Australia captain Pat Cummins endured a difficult outing with the ball as South Africa mounted a remarkable recovery in the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha, with his figures of 0/96 ranking as the second-most expensive wicketless return of his career.Cummins conceded 96 runs without taking a wicket, better only than his 0/101 against India in Sydney in 2019. The expensive spell came as South Africa recovered from 110-6 to declare at 425-9 on Day 3, putting Australia under pressure after a dramatic turnaround.South Africa’s lower order made the most of the opportunity after the hosts lost their sixth wicket early in the morning session. Captain Temba Bavuma led the fightback with a career-best 179, while Marco Jansen scored 85 and Simon Harmer contributed 82.The recovery was particularly significant in statistical terms. South Africa scored 315 runs after losing their sixth wicket, the second-highest such total in a Test innings. Their effort fell just short of the 318 runs they added against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2008.Australia have also conceded only one higher total after taking the sixth wicket: the 363 runs West Indies scored at Bridgetown in 1955. South Africa’s 318-run effort in Melbourne in 2008 is the other entry ahead of the latest Gqeberha performance.The hosts had been in serious trouble at 110-6 after Wiaan Mulder fell for 13 to Mitchell Starc, who claimed his 450th Test wicket. Bavuma and Jansen initially steadied the innings with a 132-run seventh-wicket partnership before Jansen was dismissed by Scott Boland, who finished with 5-81.Harmer then joined Bavuma and the pair added 183 runs for the eighth wicket, turning the innings around. Harmer struck 10 fours and a six in his maiden Test half-century before being bowled by Marnus Labuschagne.Bavuma, meanwhile, reached his fifth Test century off 226 balls and went past his previous best of 172 against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2023. He eventually fell to Starc, bringing the innings to a close soon afterwards.Australia lost Nic Maddinson for a four-ball duck to Kagiso Rabada late in the day and were 3-1 at stumps.Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs and lead the three-match series 1-0.
