1
0
0
0
0
2
= 3
Match Details
AUS vs SA, 2nd Test, AUS vs SA 2026 live
Day 2-Session 3
SA
97-543.0 1st Inn
Stumps
CRR : 2.26
AUS opt to Bowl
AUS opt to Bowl
+
P'ship : 5(20)
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Inn 3
Inn 4
Milestone
That's it from our live coverage of Day 2! This is me AkshayaKrishna Polya signing off on behalf of my co-commentators Akshay Bhide and Manan Mehta, scorer Yogesh Kumar and statistician Aman. The weather forecast looks much better at St George's Park tomorrow. Day 3 will start early as well, with the first ball of the moving day set to be bowled at 1:15 PM IST [9:45 AM Local Time]. As usual, we will begin the build-up an hour early. We will meet again. Until then, cheers.
Australia, who caught all 18 chances in Durban, have made an error as Marnus Labuschagne put down a simple chance at leg slip, but that hasn't cost the visitors much, with Matt Renshaw's dream series continuing to get better and better as he plucked out a riveting one-handed grab to his right in the slip cordon. Ryan Rickelton did all the hardwork but couldn't make the most of his dropped chance.
Plenty of overs have been washed out by rain. 12.2 overs of play on Day 1; 30.4 overs of play on Day 2. South Africa find themselves in deep waters at 97/5, with Temba Bavuma standing tall and weathering the storm. It has never looked like Scott Boland was warming the bench all this while. The Victorian has come in and straightaway done the bulk of the job, causing a lot of damage.
Session Breakdown of Day 2:
Rain and a wet outfield prevented play in the first two sessions.
Session 3: 30.4 Overs, 77 Runs, 3 Wickets
Rain and a wet outfield prevented play in the first two sessions.
Session 3: 30.4 Overs, 77 Runs, 3 Wickets
9:42 PM IST, 6:12 PM Local Time: Stumps, Day 2! Just 30.4 overs of play were possible on another rain-hit day in Gqeberha. Australia sit pretty much in the driver's seat, reducing South Africa to 97/5 in the 43 overs of play across the two days. Scott Boland, returning to the XI, has done the damage once again. Two wickets last afternoon, two more this evening, putting the hosts in deep trouble.
As expected, the first two sessions of the day were washed out due to continuous rain and a wet outfield. However, the groundsmen did a brilliant job in getting the field ready for a cracking final session. Australia were a seamer down, with Josh Hazlewood not taking the field due to illness, though the right-arm fast bowler is expected to recover in time for the third day. Scott Boland didn't waste much time, continuing with his wicket-taking spree as he nicked off the debutant Marques Ackerman [6 off 38]. Soon after, Mitchell Starc, who didn't find his rhythm on the first day, eked out a false shot from Matthew Breetzke [4 off 17] in his first over of the new spell, as the Protean paid the price for playing away from his body and edged it to the keeper.
The Proteas were reeling at 40/4 before Bavuma found an able ally in Ryan Rickelton as the two experienced batters added a stubborn 52-run partnership to guide the team to a better position. Pat Cummins' leg slip ploy nearly worked if not for Marnus Labuschagne dropping a sitter at leg slip to give Rickelton a life on 27. However, Boland, bowling from a different end, broke the resistance. Matt Renshaw pulled off a one-handed screamer, diving to his right at first slip to see the end of Rickelton [31 off 51]. Bavuma [41* off 108], who has been excellent in weathering the storm, and Wiaan Mulder [2* off 15] have managed to see off the remaining phase of play before the stumps.
OVER 43
South Africa
97/5
Wiaan Mulder
2(15)
Temba Bavuma
41(108)
Mitchell Starc
1-27(10.0)
42.6 Mitchell Starc to Wiaan Mulder
0 Short and outside the off stump. 136.4 kph. Mulder drops his wrists, sways away from its line and lets the ball carry to the keeper. And that's the end of Day 2! Australia on top! South African dressing room is on its feet for their skipper, Temba Bavuma!
Commentary