Bavuma and Jansen Lead Proteas Fightback in Gqeberha Second Test

Temba Bavuma and Marco Jansen led the Proteas fightback in the second Test against Australia on Tuesday, 20 October, rebuilding an innings that had threatened to unravel. At the 11:41 SAST score check, South Africa were 195/6 after 65.1 overs, with Bavuma unbeaten on 67 and Jansen on 60.

Their unbroken seventh-wicket partnership had reached 85 after Wiaan Mulder fell with the score on 110. Australia had still not begun their first innings. With the visitors leading the three-match series 1–0, South Africa’s recovery was keeping both this contest and their hopes of squaring the series alive.

Two fifties change the morning’s mood

Since our second-Test selection update, South Africa’s reshaped batting order had endured another difficult start. Tuesday offered a response.

Bavuma resumed on 41 and reached his fifty from 140 deliveries, continuing to judge which balls demanded a stroke. Jansen supplied the acceleration, reaching fifty from 43 balls and taking on Australia’s quicks with drives and pulls. His scoring also made Pat Cummins defend parts of the boundary rather than sustain an entirely attacking field.

Mulder’s dismissal had initially strengthened Australia’s position. Mitchell Starc produced a sharp bouncer that brushed the glove before a catch reached Matt Renshaw. Australia successfully reviewed the not-out decision, removing Mulder for 13 and giving Starc his 450th Test wicket.

Jansen later survived a caught-behind decision against Renshaw on review. The live commentary recorded bat hitting pad rather than an edge, allowing the partnership to continue. South Africa had found momentum, but the reprieve underlined how quickly it could still disappear.

Boland’s accuracy exposes the top order

Scott Boland’s four wickets across the first two days remained central to Australia’s advantage. He bowled Aiden Markram for 11 and removed David Bedingham without scoring in successive deliveries on Sunday. Debutant opener Marques Ackerman followed for six on Monday, before Ryan Rickelton’s 31 ended with Renshaw’s outstanding one-handed slip catch.

Rickelton had added 52 with Bavuma after South Africa slipped to 40/4. His dismissal left them 97/5 overnight, with Boland holding figures of 4/31. Matthew Breetzke had fallen to Starc for four. Markram’s 11 followed his defiant 75 in the Durban second innings.

Boland was selected ahead of Nathan Lyon, giving Australia four specialist fast bowlers. Cricket Australia’s analysis explains the difficulty created by his consistent line and lower release: batters have fewer deliveries they can confidently leave on length. At Monday’s close, his career tally stood at 86 Test wickets at 18.08.

At the reporting point, Boland had 4/57 and Starc 2/50. Bavuma and Jansen’s response was giving Australia a different problem after those early breakthroughs.

Rabada returns, with time still a factor

Kagiso Rabada is back in South Africa’s confirmed XI after missing Durban with a hamstring problem. Alongside Anrich Nortje, Jansen, Mulder and Simon Harmer, he stands to benefit from the recovery giving their attack more runs to defend.

Josh Hazlewood returned to the field on Tuesday after illness kept him away on Monday. He initially had to serve time on the field before bowling, leaving Australia’s other seamers to carry the morning workload.

Rain allowed only 43 overs across the opening two days. Cricket Australia’s revised timetable brought Tuesday’s start forward to 09:45 SAST, with up to 98 overs scheduled, conditions permitting. Sunshine allowed the morning session to proceed, although afternoon showers remained possible.

The Test is scheduled to finish on Thursday. Our Durban result report covered Australia’s 214-run victory. Another win would settle the series; a draw here would leave South Africa able to level it at Newlands from 27 October, with a series victory beyond reach.

The Betting Read

We would reassess Australia’s match-winning case against the size of South Africa’s eventual total and the overs available, rather than carry Monday’s 97/5 assessment forward unchanged. Rapid wickets would restore the visitors’ opportunity to build a lead; a prolonged recovery would make that route harder.

For the draw, lost time is substantial evidence, but it must be weighed alongside wickets already taken and how quickly either side can score. For series markets, an Australian win and a drawn second Test have different consequences even though South Africa would remain behind in both scenarios.

Use our sports betting guide to compare like-for-like selections. South Africa’s completed innings is the next decision point: the total will show how much this recovery has given their bowlers to work with. Any value judgement still depends on the live price.

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