RSA v Australia T1: Day 5 Highlights | 15:34
Courtney Walsh in South Africa, Dane Heverin and Josh Higgins from Fox Sports activitiesOctober 13th, 2026 11:28 pm
Josh Hazlewood delivered a bowling masterclass as Australia took a 1-0 lead over South Africa, but might history be about to repeat itself?
With the Proteas preparing to hit again, Kagiso Rabada’s return including some fireplace and loads of choice headaches ahead for the Aussies, there’s loads to unpack from the opening Take a look at in Durban.
Watch Australia’s Tour of South Africa Dwell & Unique on Fox Cricket, accessible on Kayo Sports activities. Second Take a look at begins October 18 in Gqeberha.
Scroll down for the most important speaking factors from Australia’s win in Durban!
Watching Josh Hazlewood charging in direction of David Bedingham on Monday night in Durban after a superb dart trapped him in front would have brought a wry smile to many.
The ‘Bullet from Bendemeer’ cuts a relaxed determine and is easy-going in most circles, but those who know him greatest perceive the competitive fireplace that burns away within.
The 35-year-old, who completed with 6-49 in just below 17 overs in an excellent bowling display, was gutted to overlook the Ashes final 12 months as a consequence of two completely different issues.
Those who had witnessed how nicely he was bowling in white-ball cricket in October have been disenchanted as nicely, for the correct one was inserting the ball on a dime and would have torched the ‘Bazballing’ English.
The champion has been damage prone but in a chat with Fox Cricket at the SCG final month, Hazlewood mentioned he felt stronger than ever, and thus far, so good in this stint in South Africa.
His second innings blitz was the 15th time in his 79 Take a look at career that the New South Welshman has secured a five-wicket haul, and the eight wickets he took for the match have been the most he has secured because the nine he took towards the West Indies in Adelaide in 2024.
Hazlewood moved to eighth on the all-time record of Australian bowlers with the trouble, going previous Fox Cricket favorite Brett Lee when moving to 311 Take a look at wickets.
He has an unbelievable 66 wickets at 14.98 because the start of 2024.
THIS IS FOLLOWING A SIMILAR SCRIPT…
Australia won the collection opener in Durban and if it feels a little bit acquainted, it’s because this is what occurred final time.
The infamous Sandpapergate collection of 2018 kicked off with an Australian victory at Kingsmead by 118 runs.
No visiting batter matched Matt Renshaw’s heroics on that event but Mitchell Marsh’s 96 equally dug Australia out of a hole on day one earlier than Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon went to work with the ball.
The wickets have been more shared around this time after Starc had the Kookaburra reverse swinging around corners on his approach to a nine-wicket haul.
The scars of that demolition job eight years ago have been current nonetheless as South African nice Shaun Pollock sounded a contact fearful in the commentary box when Starc was getting the previous ball to order a fraction in every innings.
But the affect it had on the game paled compared to eight years ago with former Australian captain Alyssa Healy pointing out on Kayo Sports activities that the reverse swing “seemed to die down as soon as the spinners obtained their sweaty hands all over it again”.
Regardless, Durban has change into a cheerful hunting ground for Australia.
Because the Proteas ran down 335 towards an unbelievable Australian bowling attack of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Shane Warne in 2002, Australia have won 4 straight Tests in the coastal metropolis.
Twins tons from Ricky Ponting led Australia to victory in 2006 and the late Phil Hughes pulled off the same feat in 2009.
Australia have also made a cheerful knack of being quick starters in South Africa.
The vacationers lead 1-0 in the previous excursions in 2018 and 2014.
Banking an early victory is crucial for the current side, who’ve developed a fame for being sluggish starters in recent years.
They misplaced to Bangladesh in Darwin in August, have been behind after the primary day of the Ashes in Perth, misplaced the World Take a look at Championship final towards South Africa at Lord’s final 12 months and have been smashed by India in Perth in the opening Take a look at of the 2024/25 summer time.
But primarily based on latest history in South Africa, the problem now is withstand the Proteas’ struggle again in Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth).
An AB De Villiers century and, the quick who shoulder charged Steve Smith, Kagiso Rabada’s 11-wicket haul levelled the collection in 2018.
