Harmer Spins Australia Out as South Africa Seal Series and Reclaim No 1

Australia needed 288 on the final day at Newlands, with a pitch that still rewarded batters who settled. Instead they folded for 111. Simon Harmer produced a career-best 6 for 16, Kagiso Rabada tore through the top order, and South Africa took the series and the world No 1 Test ranking.

A Perfect Setup Turns Into a Collapse

The fifth morning was set up beautifully. Australia had a day to chase 288 on a surface that had been sporting but generous to well-set batters.

Within minutes it was gone. Rabada struck twice in the first over, Australia lost four wickets in the first hour and seven by lunch. It was their second dreadful batting display in a row, after being bowled out for 99 in a Gqeberha game that should have been a straightforward draw.

Rabada Opens the Door

Matt Renshaw fell on ball three of the innings, edging after stepping across his stump. Three balls later Marnus Labuschagne was given lbw, and his review showed umpire’s call on the timber. It may well be his last Test innings for some time.

Travis Head had survived several near-chances before slicing Rabada to Marco Jansen in the gully. Australia were 40 for 4, and the match was already slipping away.

Harmer Takes Over

If Rabada opened the door, Harmer walked straight through it. Alex Carey played a reverse sweep straight to Jansen for 2. Cooper Connolly then drove at his second ball and was caught behind, leaving Australia 42 for 6.

Mitchell Starc hung in until he was caught at bat-pad just before lunch. After that the contest was effectively over.

The Last Stand That Fell Short

Cameron Green and Pat Cummins dug in after the break, even turning down singles to keep their pairing intact. Green lasted 110 balls for 27 but looked uncomfortable against Harmer. When Temba Bavuma switched the spinner to the far end, Harmer bowled him first ball with one that ragged back from the footmarks.

Cummins defended for 90 balls before a delivery that drifted in and hit his back leg when he had 11. Josh Hazlewood was then bowled by a similar ball, ending the innings.

Lyon Stands Alone

Fifteen years after top-scoring from No 11 in Australia’s 47 all out on this same ground, Nathan Lyon did it again. He finished 33 not out, one spot higher in the order. That innings shows how poor the rest of the batting was: the third-highest score was extras, with 16.

Harmer’s spell of 6 for 16 came in 21.1 overs, and raises questions about why Australia gave him the last use of the pitch.

Cummins had chosen at the toss to give Harmer the final innings on the surface. Lyon, brought into the side, was left with far less reward from the third innings.

Rabada Rewrites the Record Books

Rabada’s 3 for 39 took him to 350 Test wickets, the fastest to the mark by almost a thousand deliveries. His strike rate of 39.6 balls per wicket is far ahead of most prolific bowlers, who sit in the 50s or 60s. The only bowler with more wickets at a lower rate is George Lohmann, who made his debut in 1886.

What It Means

South Africa are already the reigning world champions, and they have now taken the series and the No 1 Test ranking from Australia. Bavuma’s side have spent the past month showing how many match-winners they have.

Australia, by contrast, have two collapses in a row to answer for: 99 all out in Gqeberha and 111 all out here. Their batting order will be under heavy scrutiny.