AUS vs SA 2nd Test Day 4 2026 live scorecard, toss winner, winning probability, result and highlights from Gqeberha

• Good news for cricket fans across the world as it’s not raining anymore in Gqeberha. It’s a perfect morning for cricket. 

South Africa vs. Australia 2nd Test: Day 2 updates

• Skipper Temba Bavuma has played a lone hand of supreme discipline. He played 108 balls for his unbeaten 41 (5 fours, 1 six), anchoring the innings with immaculate judgement outside off stump.

• Walking in at 40/4, Ryan Rickelton struck five crisp boundaries to inject momentum. His 50-run stand with Bavuma took 99 balls and gave South Africa their only sustained partnership.

• Having struck twice before the rain on Day 1, Scott Boland remained virtually unplayable in helpful conditions. After accounting for Marques Ackerman (6) earlier in the day, he returned late in the afternoon to break a dangerous 52-run alliance, inducing an edge from Ryan Rickelton (31 off 51) to Matt Renshaw at 92/5 to claim his fourth wicket.

• Proteas captain Temba Bavuma has served as the lone bulwark against the Australian pacers, batting with compact technique to compile an unbeaten 29* off 77 balls with five boundaries.

• Mitchell Starc found extra bounce and movement to remove Matthew Breetzke for 4 in the 22nd over. Breetzke nibbled at an away-seamer, handing Carey his third catch of the innings as the hosts slumped to 40/4.

• Resuming from the Day 1 rain interruption at 20/2, Scott Boland picked up right where he left off. In the 15th over, he produced another delivery angling across debutant Marques Ackerman (6 off 38), drawing an outside edge through to Alex Carey to leave South Africa 25/3.

• Australia tightened their vice-like grip on the opening session of Day 2, striking twice through Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc to reduce South Africa to 62/4 in 30.1 overs at St George’s Park.

• Play to resume soon at 3:45 pm local time. We might have just over 30.4 overs on day 2. 

• Play remains suspended due to a wet outfield, with the next inspection at 3 pm local time.

• Players are still inside the pavilion, but there is some good news from the ground as the covers are reportedly coming off. 

• It’s still raining in Gqeberha, and there could be a delay in the start of Day 2. However, there is some positive update as the skies are expected to remain clear during the course of the day. 

South Africa vs. Australia 2nd Test: Day 1 updates

At Stumps: South Africa 20/2

• Persistent rain washed out the remainder of the opening day at St George’s Park, with play officially called off and stumps drawn with South Africa locked at 20/2 in 11.5 overs.

• Scott Boland produced a sensational double-strike in the 9th over, removing both Aiden Markram and David Bedingham on consecutive deliveries to leave South Africa reeling at 20/2 in 11.5 overs before another persistent band of rain forced the players off the field on Day 1 at St George’s Park.

Rain Brings Early Lunch: South Africa 11/0

• At 12:27 PM, steady rain forced the players off the field. Debutant Marques Ackerman provided a heartwarming scene as the covers came on, waving to his family gathered in the stands as he headed toward the pavilion. Officials quickly opted to take an early lunch at 12:37 PM to prevent further lost game time.

• South Africa’s opening pair safely absorbed the initial test with composure. Australia struggled to find consistent rhythm with the new ball, offering loose deliveries and generating little swing or seam movement off a relatively placid surface.

• By 1:00 PM, conditions improved sharply as the clouds parted. Ground staff swiftly removed the protective tarpaulins and the umpires re-stumped the pitch, confirming a quick turnaround for the extended afternoon stretch.

Toss result:

Australia won the toss and chose to field first.

Pre-match:

South Africa and Australia meet in the second Test of the three-match series at St George’s Park, with the visitors leading 1-0 after winning by 214 runs in Durban. Matt Renshaw was the star of that win with 190 and 82, and Josh Hazlewood took 6/49 in the second innings.

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South Africa have made changes following the defeat. Tristan Stubbs has been dropped to make room for Matthew Breetzke, Kagiso Rabada is expected to return after missing the first Test with a hamstring injury, and Ryan Rickelton will keep wicket for the hosts.

Australia are expected to keep the side that won in Durban, with Steve Smith named after passing his concussion checks. Cameron Green is out with an abdominal strain, Josh Inglis is back in the squad after a finger fracture, and rain is forecast to disrupt the first two days. Scott Boland remains the only big change to the line-up, with Nathan Lyon rested for this match.

South Africa vs. Australia 2nd Test: Win Probability

The latest win probability for this match is below, or you can check out the latest match momentum with our Manhattan graphic here.

South Africa vs. Australia 2nd Test: Lineups

South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Wiaan Mulder, Ryan Rickleton (wk), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje

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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

South Africa vs. Australia Test series schedule

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