Dubai: Australia completed a commanding 214 runs victory over South Africa in the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban, leaving captain Temba Bavuma facing a difficult start to the series.
After taking a 106-run first-innings lead, Australia declared their second innings at 314-6 to set South Africa a daunting target of 421. The hosts only managed 206 before losing all wickets on Day 5.
Matt Renshaw was the standout performer for Australia, following his superb first-innings 190 with an aggressive 82 off 99 balls in the second innings. His contribution gave Australia the platform to declare and put the hosts under pressure with time running out.
He led the charge for the Aussies in their first innings. Pat Cummins also contributed an important 43, while South Africa’s Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder claimed 3 and 4 wickets respectively.
South Africa responded with 284, leaving them 106 runs behind. David Bedingham scored 49, missing a half-century, while Aiden Markram scored 37 and Tristan Stubbs added 32. Cummins led Australia’s attack with three wickets, while Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood claimed two each.
The decisive moment came during Australia’s second innings, when Renshaw accelerated the scoring and helped set a target that left South Africa needing an exceptional final-day effort.
South Africa’s chase began poorly. Ryan Rickelton fell for two, while Bedingham made 46 before Josh Hazlewood trapped him leg-before-wicket. Bavuma was dismissed for one by Renshaw, who claimed his maiden Test wicket, and Stubbs departed for one as the hosts slipped to 99-4.
Markram provided the strongest resistance, battling through the pressure to reach a half-century and finished with 75 runs. However, Hazlewood continued to trouble the South African batters courtesy of his 6-49 figures.
The loss marked Bavuma’s first defeat as the South Africa captain. He has won 11 games and drawn one as the red-ball skipper.
The second Test is scheduled to begin in St George’s Park, Gqeberha on October 18, with South Africa needing to regroup quickly after a difficult opening match.