Harmer takes ten in the match as SA clinch series decider against Australia

Quick Kagiso Rabada and offspinner Simon Harmer tore through an abject Australia batting order on day five in Cape Town as South Africa justified their new No.1 ranking with a famous 176-run victory in the third Test to clinch a 2-1 series triumph.

Set a tough fourth-innings chase of 288 runs, Australia were never in the hunt after a horror batting performance, and were bowled out in for 111 late in the second session. Rabada ran rampant with the new ball before Harmer took over to finish with remarkable figures of 6 for 16 off 21.1 overs. He had match figures of 10 for 120 to claim his first ten-wicket haul of his career.

It was a feeble effort from Australia. No. 4 Cameron Green, who made 27 off 110 balls, was the only batter in the top eight to face at least 30 deliveries.

A 45-run ninth-wicket partnership, clearly the best in the innings, between skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who top-scored with 33 not out, helped Australia avoid the ignominy of being bowled out for under 100 in consecutive Tests. The last such time that happened for them was during the 1936-37 Ashes.

Cummins' 90-ball 11 ended when he was trapped lbw by Harmer, who claimed his third five-wicket haul in his Test career before knocking over Josh Hazlewood as South Africa unleashed an almighty celebration.

It was a complete anti-climax to a final day of the series that had promised a grandstand finish. Rabada set the tone with the wickets of Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne in a dramatic first over before claiming the prized wicket of Travis Head in a devastating opening spell.

Harmer relished the turning Newlands surface, and dismissed Alex Carey and Cooper Connolly in his fourth over before having Mitchell Starc, promoted to No. 8 to possibly deal with the footmarks, caught at bat-pad with what proved to be the last ball before lunch with Australia at 60 for 7 and the match effectively over.

South Africa overtook Australia on top of the rankings after producing a remarkable comeback victory, having been effectively 40 for 4 in their second innings at the start of day four. Their second consecutive home series win against Australia for the first time since readmission continued the list of achievements under skipper Temba Bavuma, and sits nicely with the WTC mace they currently hold.

Australia's return to Cape Town for the first time since the sandpaper scandal was an unhappy unfair, and ramifications are set to ensue in the coming weeks before the home Test summer starts against New Zealand in December.

After a new-look batting order did well to make 429 in the first innings, Australia's familiar woes returned on day five. Their inept effort included reckless strokes, a ham-fisted run out, and declining singles on offer in tactics that will be scrutinised after they endured 12 straight maidens in the second session. Their task in this match was made more difficult without the injured Steven Smith, who pulled out with a neck injury, although he only averaged 20.75 across the opening two Tests.

Australia had started the day's play with high hopes given the surface had looked mostly placid on day four. But they were rocked by a fired-up Rabada, who rediscovered his brilliant best after bowling within himself earlier in the match due to stomach cramps.

His mesmerising opening spell produced figures of 3 for 14 off five overs as he consistently found a dangerous line and length, while conjuring movement that his Australian counterparts could not on day four.

Rabada started in rather fortuitous fashion on the third ball of the innings when he had Renshaw strangled down the leg side. Renshaw's golden duck was a disappointing end for his breakout tour, where he led Australia's batting with 369 runs at an average of 61.5.

The wicket brought to the crease under-pressure Labuschagne, who entered knowing he was playing for his career, having not scored a Test ton since the 2023 Ashes tour.

Labuschagne was on his haunches before entering the playing field, with an expectation that he might play freely given his predicament. He got off the mark with a risky first-ball boundary, a leading edge that flew past gully.

But two balls later, he was trapped lbw after not playing a shot to a Rabada delivery that jagged back in wickedly. He unsuccessfully reviewed, with DRS returning umpire's call as Labuschagne slowly trudged off the field in what is surely his last Test innings for the foreseeable future. He made just 131 runs at 21.83 for the series.

Head loomed as the key wicket given his counterattacking prowess. He whacked three early boundaries, not all convincing, and his risky approach backfired when he edged to gully. It was Rabada's 350th Test wicket as he reached the milestone with the fewest deliveries bowled.

There was no respite for Australia after Rabada's early heroics, although they didn't help themselves. Josh Inglis, fresh off a superb ton in the first innings, was run-out for 4 following a misjudgment from Green, who set off for a run that was never on.

Harmer was always going to be a handful, and he almost claimed Green immediately after the drinks break, only to drop a tough return catch low to his left. But he was soon jumping for joy after Carey unfurled an ill-advised reverse sweep that was well caught by a forward-diving Marco Jansen at backward point.

The match was headed for a very early finish, but Green and Cummins decided to completely stonewall, declining runs on offer. Cummins' horrid record against Rabada, dismissed six times for 16 runs in Tests, meant he wanted to only face Harmer. Green shut up shop against Rabada as maiden after maiden was bowled.

Having been briefly taken out of the attack to change things up, Harmer's return worked a treat as he dismissed Green in superb fashion.

Cummins scored his first run off his 41st delivery, ending the streak of maidens and leading to mocked applause from the giddy South Africa fans who were in party mode all afternoon knowing that victory had long been secured.