 12 WTC points. They now have 48 points from six Tests, a PCT of 66.67. Australia stay on 108 points, but from 12 Tests, so their PCT drops from 81.82 to 75.00.
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Points deducted | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 75.00 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 72.22 |
| 3 | South Africa | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 66.67 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 55.56 |
| 5 | India | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 51.52 |
| 6 | England | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 74 | 38.54 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 33.33 |
| 8 | West Indies | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 20.83 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 4.63 |
Standings after the 2nd Test in Gqeberha, before any over-rate penalty for this match. The ICC usually confirms over-rate penalties a few days after a Test.
Australia’s lead over New Zealand is now less than three points of PCT, and South Africa are back within striking distance of both. India stay fifth on 51.52. Their best possible finish is 70.37, still below Australia’s 75.00 and New Zealand’s 72.22, so India need the teams above them to keep dropping points. Our full WTC points table 2025-27 explains how PCT and over-rate deductions work.
South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test: day-by-day reports
Day 1 (18 October): Boland strikes twice on a rain-ruined day
Stumps: South Africa 20/2 (12.2 overs). Marques Ackerman 5*, Temba Bavuma 4*. Scott Boland 2/5.
Australia won the toss and chose to bowl, but rain delayed the start by nearly two hours. South Africa were 11 without loss after 5.3 overs when more rain brought an early lunch.
Boland changed the day in the ninth over. Aiden Markram, on 11, dragged the ball onto his stumps, and David Bedingham nicked the very next delivery behind for a golden duck. South Africa had slipped from 12 without loss to 12 for 2. Ackerman, opening on his Test debut, and Bavuma then batted out the overs until rain returned and play was called off for the day.
Team changes. The big surprise was Australia leaving out Nathan Lyon, their only change, with Boland coming in for a four-man pace attack. South Africa made three changes: Kagiso Rabada, Matthew Breetzke and debutant Ackerman came in for Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Verreynne and Tristan Stubbs. Ryan Rickelton kept wicket and moved down the order. Anrich Nortje kept his place.
What next: more rain is forecast for day 2, so time is already running short for a result.
Day 2 (19 October): Boland takes four as Bavuma fights
Stumps: South Africa 97/5 (43 overs). Temba Bavuma 41*. Scott Boland 4/31, Mitchell Starc 1/27.
Rain and a wet outfield wiped out the first two sessions, and play only began after several pitch inspections. Australia were also without Josh Hazlewood, who was ill and did not take the field. He is expected to be available for the rest of the Test.
Boland struck again within a couple of overs of the restart, removing debutant Marques Ackerman for 6, caught by Alex Carey. Starc then had Matthew Breetzke caught behind for 4, leaving South Africa 40 for 4.
Bavuma and Ryan Rickelton put on the biggest stand of the match, a fifty partnership, and Rickelton survived a drop by Marnus Labuschagne on 26. But Boland had the last word: Rickelton edged him on 31 and Matt Renshaw took a sharp one-handed catch at slip. Bavuma then saw out the rest of the day.
What next: with only 43 overs bowled in two days, Australia need quick wickets on day 3 to give themselves time to force a result. A draw would leave Australia 1-0 up going to Cape Town.
Day 3 (20 October): Bavuma’s 179 turns the Test
Stumps: South Africa 425/9 declared. Australia 3/1, trailing by 422. Temba Bavuma 179 (334 balls), Marco Jansen 85 (100), Simon Harmer 82. Scott Boland 5/81.
South Africa lost Wiaan Mulder early, caught behind off Mitchell Starc after a review, which was Starc’s 450th Test wicket. That left them 110 for 6, and Australia looked set to bowl them out cheaply.
Instead, Bavuma batted through most of the day. He reached his fifth Test hundred off 223 balls and went on to 179 before Starc had him caught by Alex Carey. Jansen hit 85 off 100 balls before Boland had him caught by Travis Head, giving Boland his fifth wicket. Then Bavuma and Harmer added 183 for the eighth wicket, South Africa’s highest stand for that wicket in Test cricket.
