South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen produced a crucial innings against Australia on Day 3 of the second Test in Gqeberha, helping the hosts recover from a difficult position and setting a new record in the process.
Coming in to bat at No. 8 with South Africa struggling at 110/6, Jansen joined captain Temba Bavuma to turn the innings around with a crucial partnership.
Jansen scored 85 off 100 balls before being caught by Travis Head off Scott Boland's bowling. Although he fell 15 runs short of a century, his knock proved vital in South Africa's fightback against Australia.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
ALSO READ: MS Dhoni Was Made India Captain At 26: Harbhajan Singh Reveals Why Seniors Had No Problem
The left-handed batter added 132 runs with Bavuma for the seventh wicket, helping South Africa recover after losing six wickets for 110 runs. The partnership also broke the previous record for a seventh-wicket stand at St George's Park, which had stood since 1896.
Marco Jansen Breaks South Africa's Record Against Australia
Jansen's 85 became the highest score by a South African batter at No. 8 in a home Test against Australia, surpassing Peter van der Merwe's previous record of 76, scored in Johannesburg in 1966.
Jansen also moved to second place on the list of South Africa's highest individual scores by a No. 8 batter in a Test innings against Australia. Brian McMillan holds the record with an unbeaten 87 at the Adelaide Oval in 1998, leaving Jansen just three runs short of the mark.
Despite missing out on a century, Jansen's contribution helped South Africa recover from a precarious position and put pressure back on the Australian bowling attack.
Temba Bavuma Breaks Rohit Sharma's Record
Bavuma also achieved a significant milestone during his innings. At 36 years and 154 days at the start of the match, he became the oldest captain to score a century in a World Test Championship (WTC) match against Australia.
He surpassed former India captain Rohit Sharma's record, set when Rohit scored a century against Australia in Nagpur in 2023 at the age of 35 years and 285 days.
Bavuma's century added to an impressive performance from the South African captain, who led the fightback alongside Jansen after the hosts lost early wickets.
Rohit, however, remains the oldest captain to score a century in a WTC match overall, having made 103 against England in Dharamsala in 2024 at the age of 36 years and 312 days.
South Africa Fight Back After Early Collapse
South Africa had ended the previous day's play at 97/5 and slipped further to 110/6 on the third morning. Bavuma and Jansen then steadied the innings, combining aggression with patience to rebuild the team's position.
By lunch, South Africa had reached 216/6, with Bavuma on 76 and Jansen on 72. Their partnership continued to grow, eventually reaching 132 runs before Jansen's dismissal.
ALSO READ: Rishabh Pant's World Cup Hopes Under Cloud; Ravi Shastri Reveals One Thing He Needs To Do
Bavuma went on to score 179, his career-best Test score, while Simon Harmer contributed 82 as South Africa declared at 425/9.
Australia ended the day at 3/1 in their second innings, with South Africa having mounted a strong response after their heavy defeat in the first Test.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
