Hazlewood’s eight wickets end Bavuma’s unbeaten run as Australia win at Kingsmead

Josh Hazlewood took six wickets on the final day to bowl South Africa out for 206 and steer Australia to a 214-run victory in the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban, on Tuesday, ending Temba Bavuma’s unbeaten start as South Africa’s Test captain. Hazlewood finished the match with eight wickets, including figures of 6/49 in the second innings, as Australia secured a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Bavuma had won 11 of his first 12 Tests as captain before this defeat, making his prior record the strongest for a South African skipper by victories, a run that ended on Tuesday at Kingsmead. The match was the first Test meeting between the sides since South Africa beat Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s last year, and the result was Australia’s fourth successive Test win at Kingsmead since 2006.

South Africa resumed the fourth day at 102/4 with Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder at the crease and the pair added 69 for the fifth wicket off 205 balls, attempting to blunt Australia’s attack. Hazlewood broke the partnership after about 110 minutes when Mulder edged a delivery to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who completed a diving catch; Mulder departed for 29.

Shortly after, Matt Renshaw removed Kyle Verreynne for a duck when Verreynne miscued a shot that was held by Steve Smith at slip, leaving South Africa 166/6 at lunch. The score at the interval underlined the need for a lower-order revival if the hosts were to extend the contest.

South Africa added 25 runs after the interval before Australia took the new ball and Hazlewood struck immediately, bowling Marco Jansen for 35 and, three balls later, having Simon Harmer glove the ball through to Carey. Those wickets swung momentum decisively in Australia’s favour on the final day.

Aiden Markram’s resistance—75 from 237 deliveries—ended when he edged a Mitchell Starc delivery off his pads and was caught behind, a dismissal confirmed after a television review. Hazlewood completed the innings by dismissing Anrich Nortje, who chipped the ball to short midwicket for Nathan Lyon to take the catch, concluding a day in which Australia claimed the six wickets required to win.

The victory handed Australia a 1-0 advantage in the three-match series and underscored Hazlewood’s central role in the finish, his eight wickets in the match anchored by the 6/49 second-innings return. Steve Smith, who had missed Monday’s late session after a blow to the head while batting, returned to the field on Tuesday after Cricket Australia said he had completed clinical assessments under its concussion protocols and been cleared to play.