Australia will head to Cape Town with their series against South Africa on the line and their batters on notice after a crushing innings and 31-run defeat in Gqeberha.
The tourists were firmly brought back to earth after their 214-run victory in the first Test, suffering their biggest defeat under Pat Cummins despite more than 160 overs being lost to rain.
It leaves Cummins’ side with some serious questions to answer before the third Test gets underway on Tuesday, with several top-order players under the microscope.
And while the selectors have stuck to their guns on giving players an extended run to prove their worth, an innings defeat is likely to force the hand of change for Cape Town.
Cummins said post-match he was happy with the side’s fight on day five, after Travis Head’s century and Scott Boland faced 166 deliveries as nightwatchman, but made it clear the Australians had not been good enough otherwise.
“I thought there was some good fight today,” Cummins said post-game.
“Scotty Boland and Trav both played their roles really well, but it was a fair way to come back from.
“We were obviously a long way from our best. Last week, we didn’t start off too strong, but everyone contributed, and the small things added up to a win.
“But (here) not enough of us contributed across the board. I thought the pitch was pretty good out there.”
Australia entered the final day of the second Test needing a miracle to avoid a horror loss after being rolled for 99 in their first innings and losing a further four wickets on Wednesday.
And while on-again-off-again rain wiped away one session for them, their woeful batting form came back to bite despite Head’s ton and a marathon vigil from Boland.
Head and Boland batted together for more than an hour, giving Australia hope of saving face and ensuring the Proteas could not take the series from them.
The South Australian reached his 13th Test century, and second away from home, off 151 deliveries, and had the match under control alongside the trusty Boland.
However, he was undone by smart bowling from all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, whose guile guided him to a five-fer.
He sprang wide bowling around the wicket to Head and produced a severe angle that cramped the Aussie opener and saw him chop on, protecting his ribs for 121.
Fears of Steve Smith’s neck injury stopping him from batting were alleviated, but he was clearly hampered as he fell for three, hoiking a short ball from nemesis Kagiso Rabada.
Alex Carey steadied things alongside Boland, but when Mulder produced a gem to bowl the Victorian cult hero for a career-high 40, the writing was on the wall.
Mulder did for Cummins with another in-swinger into the top of off, and while Carey found some touch, the bowlers couldn’t stop South Africa claiming a famous innings victory.
Carey ended the innings unbeaten on 37 while Rabada took four wickets, taking his tally for the match to six after returning from a hamstring tear.
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma, who tasted defeat for the first time as captain in Durban, was deservedly named Man of the Match for his inspired 179 across the first three days, with the first two rain-affected, as he took his side from the brink of series defeat to having a chance to topple the Australians.
The win also means South Africa have won two of the past three meetings between the top-two ranked sides in the Test arena while the Aussies have recorded two embarrassing losses in their past four Tests after being beaten by lowly Bangladesh on home soil in August.
The Proteas will likely be without Anrich Nortje for the third Test after he sustained a groin injury while bowling on day three.
