South Africa Beat Australia by 176 Runs at Newlands to Win Series 2-1 and Top the Test Rankings

South Africa beat Australia by 176 runs in the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday, October 31, 2026, and clinched the three Test series 2-1. Australia, set a target of 288 to win, were bowled out for 111 in their second innings, and the match ended shortly before tea on the final day.

The win lifted South Africa above Australia to the top of the Test world rankings. Reuters reported that it is the first time South Africa have led the rankings since January 2016, which underlines how much this comeback series means to the home side.

Harmer and Rabada finish the job

Off spinner Simon Harmer took a career best 6 for 16 in the second innings. He also claimed his first 10 wicket haul in Tests, finishing the match with figures of 10 for 120. Kagiso Rabada took 3 for 39 in the second innings and reached 350 Test wickets along the way.

Rabada set the tone at the start of the final day. He removed Matt Renshaw for 0 and Marnus Labuschagne for 4 in the first over of the day, and he later had Travis Head caught at gully by Marco Jansen. Australia slumped to 62 for eight, and from that point the result was no longer in doubt.

Australia captain Pat Cummins resisted for 11 runs from 90 balls before he fell to Harmer. Harmer then bowled Josh Hazlewood to seal the win and complete a day that belonged to the South African bowlers from the first over to the last wicket.

A milestone for Rabada

Rabada reached his 350 Test wickets in 13,808 deliveries. Reuters reported that this makes him the fastest bowler to reach the mark by balls bowled, ahead of Dale Steyn, who needed 14,719 balls, and Waqar Younis, who needed 14,905. It is a record built on pace and accuracy across a long Test career, and it arrived in a match where his early wickets broke the Australian innings open.

The scores that set up the finish

South Africa made 329 in their first innings and 387 in their second. Australia replied with 429 in their first innings, a total that put them in front at the halfway stage, and then collapsed to 111 in their second innings when the target was in front of them.

Ryan Rickelton made 101 and Wiaan Mulder made 115 in South Africa's second innings. The two shared a sixth wicket partnership of 154, and that stand is what set up the target of 288. Without it, Australia would have chased a far smaller score on the final day, and the pressure that produced the collapse would not have been the same.

A comeback series win

The series turned around after the opening match. South Africa recovered from a 214 run defeat in the first Test in Durban with successive wins in Gqeberha and Cape Town to take the series 2-1, according to SA Cricket Mag. Sky Sports reported the same result and the same figures from Newlands, with Harmer taking 6 for 16 and Rabada 3 for 39 as South Africa moved to the top of the ICC Men's Test Team Rankings.