Four years earlier, tons from De Villiers and JP Duminy earlier than Dale Steyn ran riot with a reverse swinging ball in the second innings.
Now, the Australians must buck the trend in front of well-known band that performs from the grandstands in Gqeberha.
But when the script writers are following the same story to previous collection, a blockbuster deciding Take a look at in Cape Town – the scene of the Sandpaper crime – between the 2 greatest staff’s on the planet will surely be mouth-watering.
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FIERY PROTEA’S ‘BIG ONE’ AWAITS
In relation to resort names, The Protea Fireplace and Ice in Durban evokes all method of imagery and feels a fitting description for what Australia has finished and is about to face.
With a professional and disciplined performance, Australia confirmed nice resilience to rebound from a perilous position on Day 1 and iced South Africa out for the remainder of the Take a look at.
But the fireplace awaits, with the sensible and feisty quick bowler Kagiso Rabada poised to return to the fray in Gqeberha for the second Take a look at of the collection starting on Sunday.
On the eve of the Take a look at, a Fox Cricket reporter and a colleague from one other web site stepped into a raise at The Fireplace and Ice to be greeted by the smiling face of Rabada and South African captain Temba Bavuma, with the resort playing host to both groups.
A query was fired between the journalists regarding plans for the night and a sage response provided; “It is not going to be an enormous one.” It’s at all times greatest to get some sleep earlier than a Take a look at.
Regardless of being ruled out of the Take a look at, Rabada was quick to grab a chance to strike.
On listening to the reply, the South African famous person quipped; “Mine will be.”
It’s not sure whether he followed by way of on his promise at one of many many fine eating places and bars in Uhmlanga, but one thing is definite about Rabada.
When he steps out towards the Aussies subsequent week, he will be decided to “have an enormous one”.
As former South African skipper Dean Elgar advised Fox Cricket’s The Follow On podcast final month, the sight of a Saggy Inexperienced on the sector tends to spark one of the best from the 31-year-old.
“He will get so fired up and we noticed that in 2018,” Elgar mentioned.
“Having him in that staff, with that mentality, is like having 4 players, which is superior. Like I mentioned, he will get off the bed (to play Australia).”
Rabada, who suffered a major hamstring tear in August, has been in the nets behind Kingsmead Stadium over the previous few days and barring any setbacks, will play.
How South Africa shapes the remainder of its staff will be interesting.
Anrich Nortje was spectacular in his return to Take a look at cricket, bowling with severe venom and giving Steve Smith an enormous shake when striking him on the top on Monday.
But the 32-year-old had not bowled more than eight overs in an innings in three years and sent down 40 in this Take a look at, although solely a dozen got here in the second innings.
It is going to be intriguing to see how he pulls up and whether he is rested given his damage history.
Wiaan Mulder crashed into the fence and appeared to harm his shoulder when fielding on Day 4 of the Take a look at, but he was able to bat and was the choose of the Proteas bowlers in the first Take a look at.
The batting line-up is a concern, as Kayo Sports activities’ knowledgeable analyst Mark Waugh famous.
“They’ve obtained good players but they don’t have a world class batsman,” he mentioned.
“That’s what they’re missing. They common 35. That might be their stage. Are they any higher than that?“
Aiden Markram batted with distinction as soon as again. He’s one other who saves his greatest for Australia, having been the hero in the World Take a look at Championship decider at Lord’s final June.
David Bedingham also batted with verve when falling simply form of half-centuries in both innings. Mulder and Marco Jansen obtain pass marks for his or her performances.
But brace for no less than a couple of changes as South Africa seeks to maintain the collection alive.
Renshaw’s stellar Take a look at continues! | 00:52
UNEXPECTED AUSSIE ‘DOMINATION’
For all their flaws with the bat, this present Australian staff usually rating more runs than their opponents and often discover a approach to again themselves out of a corner.
Travis Head flipped the Ashes on its head in Perth final summer time after breaking Indian hearts a 12 months earlier to regain the ascendancy in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Whereas captain Pat Cummins nearly at all times stands up in his staff’s hour of need and did so again with bat and ball in Durban.
