Simon Harmer produced one of the finest individual bowling performances in South African Test history, claiming 10 wickets across both innings to power the Proteas to a 176-run victory over Australia in the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town, played October 27-31, 2026. The win sealed the series 2-1 in South Africa’s favour.
Harmer finished with match figures of 10/120, taking 4/104 in the first innings and a devastating 6/16 in the second as Australia were bowled out for 111 while chasing 288 in their fourth-innings target. The off-spinner became the first South African spinner to take a ten-wicket haul at Cape Town, and the first South African spinner to achieve the feat against Australia since 1952.
The result also saw South Africa dethrone Australia from the top spot in the ICC Test team rankings, ending a run that had stretched back to March 2023, when Australia last suffered a Test series defeat.
How did the match unfold across all four innings?
South Africa posted 329 in their first innings, with Marques Ackerman contributing 95 and Aiden Markram adding 78. Marco Jansen chipped in with 52 lower down the order, while Mitchell Starc was the pick of the Australian attack with 6/72.
Australia responded with 429 in their first innings, taking a lead of 100 runs. Josh Inglis top-scored with 102, Matt Renshaw made 74, Alex Carey contributed 80 and Cameron Green added 65. Harmer was the most successful South African bowler in that innings, returning 4/104.
South Africa then built a commanding second-innings total of 387, setting Australia a target of 288. Ryan Rickelton struck 101 and Wiaan Mulder played a decisive knock of 115. Starc again troubled the South African batters, finishing with 3/65 in that innings.
Australia’s chase unravelled quickly. They slipped to 60/7 at one stage and were eventually dismissed for 111, handing South Africa victory by 176 runs. Harmer’s 6/16 in that second innings was the decisive contribution, while Kagiso Rabada chipped in with 3/39. Nathan Lyon top-scored for Australia in the second innings with just 33 runs, underlining how completely the hosts dominated.
What does this performance mean for Harmer’s Test record?
The ten-wicket haul was Harmer’s first in Test cricket and came in his 17th Test appearance for South Africa. He now holds 83 wickets for the Proteas at an average of 23.07, a record that also includes three five-wicket hauls and eight four-wicket hauls.
In the 2026 series against Australia specifically, Harmer has taken 14 wickets across three Tests at an average of 29.35, with the Cape Town match yielding his one ten-wicket haul and one six-wicket return in the series.
The achievement places Harmer alongside a distinguished piece of South African history. The last South African spinner to claim a ten-wicket haul in a Test was Hugh Tayfield, who took 9/113 and 4/79 against England in Johannesburg in 1957, finishing with match figures of 13/192. Harmer’s 10/120 at Cape Town is now the benchmark for South African spin bowling in the modern era.
