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South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test 2026: Day 2 Live Updates and Scorecard from Gqeberha

The second Test between Australia and South Africa is underway at St George's Park, Gqeberha. Australia currently leads the three-match series 1-0 after a dominant 214-run victory in Durban. South Africa is eager to bounce back and level the series.

Match Overview

  • Venue: St George's Park, Gqeberha
  • Captains: Temba Bavuma (South Africa), Pat Cummins (Australia)
  • Toss Result: Australia won the toss and elected to field first
  • Umpires: Chris Gaffaney, Richard Illingworth (on-field); Richard Kettleborough (third umpire); Arno Jacobs (reserve umpire); Javagal Srinath (match referee)
  • Live Broadcast: SuperSport Cricket and SABC 3 (South Africa), Fox Sports and Kayo Sports (Australia), Fancode (India)

Day 1 Recap

Persistent rain cut short play on Day 1, with South Africa struggling at 20/2 after 11.5 overs. Scott Boland delivered a brilliant double-strike in the 9th over, dismissing Aiden Markram and David Bedingham consecutively. The rain returned shortly after, forcing an early end to the day’s action.

Before the rain, South Africa's opening batsmen showed resilience despite the challenging conditions. Australia's bowlers found it difficult to gain swing or seam movement off a slow surface, leading to some loose deliveries.

Key Moments

  • At 12:27 PM, steady rain halted play, prompting an early lunch at 12:37 PM.
  • Debutant Marques Ackerman waved to family as he left the field during the rain delay.
  • Conditions improved by 1:00 PM with clear skies, allowing for a quick resumption of play in the afternoon session.

Team Lineups

  • South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Wiaan Mulder, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
  • Australia XI: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood

Team Changes and Player Notes

  • South Africa: Matthew Breetzke replaces Tristan Stubbs. Kagiso Rabada returns from hamstring injury. Ryan Rickelton takes over wicketkeeping duties.
  • Australia: Retaining most of the winning squad from Durban. Steve Smith cleared concussion protocols. Cameron Green out due to abdominal strain. Josh Inglis back after finger fracture. Nathan Lyon rested, replaced by Scott Boland.

Win Probability

  • Australia: 39%
  • South Africa: 42%
  • Draw: 19%

Test Series Schedule

  • 1st Test: Oct 9-13, Kingsmead, Durban at 1:00 p.m. IST
  • 2nd Test: Oct 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha at 1:30 p.m. IST
  • 3rd Test: Oct 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town at 1:00 p.m. IST

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