Australia led by 100 on first innings, and Harmer’s 6 for 16 has won South Africa the series at Newlands
Kagiso Rabada took two wickets in the first over, Simon Harmer did the rest, and Australia lost the Cape Town decider by 176 runs.
Oct 31, 2026
Australia had a 100-run first-innings lead at Newlands. They lost the Test by 176 runs. Simon Harmer took 6 for 16 on the final day in Cape Town, Australia were bowled out for 111 chasing 288, and South Africa won the series 2-1.
Harmer bowled 21.1 overs on Saturday and 14 of them were maidens. Add his 4 for 104 in the first innings and the off-spinner finished with ten wickets in the match.
Two wickets in the first over
Australia started the day thinking about the runs. Kagiso Rabada had them thinking about survival within three balls. Matt Renshaw, Australia’s best batter on the tour, was caught down the leg side by Ryan Rickelton for a golden duck. Marnus Labuschagne hit his first ball for four off a leading edge and was lbw two balls later, padding up to one that nipped back. He reviewed, and the ball-tracker said umpire’s call.
Travis Head hit three fours and then edged Rabada to Marco Jansen in the gully. It was Rabada’s 350th Test wicket, and he got there in fewer balls than anyone else. He finished with 3 for 39.
Harmer and the footmarks
Josh Inglis, who made a hundred in the first innings with a broken finger, was run out for 4 after a mix-up with Cameron Green. Then Harmer took over. Alex Carey tried a reverse sweep and was caught by a diving Jansen at backward point. Cooper Connolly edged behind next ball but one. Mitchell Starc, sent in at No. 8 to deal with the rough, was caught at bat-pad off the last ball before lunch. Australia went in at 60 for 7.
Green batted 110 balls for 27 before Harmer bowled him. At 62 for 8, with more than 50 overs left, a draw was the only result Australia could still get.
Cummins and Lyon made them wait
Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon stayed together for more than 17 overs and added 45 for the ninth wicket. Cummins made 11 off 90 balls. Lyon, of all people, was the one scoring, and he finished unbeaten on 33 with six fours. Harmer ended it. Cummins was given lbw, reviewed, and lost on umpire’s call. Josh Hazlewood lasted four balls before Harmer bowled him.
How South Africa turned the Test round
Cummins won the toss and bowled first, and for three days it looked right. Starc took 6 for 72 to bowl South Africa out for 329, and Inglis and Carey put on 185 for the fifth wicket on the way to 429. South Africa started day four with four wickets down and a lead of 40.
Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder then put on 154 for the sixth wicket. Rickelton made 101, Mulder 115, and the 387 they got to left Australia a day to chase 288 on a pitch that was starting to turn.
The series ends the way the first two Tests went: one side winning big. Australia won in Durban by 214 runs. South Africa levelled it in Gqeberha by an innings and 31 runs. This win is worth 12 World Test Championship points to Temba Bavuma’s side.
Rabada opened the door on Saturday morning. The rest came from a spinner who knew exactly where to bowl on a fifth-day pitch. The questions now are about their top order. Labuschagne made 0 and 4 here and has not made a Test hundred since the 2023 Ashes. I would be surprised if he keeps his place.