South Africa level series with win over Australia in second Test

GQEBERHA (Agencies): South Africa bowled out Australia for 295 to win by an innings and ​31 runs in the last session of the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Thursday ‌to level the three-match series, winning a race against looming bad weather. The hosts’ pace trio of Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen took the last four wickets required as Australia’s resistance crumbled after a century from Travis Head and a doggedly defiant test high 40 by nightwatchman Scott Boland. Mulder, who ​earlier dismissed Head, then bowled Boland and castled Australia captain Pat Cummins to forge a breakthrough, with Rabada dismissing ​Mitchell Starc and Jansen finishing off the innings with Josh Hazlewood caught in the slips. A result in the ⁠test seemed far-fetched when most of the first two days’ play was washed out and South Africa, who were 110-6 when the sun ​came out on the morning of the third day, looked in early trouble as Australia aimed to capitalise on their success in the first Test.

But ​a brilliant 179 runs from skipper Temba Bavuma led a fightback which saw South Africa declare on 425-9 and then turn the Test on its head by bowling Australia out for 99 and putting them in to bat again. Head and Boland had resumed on 156-4 in the second innings after rain returned and wiped ​out the morning session and Head, who was 87 overnight, went on to score 121 before chopping onto his stumps a ​rising delivery from Mulder. It was Head’s 13th Test century but only his second outside Australia and his departure offered the home bowlers hope again after ‌almost ⁠90 minutes of frustrating attack without success at the start of the day’s action. “We were scrambling a bit, not sure about the weather and Australia made us work hard for those last six wickets,” said Bavuma. Steve Smith, who battled with a neck problem in the first innings on Wednesday, made three as he came in at No. 7. The former captain was tempted into pulling a delivery from ​Rabada, bowling with the second ​new ball, but only got ⁠a top edge to Matthew Breetzke, who juggled it at midwicket before holding the catch. Boland, who batted for 166 balls as he put a high price on his wicket, went soon after tea ​when he was bowled through the gate and then Cummins (4) played down the wrong line and ​was also clean ⁠bowled in Mulder’s next over.

When Rabada came back for a fresh spell as dark clouds loomed ominously overhead, he immediately bowled Starc (11), leaving one wicket to get which Jansen snagged as Hazlewood showed no sign of sticking around and nicked behind first ball. Alex Carey, who lasted only two ⁠balls in ​Australia’s first innings, was 37 not out, with Rabada taking 4-77 on his ​return after a lengthy injury layoff, and Mulder 3-64. “I thought we showed some good fight but it wasn’t quite enough. We were a long way from our best,” ​said Cummins. The last Test at Newlands in Cape Town starts on Tuesday.

Brief scores:

South Africa 425 for 9 decl (Bavuma 179, Jansen 85, Harmer 82, Boland 5-81) beat Australia 99 (Jansen 5-33) and 295 (Head 121, Rabada 4-77, Mulder 3-64) by an innings and 34 runs