But the clouds surrounding Australia’s batting after their Darwin debacle towards Bangladesh, and several other low first innings totals in latest instances which have forced the bowlers to pick up the slack, meant that the final consensus on day one was that the vacationers have been in large hassle.
With many regarding South Africa as a favourites in this collection, no one would have imagined how the remainder of the Take a look at performed out after Cummins walked to the crease at 6/124 in the first innings.
Australian nice Mark Waugh admitted as much.
“Not really, that’s an amazing effort by Australia to return again,” he replied on Kayo Sports activities when requested by former teammate Brendon Julian if he expected the Australians to be going into day five on the cusp of victory.
“Bavuma may have missed the prospect by not bowling Nortje to Pat Cummins, but since then it’s been domination by the Australians with the bat and the ball.”
Cummins’ males bossed the game for the subsequent 4 days.
The skipper dug in to provide valuable support to Matt Renshaw – who in his second Take a look at again in the side unexpectedly turned the nation’s new hero.
Renshaw was surprisingly recast at No.5 with Nic Maddinson coming in at the top of the order and regardless of the latter’s 33-ball duck in the first innings it proved to be masterstroke.
Renshaw’s 190 will go down in folklore as one of many best Australian knocks on overseas soil in this generation, but crucially, it also laid down a marker for a marathon 12 months of Take a look at cricket to return.
Renshaw displays on gorgeous 190 | 10:11
The Australian public has change into accustom quick forward Take a look at cricket in latest instances.
A mixture of grassy pitches, prime quality tempo bowling and at instances suspect batting strategies have led to three of Australia’s final seven Tests on dwelling soils being finished in two days.
Renshaw’s technique of successn Take a look at hopefully confirmed that brief Tests can go down as a fad
Australia’s quick scoring on day 4 to charge in direction of a declaration confirmed that the abilities of modern white-ball cricket can enhance the longest format, but the fantastic thing about this contest was the mix of expertise.
If batters learn from Renshaw and curators learn from the grounds employees at Kingsmead, Australia has loads more to-and-fro battles to return at dwelling towards New Zealand, in India, in the a hundred and fiftieth anniversary Take a look at and in England throughout the subsequent roughly nine months.
Maddo talks Take a look at call-up with Howie | 07:01
WHAT WILL THE AUSSIE BATTING LINE UP LOOK LIKE NEXT?
It required nice persistence to safe a win over South Africa and kudos must be prolonged to the Proteas for his or her fierce resistance on the ultimate day of a high quality Take a look at match.
They made the Australians sweat in steamy circumstances – it was one other testing day under the scorching sun in Durban – which can have sapped some vitality from the bowling attack.
But the powerful win aside, the Aussies had additional cause to smile with Steve Smith able to subject after passing concussion Tests following the nasty knock he obtained when batting.
Meanwhile, at lunch, Cameron Inexperienced was out in the middle finishing a collection of sprints in the surest signal yet he is edging nearer to health as he recovers from an stomach damage.
It was felt firstly of this Take a look at that Josh Inglis, who rejoined the squad halfway by way of the match after recovering from a finger damage, was nearer to full health than Inexperienced.
But much can change in every week or, in the case of Kagiso Rabada, a month, for the South African speedster was initially ruled out of the collection after injuring his hamstring.
With Smith easing concerns, the query is whether Australia will make any changes to its batting order for the second Take a look at in Gqeberha.
Do they threat fielding a participant not at full health? And if so, who makes approach?
Nic Maddinson’s rapid-fire 48 in the second innings means that if Inexperienced, specifically, shouldn’t be fit, he’ll remain as opener for the match.
The Aussies may even contemplate how much affect spin might have in the second Take a look at, which can yet place Beau Webster under some pressure regardless of his unbeaten 39 on Monday.
The effectiveness of Renshaw, who bowled 13 overs in the second innings when snaring two wickets, is a bonus for the Aussies and adds one other arm to the part-timers they’ll turn to.
He bowled nine more overs than Webster, the all-rounder, whereas even Maddinson was used more than the tall Tasmanian in the second innings.
RSA v Australia T1 D4 Highlights | 15:51
The caveat is that the “slug from Comfortable” gives both spin and medium-pace options and might choose up the load should any of the champion quartet of bowlers suffer an issue mid-match.
