Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs in Durban to end Proteas' 12-match unbeaten run
Australia defeated South Africa by 214 runs in the first Test in Durban on the fifth and final day, ending the Proteas' 12-match unbeaten run and taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Josh Hazlewood claimed career-best figures of 6-49 as Australia wrapped up the win.
The match scorecard read Australia 390 and 314-6 declared, with Renshaw contributing 82 in one of the innings, while South Africa posted 284 and 206, Aiden Markram top-scoring with 75 in the fourth innings. Hazlewood improved on his previous best of 6-67 from 2017, dismissing Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer and Anrich Nortje on the final day.
The result has renewed questions about South Africa’s prospects in the coming months, including their scheduled home series against England over Christmas. South Africa reached the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord's after playing only 12 Tests — the fewest of any side — and qualified following a home draw with India and a defeat in New Zealand before wins over West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Preparation was limited for both sides: this was South Africa’s first Test in almost a year, with most of their batters having played a single domestic red-ball match beforehand, while Australia had returned from an eight-month break and had recently lost at home to Bangladesh, a point Shukri Conrad underlined. The Proteas also arrived with recent high points, including last summer’s win over Australia and a 2-0 series victory in India.
South Africa’s top order raised concerns during the match. Tristan Stubbs’ two Test centuries have come against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and Ryan Rickelton’s centuries came versus Sri Lanka and Pakistan; against Australia Stubbs edged a pull to fine leg two overs after Mulder was dismissed and then played a loose drive in the second innings, while Rickelton drove and edged a wide ball late on day two and nicked through off a pull on day four. Wiaan Mulder, who recorded 367 not out for Zimbabwe last year and averages higher than 30 only against Bangladesh among major sides, made 29 off 110 balls on the final day before being strangled down the leg side.
Other individual batting notes included wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne lasting only three balls before nudging Matt Renshaw’s part-time spin to slip, with Verreynne’s Test average of 30.14 falling to 28 against Australia and to 15 against both England and India in the record cited. Conrad said "a few of the guys need to step up" and added: "The real disappointment was the batting in the first dig on a really good wicket. Yes, a world-class attack, but quite a few guys getting starts and not kicking on." Aiden Markram batted for almost six hours for his 75 before edging Mitchell Starc to Alex Carey, and David Bedingham looked comfortable at number three, reaching 49 and 46.
South Africa’s bowling unit also came in for criticism. Anrich Nortje took four wickets in his first Test since March 2023, finishing with a faster final spell and landing a bouncer that hit Steve Smith on the helmet on day four, and Conrad described Nortje’s return as "phenomenal and really pleasing." Marco Jansen offered early success by dismissing Nic Maddinson and Steve Smith on day one but was otherwise quiet, while Mulder made little impact beyond his new-ball spells. The return from injury of Kagiso Rabada was noted as he was seen bowling at lunch on day five and "cannot come soon enough," and Conrad said: "If we were brutally honest, our spinners were not as sharp as they normally are."
The series moves on quickly: the second Test begins in five days' time in Gqeberha, leaving South Africa limited time to address the batting and bowling issues exposed in Durban.
