South Africa win by an innings and 31 runs after rain‑delayed start on day two

South Africa wrapped up the second Test against Australia at Newlands with a dominant performance, winning by an innings and 31 runs. The match, which began on Sunday, 18 October 2026, saw its second day delayed by weather, but the hosts recovered quickly to post a massive total.

South Africa declared their first innings at 425 for nine after 127.1 overs. Opening captain Aiden Markram led the charge with a fluent 112 off 124 balls, while Janneman Malan contributed 63. The middle order added valuable runs, with Reeza Hendricks making 42 and Keshav Maharaj chipping in with a quick 34. Extras added 14 runs to the total.

Australia’s reply collapsed early. Their top order managed only 99 runs before being bowled out in 42.3 overs. Starc was the pick of the bowlers, taking four wickets for 24 runs in 24.1 overs at an economy of 1.00. Hazlewood also impressed, claiming three for 14 in 14 overs. The Australian batting line‑up struggled against disciplined South African bowling, with the highest score coming from Aaron Finch’s partner, who made 30.

Following on, Australia posted 295 in their second innings, extending their lead to 295 runs. The innings featured a fighting 70 from their captain, but the rest of the lineup could not sustain the effort. Starc again proved lethal, finishing with a match haul of eight wickets for 49 runs. South Africa’s bowlers, particularly Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, applied relentless pressure throughout both Australian innings.

The victory gives South Africa a 2-0 lead in the five‑match series, putting them in a commanding position. Australia now faces a steep challenge to avoid a series whitewash as they head into the third Test. Coach Darren Lehmann acknowledged the defeat as a “hard lesson” and vowed that the team will regroup and work on the fundamentals before the next match.

South Africa’s next test will be against Pakistan, while Australia prepares for the third Test of the series, hoping to bounce back from a chastening defeat.