“There’s obviously going to be some conjecture going into every Take a look at about what the lineup is,” Webster mentioned.
“I try to steer clear of that until the cellphone rings with ‘Bails’ (George Bailey) title on it. It’s in all probability not signal, and it didn’t.
“I’ve obtained a start in this Take a look at and (am) looking to contribute in any approach I can, with bat, ball or in the subject.
“As at all times, when picked, I’ll be attempting my greatest to do one of the best I can and win video games for Australia.”
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WHAT’S THE PLAN MR BAILEY?
With such a frantic schedule ahead for Australia, the ‘large 4’ of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood are all walk-up starters.
But with loads of cricket nonetheless to return, how will the selectors handle their ageing stars?
Australia have already performed two Tests towards Bangladesh and accomplished the primary of three matches towards South Africa, but there are nonetheless 17 Tests remaining on the schedule.
The large 4 have featured in all three matches thus far, showing precisely why they proceed to be the primary names picked.
But trying again at their careers, simply how many of the remaining matches can they realistically play, and who can step in to provide them the remainder they may nearly actually need?
Lyon’s busiest stretch got here in 2015-16, when he performed 15 Tests in simply 262 days.
Hazlewood’s biggest stretch also got here during that interval, featuring in 14 of these 15 matches, whereas Cummins and Starc skilled their busiest durations in 2023-24.
Cummins performed 13 Tests during that stretch, whereas Starc featured in 12, lacking only one match.
Those numbers highlight simply how demanding the upcoming schedule might be for Australia’s skilled bowling attack.
And with 17 scheduled Tests nonetheless to return, plus a possible World Take a look at Championship final, the workload is only going to get harder.
On the ultimate day of the primary Take a look at towards South Africa, the Proteas continued to struggle earlier than ultimately falling late in their innings, one thing Alyssa Healy prompt might have an impact on Australia’s bowlers moving forward.
“The following Take a look at rolls around on the weekend, will Australia make changes or they don’t, it doesn’t matter,” Healy mentioned.
“Make them take into consideration that by keeping their bowlers coming again and again for increasingly more spells.”
Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Matthew Kuhnemann are all in Australia’s squad and could provide some much-needed reduction for the quartet that has been so vital to the side for thus lengthy.
Boland is currently ranked the eighth-best Take a look at bowler on the planet, behind Starc (No. 1) and Cummins (No. 5), but ahead of Hazlewood (No. 9).
Cummins hits 3 sixes earlier than declaration | 00:58
Regardless of his performances at any time when known as upon, the Victorian has struggled to safe a regular place in the side.
Neser final performed for Australia in Sydney in the course of the Ashes in January, taking five wickets for the match.
Meanwhile, Kuhnemann’s final Take a look at got here towards Sri Lanka in 2025, when he claimed seven wickets in his final look.
Different names who might come into the combination all through the busy schedule embrace Todd Murphy, Brendan Doggett and Jhye Richardson, giving Australia’s selectors loads to think about.
But leaving any of the big 4 out goes to be easier mentioned than finished.
Throughout the opening Take a look at towards South Africa, the quartet turned the primary four-man bowling attack in Take a look at history to say 600 wickets together when playing in the same match.
There are also the upcoming three-match ODI collection towards England in November, where some of Australia’s biggest names might characteristic earlier than the Take a look at collection towards New Zealand.
Healy believes the ODI collection might truly work in Australia’s favour, with the matches potentially serving to the bowlers prepare for one more demanding stretch of Take a look at cricket.
“Nicely, I imply, when you concentrate on it and play the lengthy game a little bit bit, they actually use one-day cricket to prep themselves for check cricket at instances,” Healy mentioned.
“So, it wouldn’t truly be a bad lead-in to that collection, after which they’d in all probability have a little bit little bit of a break around that T20, so they could truly wish to play that ODI collection to maintain going.”
But Healy also acknowledged these selections would in the end come down to how the players get well from the South Africa collection, saying it will depend on “how they pull up”.
The large 4 have been the spine of Australia’s bowling attack for years, and with so much cricket nonetheless to return, keeping them fit and firing will be one of many biggest challenges dealing with George Bailey and the selectors over the subsequent nine months.
Supply: www.foxsports.com.au