South Africa declared on 425 for 9, and Kagiso Rabada struck in his first over: Nic Maddinson was caught by Harmer at third slip for a duck. Head and nightwatchman Boland saw out the day.
What next: the match has turned. Australia need 226 to avoid the follow-on, and after losing so much time to rain, the draw is still their best chance of keeping a 1-0 lead going to Cape Town. A South Africa win would level the series and lift them to 66.67 in the WTC table.
Day 4 (21 October): Australia 99 all out, follow-on enforced
Stumps: South Africa 425/9 declared. Australia 99 (42.3 overs) and 156/4 (following on), trailing by 170. Marco Jansen 5/33.
Australia’s first innings fell apart. Marco Jansen took four wickets in the morning session and finished with five, and Australia were all out for 99 in 42.3 overs, 326 behind. Steve Smith top-scored with 28. Bavuma enforced the follow-on.
Australia did better second time round, but kept losing wickets. Kagiso Rabada removed Nic Maddinson and Matt Renshaw, and Simon Harmer took the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne (39) and Beau Webster. Travis Head held the innings together and was 87 not out at stumps, with nightwatchman Scott Boland.
There were injury worries on both sides. Anrich Nortje left the field with a groin injury, and Smith, who has a neck problem, has not yet batted in Australia’s second innings.
What next: South Africa need six wickets on day 5 to level the series at 1-1. A win would lift them to 66.67 in the WTC table, and Australia would drop to 75.00. Australia need to bat out the day to keep their 1-0 lead going to Cape Town.
Day 5 (22 October): Mulder and Rabada finish it despite Head’s hundred
Result: South Africa 425/9 declared beat Australia 99 and 295 (following on) by an innings and 31 runs. Travis Head 121 (190). Player of the match: Temba Bavuma.
Australia started the day on 156 for 4, needing 170 more just to make South Africa bat again. Head reached his hundred and Scott Boland, the nightwatchman, made 40, but South Africa kept chipping away.
Wiaan Mulder did the key work. He ended Head’s 190-ball innings on 121 when Head chopped on, and also bowled Boland and Pat Cummins. Kagiso Rabada had Steve Smith, who batted at No. 7 because of a stiff neck, caught by Matthew Breetzke for 3, and bowled Mitchell Starc. Marco Jansen finished the match when Josh Hazlewood edged to Aiden Markram at second slip, an hour after tea.
Jansen took six wickets in the match, including 5 for 33 in the first innings. Bavuma, whose 179 turned the Test on day 3, was named player of the match. “We were a long way away from our best,” Cummins said at the presentation.
What it means for the 3rd Test in Cape Town
The series is level at 1-1 with one Test to play, at Newlands in Cape Town from Tuesday, 27 October. A South Africa win there would take the series 2-1 and lift them to 71.43 in the WTC table, just behind New Zealand’s 72.22. An Australia win would take the series for them and lift their PCT to 76.92. A draw would leave the series level at 1-1, with Australia on 71.79 and South Africa on 61.90.
South Africa have a fitness question over Anrich Nortje, who did not bowl again in the second innings after a suspected groin injury. Australia must decide whether to bring back Nathan Lyon after leaving him out here, and Cameron Green could return from his abdominal strain.
For the first Test, read our South Africa vs Australia 1st Test report.
Updated 22 October 2026, after day 5 (result). Sources: Sky Sports (result), ABC News (day 5), Outlook India (day 5), ABC News (day 4), CricketNews (day 4), The Citizen (day 3), ANI (day 3), Outlook India (day 3), Sky Sports (day 2), ABC News (day 2), Sky Sports (day 1), AP via Lethbridge Herald (day 1), cricket.com.au (preview), cricket.com.au (team news), Newcastle Herald (AAP, Green) and Newcastle Herald (AAP, Rabada).
