South Africa school Australia by sealing 2nd Test by an innings and 31 runs, Know how does it impact WTC points table

South Africa produced a masterclass bowling show to thrash Australia by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha on October 22. Coming into the match under immense pressure following a loss in the series opener, the Proteas were forced to battle adverse weather, early batting collapses, and a mid-match injury to a primary fast bowler in Anrich Nortje.

SA rout Australia by an innings and 31 runs in 2nd Test to level series 1-1

Despite a washout during Thursday’s morning session and a spirited second-innings rearguard from Australia led by Travis Head, South Africa’s relentless bowling attack wrapped up the victory an hour after tea on Day 5. The win levels the three-match series at 1-1, setting up a winner-takes-all decider in Cape Town.

Temba Bavuma’s heroic 179 in first-innings rescue

The foundation of South Africa’s famous victory was laid on Days 1 and 2 during a perilous first-innings crisis. Inserting themselves into a dominant position early on, Australia’s fast bowlers ripped through the Proteas' top order, reducing the home side to a disastrous 110/6.

Together, their lower-order rescue act completely flipped the momentum of the Test match, lifting South Africa from the brink of collapse to a massive first-innings total that put Australia under severe scoreboard pressure.

The Turning Point, Jansen’s 5-Fer & enforcing follow-on

When Australia took to the crease in their first innings late on Day 3, they encountered a lethal spell of left-arm fast bowling from Marco Jansen. Exploiting steep bounce and sharp seam movement, Jansen spearheaded a stunning Australian collapse, picking up 5/33 in a devastating spell.

Australia was skittled out for a paltry 99 runs, giving South Africa a massive lead. Sensing total control and smelling blood, Bavuma made the decisive call to enforce the follow-on.

The momentum carried directly into Australia’s second innings on Day 4. In a chaotic day of Test cricket where Australia lost 13 wickets in total across two innings, the Proteas systematically broke down the visitors' top order, placing victory firmly in sight.

Overcoming adversity, Nortje’s Injury & bowlers stepping up

South Africa’s bowling achievement was rendered even more extraordinary by a severe setback early in Australia’s second innings. Express pacer Anrich Nortje suffered a suspected groin injury just four overs into his spell and was ruled out from bowling for the remainder of the match.

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Despite being stripped of a frontline spearhead on a deteriorating pitch, the remaining three-man pace attack of Kagiso Rabada, Wiaan Mulder, and Marco Jansen raised their game to shoulder the heavy workload flawlessly.

Resuming on the final day at 156/4 after rain wiped out the entire morning session, Australia faced a minimum of 81 overs to salvage a draw. Travis Head, who had restarted his innings on 87, completed his 13th Test century with a firm boundary through the off-side.

Australian resistance in vain

Travis Head (121 off 190 balls): Head’s counter-attacking knock kept Australian hopes alive, but his natural aggressive intent led to his downfall when he chopped on against a sharp delivery from Wiaan Mulder.

Steve Smith (3 off 16 balls): Battling a neck strain that forced him to bat down at No. 7, Smith resisted briefly against the old ball before mis-hitting Kagiso Rabada to mid-wicket, where Matthew Breetzke held the catch at the second attempt.

Scott Boland’s Epic Blockathon (40 off 166 balls): Nightwatchman Scott Boland provided immense frustration for the South Africans, putting on a brave partnership with Alex Carey and registering a career-high Test score. However, soon after tea, Mulder breached Boland’s defense to end his 166-ball stay.

Closing the Tail: Mulder removed Pat Cummins shortly after, before Rabada returned to bowl Mitchell Starc via an inside edge. Fittingly, Marco Jansen ended the match by drawing an edge from Josh Hazlewood straight into the slip cordon, wrapping up Australia for 295.

Individual Bowling Figures (Australia 2nd Innings)

Kagiso Rabada: 4/77 (Workhorse spell with the new and old ball)

Wiaan Mulder: 3/64 (Crucial day-five breakthroughs including Head and Boland)

Marco Jansen: 1/48 (Match figures of 6 wickets, including 5/33 in 1st innings)

Who were the key performers of the match?

Temba Bavuma (South Africa): 179 runs in the first innings; turned a collapse into a match-winning score.

Marco Jansen (South Africa): 85 runs with the bat & 6 total wickets in the match (5/33 in the first innings).

Kagiso Rabada (South Africa): 4/77 in the second innings; stepped up in Nortje’s absence to lead the attack.

Wiaan Mulder (South Africa): 3/64 on Day 5; broke the stubborn partnerships of Head and Boland.

Travis Head (Australia): 121 runs off 190 balls; provided Australia's only major resistance in the match.

World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 Points Table Impact

Despite suffering a defeat in Gqeberha, Australia maintain their grip on the top spot of the 2025–27 World Test Championship standings. However, the loss caused a notable hit to their points percentage (PCT), dropping it from 81.82 to 75.00. Holding steady right behind them in second place is New Zealand with a PCT of 72.22, effectively acting as the buffer between the leaders and the remaining contenders. South Africa's dominant innings victory yielded a significant boost, pushing their PCT up to 66.67 from 60.00 and propelling them into third place. This shift has narrowed the gap between first-placed Australia and third-placed South Africa to just 8.33 percentage points, creating a far tighter race at the peak of the table.

Further down, Bangladesh and India round out the top five in fourth and fifth positions, respectively, with both teams managing to keep their PCT above the 50 per cent mark. Meanwhile, England, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Pakistan occupy the sixth through ninth spots, leaving them currently adrift in the race to qualify for the 2027 WTC final.

With the series leveled at 1-1, all eyes will now be set on the third and final Test which will be played from October 27 in Cape Town.