South Africa ended the second day of the second Test against Australia at St George's Park, Gqeberha, on 97 for 5, with captain Temba Bavuma 41 not out and Wiaan Mulder unbeaten on 2. The hosts’ recovery was fragile, shaped by disciplined Australian fast bowling and interruptions from wet weather that reduced the match to just 43 overs across the two days.
Boland strikes to keep Proteas under pressure
Right-arm quick Scott Boland was the main threat for Australia, finishing the day with figures of 4-31. He removed debutant opener Marques Ackerman for 6 early in the day and later accounted for Ryan Rickelton, whose 31 proved the most substantive contribution in a batting line-up still working to rebuild after the opener.
- South Africa: 97/5 at stumps
- Captain: Temba Bavuma 41*
- Not out: Wiaan Mulder 2*
- Australia: Scott Boland 4-31, Mitchell Starc the other wicket
- Overs in match so far: 43 (six-ball overs)
The day resumed late after heavy morning rain; play began at 15:45 local time with just 30.4 overs available on Monday. With no further rain forecast, both teams will face a fuller schedule from Tuesday, when extra time will be added to each session to make up for lost overs.
How the innings unfolded
South Africa’s restart proved testing. Boland struck early in the third over of the day to nick off Ackerman, the debutant opener, to Alex Carey. Mitchell Starc then exposed a vulnerability through the air, removing Matthew Breetzke for 4 with another caught-behind chance.
At 40 for 4, the Proteas appeared set for a further collapse before Bavuma and Rickelton staged a measured partnership, adding 52 runs to steady the innings. Rickelton looked set after a shaky start but was eventually caught at first slip by Matt Renshaw off Boland for 31; the catch required a smart, one-handed dive to his right.
Rickelton had earlier survived a key reprieve when Marnus Labuschagne failed to hold a leg-slip chance off captain Pat Cummins while he was on 26. That drop proved costly for Australia in the short term, but Boland’s persistence paid dividends later in the day.
| South Africa wickets | Score |
|---|---|
| Marques Ackerman c Carey b Boland | 6 |
| Matthew Breetzke c Carey b Starc | 4 |
| Other early wicket(s) | — |
| Ryan Rickelton c Renshaw b Boland | 31 |
Australia, who still have to bat, were also without Josh Hazlewood on the day; he played in the first Test but missed this match with an upset stomach. Hazlewood had produced a career-best 6-49 in Durban earlier in the series.
Context and what lies ahead
The match has been punctuated by weather and limited play: only 43 overs have been possible across the two days, which compresses the time both sides have to force results. For South Africa, the immediate priority will be to extend the first innings beyond the current total and avoid a rapid collapse that could hand Australia control.
Bavuma’s patient 41 from 108 balls offered the most resistance: his innings contained five boundaries and a six, demonstrating intent to occupy the crease while partners at the other end scored at a quicker rate. The middle and lower order will be tasked with adding useful runs to give South Africa a platform before Australia take to the crease.
When play resumes on Tuesday, the Proteas will be conscious that Australia’s pace battery — led by Boland and Starc — has enough penetration to make the hosts pay for any loose shots. With extra time to be added to sessions, there is at least the prospect of more play to force a result in a tightly poised second Test.
Details from the day’s play were reported by AFP and aggregated by local sport coverage.
