Bavuma's Career-Best 179 Rescues South Africa as Hosts Declare on 425/9 Against Australia
Temba Bavuma scored a Test-best 179 to rescue South Africa from a difficult position on Day 3 of the second Test against Australia at St George's Park in Gqeberha on Tuesday, October 20. South Africa declared on 425 for 9, taking a first-innings lead of 133 over Australia's 292.
South Africa resumed the third morning on 97 for 5 and lost a sixth wicket quickly, slipping to 110 for 6. Bavuma then batted for 552 minutes across three days in a stoic and determined innings. He faced 334 balls and hit 18 fours and a six. He reached his fifth Test hundred off 226 balls, and then passed his previous best of 172 not out, which he made against West Indies at the Wanderers in 2023.
Bavuma shared two big stands with the lower order. He first added 132 for the seventh wicket with Marco Jansen, who made 85 off 100 balls before he was caught by Travis Head off Scott Boland. Then came an even bigger partnership with Simon Harmer, who made 82 off 91 balls, his maiden Test fifty and highest score. They added 183 for the eighth wicket, which took South Africa from 242 for 7 to 425 for 8.
Harmer was bowled by Marnus Labuschagne, and then Bavuma was caught behind by Alex Carey off Mitchell Starc, which brought the declaration. Boland finished with 5 for 81, and Starc took 3 for 89.
It was the highest score by a South African captain against Australia, and no previous South African skipper had even scored 130 against them. Bavuma has now scored four of his five Test hundreds as captain. His batting average as captain has risen to 54.36, compared with 34.53 in his earlier innings. After the innings, he has 3,993 Test runs from 68 Tests, so he is only seven runs short of 4,000.
South Africa then struck early with the ball. Kagiso Rabada took a wicket with the fourth ball of his Test return, and Australia ended the day on 3 for 1. The visitors lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Durban by 214 runs.