South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test Day 1 LIVE Updates: South Africa will aim to stay alive in the series, while Australia will focus on sealing it when the two teams face each other in the second Test of the three-match series. Australia hold a 1-0 lead after winning the first game by 214 runs at Kingsmead Stadium. Their victory also put an end to Temba Bavuma ‘s dream run as South Africa captain, as he suffered his first Test loss in the role. Leading fast bowler Josh Hazlewood produced a match-winning spell of six wickets in the second innings as Australia defeated South Africa in the first Test. ( LIVE SCORECARD )
South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test Day 1 LIVE Score: Australia are 1-0 up in the three-match series after winning the first Test by 214 runs.
Time for Round 2 – Round 1 went Australia’s way, and apart from a few punches here and there, South Africa did not play like the side that won the WTC title last year. Matt Renshaw’s 190 rescued the Aussies from 124 for 6 in the first innings, and Josh Hazlewood’s six wickets finished the job, with the 214-run margin saying plenty about how one-sided it became. Back in 2018, Australia also took the opener in Durban, only for things to unravel quite spectacularly, with South Africa levelling the series right here at St George’s Park. Ackerman is in line for a Test debut, and he comes in with plenty of first-class experience and an average of 48.66. Back in 2018, Rabada produced figures of 5/96 and 6/54 on this very ground, and he will be eager to produce another match-winning display. Labuschagne under pressure – Australia’s top four managed just 194 runs across both innings in Durban, out of their combined tally of 704. The pressure is also growing on Marnus Labuschagne, who has now gone 11 innings without a half-century, and it has been more than three years since his last Test hundred. Form (Last 5 Tests, recent first) – SA – LWWWL | AUS – WWLWL. In 2022, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer took all 10 Bangladesh wickets in the fourth innings, and in 2024 Maharaj and Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya both took five-wicket hauls. The caveat is that the 2022 Test was played in April and the 2024 one in December, when the summer heat had baked the surface.
St George’s Park has been their least favourite of the three grounds on this tour, and South Africa have won the last two Tests here, against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The confirmation that Ryan Rickelton will take over the wicketkeeping duties also indicates that Kyle Verreynne won’t feature in Gqeberha, which could mean another change in the batting department, with Matthew Breetzke and Marques Ackerman in contention. History at St George’s – If all of this sounds familiar, there is a reason. The hosts, licking their wounds, will be hoping to prove that Durban was an off week and not a sign of things to come, while the tourists will want to make sure history does not repeat itself. The venue gives Australia reason to be wary, too. Proteas shuffle the deck – The defeat in Durban has led to personnel changes in the Proteas’ squad, with Tristan Stubbs facing the axe. Breetzke has played only two Tests so far and has not played first-class cricket lately, but the think tank is banking on him to translate his white-ball form to the Test arena. Rabada returns – On the pace bowling front, there is a major boost for the Proteas with the return of Kagiso Rabada. He was close to featuring in Durban, but the think tank erred on the side of caution as he was coming off a hamstring injury, and he has not played competitive cricket since May. Conditions are unlikely to call for two specialist spin options, so Simon Harmer will likely have to make way for him. With Rabada back for South Africa, they have a stern challenge awaiting them. Reinforcements on the horizon – Cameron Green is still on the road to recovery from an abdominal strain and could be ready just in time for the third Test. Josh Inglis, who fractured a finger during the ODI leg of the tour, has rejoined the touring squad, but Australia might not want to disrupt the winning combination. What to expect? Spinners have thrived at St George’s Park in recent Tests. This Test is the earliest ever played at the ground, so no one can be sure how the pitch will behave. Rain is expected to be around for the first couple of days of the Test, and that will mean the pacers could have plenty to work with. Known as the Friendly City, will Gqeberha be kind to the visitors this time around, or will it once more be the place where South Africa strike back? We shall find out together.
