Gqeberha Test: Bavuma stands tall as SA hammer Australia in comeback for the ages

South Africa vs Australia, Gqeberha Test: South Africa pulled off a stunning comeback to beat Australia by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha on Thursday, levelling the three-Test series 1-1 despite losing more than 140 overs to rain.SA vs AUS, Gqeberha Test: South Africa conjure comeback for the ages to level series (AP Photo)New Delhi,Oct 22, 2026 20:15 ISTBrief Scores: South Africa (425 for 9 decl) beat Australia (99 and 295) by an innings and 34 runs in second Test to level three-match series 1-1.South Africa looked down and out at 97 for 5 on Day 3. Two days later, they had Australia on the ropes and were celebrating one of their most impressive Test victories, winning by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha. Temba Bavuma’s career-best 179 sparked the turnaround before Wiaan Mulder and Kagiso Rabada ripped through Australia on the final day to seal the win. The series is now level, with the decider set for Cape Town.Australia had looked firmly in control when South Africa stumbled to 97 for 5 at the close of the second day. But Bavuma led a remarkable fightback as the hosts piled up 425 for 9, turning the contest on its head. Their bowlers then dismissed Australia for just 99, forcing the visitors to follow on for only the third time since 1988.Australia showed greater resistance in their second innings, with Travis Head scoring a century and Scott Boland digging in to frustrate the hosts. But South Africa kept pushing, and once Mulder removed Head, the visitors began to lose their grip on the contest. The end came with more than 28 overs remaining in the day, as Josh Hazlewood slashed Marco Jansen to slip with dark clouds gathering over St George’s Park. Jansen had the final say in a match that underlined his value with both bat and ball. After their defeat in Durban, South Africa could hardly have asked for a more emphatic response.MULDER ENDS HEAD'S HEROICSPlay on the final day was delayed until noon after morning showers washed out the first session. When the action finally resumed, Head continued to give Australia hope, bringing up his century off 151 balls. The left-hander reached the milestone with two boundaries in three deliveries against Jansen. First came a neatly timed flick between deep square leg and fine leg, followed by a whip past mid-on. The celebrations were muted, though, with Head well aware that Australia still had a mountain to climb.It was only his second Test century overseas, following his 163 in the 2023 World Test Championship final. The hundred was also his first against South Africa and his fourth as an opener in Test cricket.South Africa needed a breakthrough before Head could take the game away from them. With the new ball just five overs away, Mulder came around the wicket and cramped the Australian for room. Head could only manage a bottom edge onto his stumps, bringing a frustrating end to an innings that had kept Australia's hopes alive.He stood still for a moment, seemingly unable to believe how he had been dismissed. Playing the ball onto his own stumps has become an unwanted feature of his recent innings, and this time it proved costly for Australia.Mulder's contribution was particularly important given that South Africa were already without Anrich Nortje, who had limped off with a groin injury the previous day. Mulder relied on a wobble-seam delivery aimed at the stumps, while wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton stood up to the stumps to keep the Australian batters from using their feet freely. All three of Mulder's dismissals on the final day came as batters were left cramped for room.RABADA WINS THE SMITH DUELHead's departure brought Steven Smith to the crease at No. 7, his lowest position in a Test since 2014, when he had also batted that far down the order at Gqeberha. Neck problems sustained the previous day had forced Australia to push their former captain further down the order.Mulder wasted little time testing Smith, greeting him with a bouncer that flew over Rickelton, who was standing up to the stumps. Smith survived, but he never looked entirely comfortable. In Mulder's next over, he edged the ball thickly and Rickelton could not hold on to the chance.Rabada made sure South Africa did not have to wait long for another opportunity. Facing the first ball of the fast bowler's second over with the new ball, Smith went for a pull and top-edged the delivery towards the leg side.Matthew Breetzke eventually held on at midwicket after a nervy juggle, completing a catch that brought South Africa another step closer to victory. Gale-force winds were swirling around St George's Park, adding to the drama as the ball hung in the air.Bavuma could barely bring himself to watch. The South African captain turned towards the stands as the ball went up, only to see Breetzke complete the catch. Smith's dismissal left Australia in deeper trouble, with South Africa firmly in control.BOLAND MAKES SOUTH AFRICA WORK FOR ITBoland proved a stubborn obstacle throughout the morning. Used as a nightwatcher twice during the Test, he had also claimed 5 for 81 with the ball. With Australia fighting to stay alive, he showed impressive discipline and comfortably surpassed his previous longest Test innings in terms of balls faced.He defended with confidence and was prepared to wait for anything loose. Even after appearing to tweak his left shoulder while playing a powerful square drive, Boland continued to frustrate the hosts. He unfurled an upper cut over the slips and played several well-timed drives, helping him and Head put together a half-century partnership.His innings also featured an unusual umpiring moment. Arno Jacobs, who had stood in for the unwell Chris Gaffaney during the match, called a no-ball after Bavuma moved so close at silly point that his hand was on the pitch when Simon Harmer delivered the ball. Boland was on strike when the incident unfolded.South Africa eventually found a way through early in the final session. Mulder produced a delivery that nipped back between bat and pad to hit Boland's stumps, ending an innings built on patience and stubborn resistance. It was the kind of delivery that Boland, himself a specialist seam bowler, would have appreciated.Mulder was not finished there. He followed up by moving the ball the other way to beat Pat Cummins' outside edge before knocking over off stump. Two quick wickets left Australia with little room to recover, and South Africa were suddenly within touching distance of a result that had looked far from certain two days earlier.JANSEN PUTS THE FINISHING TOUCHESRabada returned to the attack and struck in his first over back, with Mitchell Starc swinging across the line and losing his wicket. Australia's resistance was fading, and South Africa could sense the end was near.With the floodlights coming on, Alex Carey briefly threatened to delay the inevitable by finding the boundary. But the reprieve did not last. Hazlewood was left exposed at the start of the next over and slashed a delivery from Jansen to slip, bringing the contest to an end.It was a fitting finish for Jansen, who had made a telling contribution throughout the match. South Africa had been pushed to the brink early in the contest, but Bavuma's outstanding innings gave them a way back before the bowlers took over.Mulder's breakthroughs on the final day, Rabada's dismissal of Smith and Jansen's decisive final wicket completed a superb team effort. South Africa had not only recovered from a difficult position but had also forced Australia to follow on before wrapping up the match with time to spare.The result was an emphatic answer to their defeat in Durban. The series now heads to the iconic Newlands in Cape Town for a decider, with South Africa carrying the momentum after a turnaround that few would have predicted at the close of the second day.- Ends