Third Take a look at, Cape City (day 5 of 5)
South Africa 329 & 387: Mulder 115, Rickelton 101
Australia 429 & 111: Lyon 33*; Rabada 3-39; Harmer 6-16
South Africa received by 176 runs; received collection 2-1
Scorecard
David Warner labelled Australia “horrible”, “completely disgraceful” and “un-Australian” as his former aspect crumbled beneath the strain of a final-day chase and allowed South Africa to cost to a well-known Take a look at and collection victory in Cape City.
Chasing 288 to win an enthralling contest themselves, Australia misplaced two wickets within the first over bowled by Kagiso Rabada and by no means recovered.
Rabada was irresistible, additionally including the important thing wicket of Travis Head caught at slip in an excellent first spell to change into the quickest bowler to 350 Take a look at wickets.
However Australia performed a component in their very own downfall, with Josh Inglis run out for 4 after inexplicably being known as by way of by Cameron Inexperienced.
That opened the door to spinner Simon Harmer, who had Alex Carey caught reverse sweeping with simply two to his title and Cooper Connolly caught behind for a two-ball duck.
At 60-7 at lunch, former opener Warner, who retired from Take a look at cricket in January 2024, tore into his former team-mates.
“It’s horrible,” he stated on Fox Sports activities. “It’s un-Australian. There is no such thing as a struggle by any means. It’s disgraceful.
“The batters have let the bowlers down all collection. [Matt] Renshaw confirmed struggle in that first Take a look at however I feel the batters have been completely disgraceful.”
Australia then dropped anchor in a weird interval – one scoring shot got here in 50 minutes – however Harmer was to not be denied, taking the ultimate wicket for career-best figures of 6-16 as Australia had been dismissed for 111.
Defeat comes initially of an intense run of Take a look at cricket for Pat Cummins’ aspect, with consideration now turning to 4 Assessments at residence in opposition to New Zealand beginning in December earlier than a five-Take a look at tour of India, the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary Take a look at in opposition to England in March and subsequent summer time’s Ashes. The implications may very well be vital.
South Africa’s advantageous victory, earned throughout three fascinatingly fluctuating Assessments, means the Proteas regain their place on the prime of the world rankings and reaffirms their standing as one of many world’s easiest sides.
