Australia falls to defeat in final session, South Africa levels series

South Africa are odds on to level the series with victory in the second Test, with Australia needing a monumental batting effort to salvage a draw in Gqeberha.

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Thu 22 Oct 2026 at 6:07pmThu 22 Oct 2026 at 6:07pm

Good evening

In the history of Test cricket, just four sides have ever responded to the ignominy of being asked to follow on by coming back and winning the match.

Australia, in the 40 times they have been asked to do so, has never managed it.

They have, however, drawn 11 pf those matches and that surely is the only hope that the Aussies have on day five at St George's Park.

Hello everyone and welcome to the final day of the second Test from Gqeberha, as Australia stares down the barrel.

My name is Simon Smale, Dean Bilton and Henry Hanson are with me and it's safe to say that if we are to be still with you for the entirety of the next seven hours or so, we're going to need a fightback of epic proportions from an Australian team that has wilted in the face of South Africa's fast-bowling.

Travis Head is nearing a century but was streaky as Danish bacon at times, while Steve Smith has a literal pain in his neck and is likely to be under-strength as a result.

The Aussies still trail by 170 runs. The situation is bleak.

But stranger things than this have happened in Test cricket. I once saw Monty Panesar survive 35 balls alongside Jimmy Anderson in Cardiff save a Test.

And, with all the respect and love for Monty in the world, if he can survive that long, then Australia's far more accomplished lower order batters can do their part too.