Miller and Bavuma hundreds seal series for South Africa
South Africa beat Australia by 32 runs in the second one-day international at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on 27 September 2026 to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Chasing 366 to win, Australia were bowled out for 333 in 49.5 overs. The result settled the series before the final game in Potchefstroom. BBC Sport
An ODI gives each side 50 overs, each over six balls, to score as many runs as possible. South Africa made 365 for nine from their full allocation. Australia stayed in the chase for most of the evening but ran out of wickets with one ball unused.
South Africa made the worst possible start. Aiden Markram fell to the first ball of the innings. Quinton de Kock added only 15 before he went. At two wickets down cheaply, the home side needed calm.
Captain Temba Bavuma provided it. He scored 103 from 116 balls, reaching his hundred from 112 balls before falling to Xavier Bartlett. It was his sixth ODI hundred. Cricket Australia Alongside David Miller he added 156 for the fourth wicket, the partnership that rebuilt the innings after the early losses.
Then Miller cut loose. He reached his hundred from 73 balls and finished with 142 from 93 balls. His innings included 12 fours and nine sixes. It carried South Africa past 350 despite Cooper Edwards taking five for 67 for Australia. BBC Sport
Australia refused to fold. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh put on 130 for the first wicket. Marsh made 84 from 53 balls to give the chase early pace. South Africa hit back through Lizaad Williams, who took three for 54.
Bartlett kept Australia alive with a fifty from 26 balls. He was then given out leg before wicket, out for blocking a ball that would have hit the stumps, to Williams. Australia still needed 44 from the last 14 balls at that point. They were also hampered by injury to seamer Nathan Ellis, who could bowl only four overs because of a side strain. BBC Sport
Bavuma had returned to captain South Africa for this series, after his previous ODI appearance in December 2025. South Africa were without fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, ruled out of the three games with a right hamstring injury. Miller arrived in form against this opposition, averaging 57.38 in 28 ODIs against Australia with three hundreds before the series.
South Africa had already won the opener in Durban by 67 runs, after Matthew Breetzke scored 112. Reuters That left Australia needing to win in Johannesburg to keep the series alive.
What makes this stand out is how both teams kept scoring freely when the required rate climbed. South Africa found the extra boundary hitters in the closing overs. Australia stayed level for long stretches before the last wickets fell. The tour continues with the third ODI in Potchefstroom, followed by three Tests.
