Third Test, Cape Town (day five)
South Africa 329 and 387: Mulder 115, Rickelton 101
Australia 429 and 111: Lyon 33*; Rabada 3-39; Harmer is 6-16
South Africa won by 176 runs; won the series 2-1
Account card
David Warner called Australia “terrible”, “absolutely disgraceful” and “un-Australian” as his former side crumbled under the pressure of their last-day chase, allowing South Africa to claim a famous Test and series victory in Cape Town.
Chasing 288 to win a thrilling contest, Australia lost two wickets in the first over bowled by Kagiso Rabada and never recovered.
Rabada was unstoppable, also adding to Travis Head’s wicket of 350 Test wickets with an excellent first-spell slip to become the fastest bowler.
But Australia played a role in their downfall, with Josh Inglis run out for four after being inexplicably called out by Cameron Green.
That opened the door for spinner Simon Harmer, who caught a reverse sweep off Alex Carey with just two to his name, and Cooper Connolly was caught behind for a two-ball duck.
At 60-7 at lunch, former opener Warner, who will retire from Test cricket in January 2024, tore apart his former teammates.
“It’s terrible,” he told Fox Sports. “It’s un-Australian. There’s no fighting. It’s a disgrace.
“The batsmen dropped the entire series. [Matt] Renshaw showed fight in the first Test but I think the knocks were absolutely disgraceful.”
Australia then anchored in a strange period – one wicket came in 50 minutes – but Harmer was dismissed for 111, taking the last wicket for career-best figures of 6-16.
The defeat comes at the start of a busy stretch of Test cricket for Pat Cummins’ side, who now focus on a five-Test tour of India, the 150th anniversary Test against England in March and four Tests at home against New Zealand starting in December before next summer’s Ashes. The consequences can be significant.
South Africa’s stunning three-match Test win meant the Proteas regained their position at the top of the world rankings and reaffirmed their status as one of the best sides in the world.