Australia forced to follow on as Jansen's 5-33 skittles tourists for 99 in Gqeberha
Proteas roar back into the series
South Africa enforced the follow-on against Australia for only the third time in 38 years after a stunning bowling collapse left the tourists dismissed for 99 on day four of the second Test in Gqeberha.
Left-armer Marco Jansen produced a superb spell of 5-33, while Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder claimed two wickets apiece as the Proteas hauled themselves back into a match that had threatened to slip away and gave themselves a genuine shot at levelling the series.
Stark collapse undoes Australia
Australia's surrender was as stark as it was sudden. Having lost opener Nic Maddinson late on day three, South Africa took the remaining nine wickets inside 40 overs on the fourth morning. Steve Smith top-scored with a painstaking 28, but no other batter passed 14, and the highest partnership of the innings was a mere 23.
"99 is Australia's lowest score in Tests since being bowled out for 91 by India in Nagpur in 2023," the BBC reported, underlining the scale of the capitulation.
Jansen sparked the collapse by nicking off nightwatchman Scott Boland with the first ball of the day. Four overs later he pinned Travis Head lbw on review for 14, and Marnus Labuschagne was brilliantly caught at slip by Simon Harmer off the bowling of Anrich Nortje for the same score.
Nortje managed only 3.3 overs because of an apparent groin issue, a concern that could shape the remainder of the Test if he is unable to bowl again. Jansen then removed Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey in the same over before finding the edge of Beau Webster for his fifth Test five-wicket haul. Mitchell Starc and Australia captain Pat Cummins followed within 11 balls of Mulder bowling Smith, who had received treatment to his neck throughout an 88-ball knock.
After a brief conversation with his bowlers, captain Temba Bavuma signalled to Australia's dressing room that they would have to bat again.
From 110-6 to 425-9 — Bavuma's captain's innings
The turnaround was set up on day three, when Bavuma struck a career-best 179 to lift South Africa from 110-6 to a declaration of 425-9. Jansen's counter-punching 85 and Harmer's 82 provided late impetus, while Boland finished with 5-81 for Australia. The declaration handed the Proteas a 326-run first-innings lead and left Australia facing a monumental task.
Historic low for Australia
It was the biggest first-innings deficit Australia have conceded since a Test against West Indies in November 1984. The last time they were forced to follow on was against India at Sydney in 2019; before that, the most recent occasion was the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge in 2005.
South Africa now have more than 150 overs to chase victory and level the series, with momentum firmly in their favour at St George's Park.