Bavuma's marathon 179 hauls South Africa from 110-6 to command against Australia
Temba Bavuma batted for more than nine hours to lift South Africa from collapse to control against Australia in the second Test in Gqeberha.
South Africa declared on 425-9, a declaration meaning the captain voluntarily closed the innings to have a bowl. Australia were 3-1 in reply at the reported stage, trailing by 422 runs BBC Sport.
It was a sharp turnaround. Only 42 overs were possible across the first two days after rain wrecked the schedule. The start of day two was delayed with debutant Marques Ackerman on 5 and Bavuma on 4 due to resume.
Australia’s fast bowlers had dominated what little play there was. South Africa slipped to 40-4, then closed on 97-5 after Scott Boland struck Reuters. Bavuma and Ryan Rickelton added 52 for the fifth wicket to stop the slide. South Africa were still only 110-6 early on day three.
Then came the fightback. Bavuma and Marco Jansen shared a 132-run stand, with Jansen smashing 85 in a rapid century partnership on the third morning ESPNcricinfo.
Jansen fell, but the momentum stayed. Bavuma and Simon Harmer added 183 for the eighth wicket, the best eighth-wicket partnership in South Africa’s Test history. Harmer’s support act allowed Bavuma to move past his previous best.
The captain finally fell for 179, caught behind off Mitchell Starc. It was his fifth Test century and his highest Test score, made across 552 minutes and three days. Boland finished with 5-81, Australia’s standout bowler.
South Africa declared soon after. Kagiso Rabada then struck in the first over of the reply, removing opener Nic Maddinson to leave Australia 3-1.
What makes this stand out is the patience involved. In Test cricket, played over five days, time at the crease can wear bowlers down and change the pitch equation. Bavuma simply stayed put while partners came and went.
The match is being played at St George’s Park in Gqeberha from 18 to 22 October, part of Australia’s 2026/27 tour of South Africa. South Africa arrived in Gqeberha after defeat in the opener, a loss Bavuma had blamed on a lack of fight. On this evidence, the response was emphatic.
