The hosts lost control because they could not turn a flawless morning into a big score. Ackerman and Markram put on 158 without loss on Day 1 at Newlands, yet afternoon breakthroughs from Nathan Lyon and a closing blitz by Mitchell Starc swept the side out for 329. Four wickets fell for 63 after lunch, then the final four went for two runs. A team that looked set for 400 ended the day with a deficit of confidence and a decider still to win.
Openers Build a Commanding Platform
Newlands hosted a decider with everything riding on it. Australia had taken the opener in Durban by 214 runs, the hosts hit back in Gqeberha by an innings and 31, and the series stood level at 1-1. Winning the toss, they chose to bat, and Marques Ackerman and Aiden Markram gave them the start they wanted, with an opening stand that reached 158 before a wicket fell.
Ackerman attacked from the first session, racing to 95 off 94 balls as boundaries arrived steadily before lunch. Markram anchored the other end against an Australian attack at full strength. At the break the hosts were 134 without loss, and a total well beyond 400 looked possible.
Lyon Turns the Afternoon Around
Pat Cummins brought Nathan Lyon on for variety more than menace, and the move paid off straight away. Ackerman, pushing on, overreached at a wide delivery and Alex Carey whipped off the bails to end his 95. Temba Bavuma followed first ball, bowled by one that straightened sharply.
Markram eventually fell for 78, taken in the deep at long leg from a Hazlewood delivery with 203 on the board for three wickets. Matthew Breetzke lasted barely a moment, lbw for 2 once the decision was reviewed. Four wickets had cost only 63 runs, and a stand that looked so solid had become a repair job. From 158 without loss, the hosts had slipped to 221 for 4.
Starc Wrecks the Tail
Marco Jansen made 52 and Ryan Rickelton 42, a partnership that carried the total beyond 300, and for a while the innings seemed to be heading somewhere respectable. Starc was handed the second new ball next, and everything changed. He finished with 6 for 72, removing Bedingham for 50, Mulder for a duck, Rickelton lbw, Jansen bowled, Coetzee first ball, and Rabada lbw.
The last four wickets fell for two runs, and the innings closed at 329. Rabada fell lbw two deliveries after Coetzee’s duck, which sealed the collapse. The session table shows how the day tilted: 134 for none before lunch, 87 for four in the middle session and 108 for six in the evening.
Session | Runs | Wickets lost |
|---|---|---|
Pre-lunch | 134 | 0 |
Lunch to tea | 87 | 4 |
Tea to close | 108 | 6 |
South Africa vs Australia Cape Town Test
The third and final Test began on 27 October 2026 at Newlands, with Steve Smith ruled out after a neck injury failed to clear a fitness check. His absence removed a senior batter from the reply before a ball was bowled. Australia made four changes to the XI that played the second match. The hosts won the toss and batted, and 329 looked a competitive score on a ground with this history.
Australia answered poorly in reply, bowled out for 144 by the close of Day 2 and trailing by 185. That deficit keeps the decider wide open heading into Day 3, even though the hosts wasted the platform they built. Both sides now know one session can still swing everything.
Pressure Keeps Defining This Series
Neither earlier match stayed close once one side found control. In Durban, Australia dismissed the hosts for 206 while chasing 421, and in Gqeberha it was the home side who used the conditions to finish the job by an innings. The Newlands slide fits the same story: batters struggle to absorb pressure once bowlers find a rhythm.
The lower order failed to build on a healthy position and reach 360 or 380, and that gap may yet be expensive while the decider plays out. Starc’s late ruthlessness was the clearest sign of it. Watch the closing days of the South Africa vs Australia Cape Town Test for the next twist in that pattern.
Did South Africa waste the best chance of the series, or did Australia simply earn it? Tell us what you think in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is leading the series between these two sides?
Neither side leads, with the series locked at 1-1 going into the decider. Australia won in Durban by 214 runs, and South Africa replied in Gqeberha with an innings victory plus 31 runs to spare.
How many wickets did Mitchell Starc take at Newlands?
Starc ended with 6 for 72 as the hosts batted first. Four of those wickets came for just two runs once he had the second new ball in hand.
What was South Africa’s first-innings total at Newlands?
The hosts were dismissed for 329 on Day 1 at Newlands. Ackerman topped the order with 95 while Jansen added 52, before a slide from 232 for 6 ended the innings.
When does the third Test finish?
The match is scheduled for 27 to 31 October 2026 at Newlands. Day 2 ended with Australia on 144 all out, trailing by 185 runs, which leaves three days for a result.
Which batter top-scored in the hosts’ first innings?
Marques Ackerman scored the most, with 95 from 94 balls until Nathan Lyon had him stumped. Aiden Markram added 78 off 141 balls, and Marco Jansen 52 off 71.