Simon Harmer six for 16 drives South Africa to 2-1 series win over Australia at Newlands

Simon Harmer took a career-best six for 16 as South Africa beat Australia by 176 runs at Newlands on Saturday to clinch the three-test series 2-1. The victory shifted the balance of the contest in the hosts’ favour on the final day.

Australia were reduced to immediate trouble when Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne fell in the opening over, leaving the tourists on the back foot. Pat Cummins’s 90-ball vigil and Nathan Lyon’s unbeaten 33 prolonged resistance but could not avert defeat. The match turned decisively when Harmer bowled Josh Hazlewood just before tea.

Harmer’s spell included two wickets in a single over during the collapse, with Alex Carey dismissed while attempting a reverse-sweep and Cooper Connolly caught behind for a duck. The spinner then swapped ends and bowled the right-hander immediately to leave Australia 62 for 8. Those strikes effectively ended Australia’s chances of recovery.

The innings featured a chaotic running error when Cameron Green defended a ball past Marques Ackerman at silly point, set off and in the process ran Josh Inglis out. Only Travis Head (14) and Green (27) managed to reach double figures among Australia’s top eight. The tourists nonetheless avoided being all out for less than 100 twice in a series for the first time since 1936-37.

Kagiso Rabada took three for 39 and became the fastest man to reach 350 Test wickets. His contribution, combined with Harmer’s match-winning spell, completed South Africa’s final-day collapse of the Australians.

The Proteas take first spot off Australia in the ICC Test rankings, while also leapfrogging them into the top two in the race to next year’s World Test Championship final.