Cricket

South Africa vs Australia 3rd Test Preview & Tips - South Africa backed for comeback Test series win over Australia

By Ben Darvill

2 hours ago

Ben Darvill 2 hours ago

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The series is tied at 1-1 with one Test to be played
Temba Bavuma averages 61.00 in Tests in 2026
Preview, stats & head to head

South Africa's Temba Bavuma (Getty Images)

South Africa vs Australia 3rd Test Preview & Tips
Head To Head
South Africa Form
Australia Form

South Africa vs Australia 3rd Test Preview & Tips

South Africa were able to surge back into their series with Australia following a stunning innings and 31-run win over the touring side in the second Test.

Australia were nowhere near good enough with the bat in the second Test while their bowlers failed to take advantage of restricting the home side to 110/6 in their first innings.

Temba Bavuma scored a match-winning 179 in the second Test
Australia have lost two of their last three Tests against South Africa (W1)

Head To Head

Across their last 10 meetings, South Africa have won five times, Australia have secured four wins and a single Test has ended as a draw.

South Africa Form

South Africa secured victory from the jaws of defeat in the second Test as they somehow found a way to go from 110/6 to 425/9 declared.

Their big score came courtesy of Temba Bavuma's stunning 179 from 334. He was ably assisted by Marco Jansen (85) and Simon Harmer (82), with the number eight and nine batters showing the rest of the team how it should be done.

With the ball, Marco Jansen tore through Australia (5/33) in their first innings as they were skittled for a pathetic 99. Following on, the tourists did put up more of a fight on their way to 295, but Kagiso Rabada (4/77) did the damage as he ran through Australia and ensured South Africa would not need to bat again.

Batting first and getting runs on the board has been the winning formula across the series so far. Neither side has been able to bat second and put real pressure on the team defending their total. Temba Bavuma was excellent in his last outing and put on a defiant 179, and I back him to impress once again as the Proteas surge to a statement series win over their opponents.

Australia Form

Australia's Test team are back in the mire after a woeful batting display saw them slump to a deserved innings and 31-run loss.

Travis Head returned the only score of note for Australia as his second innings 121 saw him impress. However, they were consigned to a big defeat as they saw South Africa level the series.

Since then, opener Nic Maddison has been dropped after awful scores of zero, 48, zero and eight across the series. Opening the batting in Test cricket is one of the most difficult parts of the game, and Maddison has continually been found out in this series. Now, Australia are looking for yet another solution to their opening woes.

Building scores is crucial in this one for Australia as they look to utilise a world class bowling unit to win the final Test. However, with a number of batters struggling for form and South Africa in the ascendancy, I predict that the Aussies will slump to a frustrating 2-1 series loss.

Verdict

South Africa v Australia 3rd Test

I am backing Bavuma to lead his side to a series win over Australia as the Proteas show why they are one of the teams to beat in the men's Test game.

South Africa

Match Winner

@-105.26 - 1 Unit

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Bavuma 70+ Runs

Batter Milestones

@-111.11 - 1 Unit