Australia bowled out for 99 in Gqeberha as South Africa enforce follow-on on day four of second Test

Australia were dismissed for 99 by South Africa on day four of the second Test in Gqeberha, leaving them forced to follow on for only the third time in the past 38 years. Marco Jansen took 5-33 as the tourists collapsed and Steve Smith was the top scorer with 28.

South Africa reached 425-9 declared, with Temba Bavuma making 179 and Marco Jansen 85; Scott Boland returned figures of 5-81 in that innings. The 99 all out was Australia’s lowest Test score since being bowled out for 91 by India in Nagpur in 2023. When South Africa finished on 425-9 they took a 326-run first-innings lead, and after Australia’s dismissal they trailed by 422 runs.

The Proteas had been 110-6 early on day three but recovered to 425-9 after Bavuma’s 179, and, after opener Nic Maddinson was dismissed late on day three, South Africa took the remaining nine Australian wickets inside 40 overs on the fourth day. Jansen’s five-wicket return sparked the batting collapse that followed.

Jansen struck with his first ball of the day by finding the edge of nightwatchman Scott Boland at the start of the second over, then four overs later trapped Travis Head lbw on review for 14. Marnus Labuschagne was caught at slip by Simon Harmer off Anrich Nortje for the same score; Nortje was only able to bowl 3.3 overs because of an apparent groin issue, which will impact the remainder of the Test if he is unable to bowl again.

Jansen then had the edges of Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey in the same over and had Beau Webster caught in similar fashion to complete his fifth Test five-wicket haul. No other Australian batter passed 14, the highest partnership in the innings was just 23, and Smith’s 28 from 88 balls—during which he received treatment to his neck—remained the top score.

Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins were both dismissed within 11 balls of Wiaan Mulder’s wicket of Smith. After a brief conversation with his bowlers, captain Bavuma signalled to Australia’s dressing room that the tourists would have to bat again.

South Africa now have more than 150 overs to complete victory.