Hazlewood sparks collapse as Aussies thump Proteas in Durban

Josh Hazlewood's career-best figures have delivered Australia a thumping 214-run win in the opening Test of their South African tour.

Proteas opener Aiden Markram was resolute with 75 off 237 balls, but he couldn’t find any partners go with him as the Aussies wrapped up the victory at 1:30pm local time.

Opener Markram was the penultimate wicket to fall as SA tail folded meekly; the final four wickets fell for only five runs.

Once he had the second new ball in his hand, Hazlewood ran through the lower order and deservedly finished with 6-49. It was his second six-wicket haul in the past three matches after his 6-89 against Bangladesh in Darwin.

The 35-year-old was irrepressible on a hot Durban day, striking with both the old ball and its replacement as Australia slugged it out on a Kingsmead pitch that didn't deteriorate as much as expected.

The Aussies toiled for one hour and 50 minutes in pursuit of the day's first wicket as the enticing smells of the braai on the ground's northwest hill wafted across the field.

With Markram and Wiaan Mulder (29 off 110) leaving as much as possible, including balls that flew over the top of the stumps, Cummins regularly shuffled his bowlers in an attempt to break throughout.

Just as thoughts of South Africa's great escape in Adelaide in 2012 entered the minds of the local fans as a possibility, Carey took blinder down the leg-side to end the 205-ball stand between Markram and Mulder.

Hazlewood strayed onto the pads of Mulder but the allrounder was unable to capitalise, feathering the ball down the leg-side. Carey flew to his left and took the ball athletically in his left glove just above the turf.

South Africa's fate was effectively sealed three balls later as Matt Renshaw added to his Test wickets with the scalp of Kyle Verreynne.

Renshaw continued his golden match with it his second wicket of the innings as Steve Smith pouched another ripper at slip to remove the South African wicketkeeper.

It capped off a legacy match for the Queenslander, named player of the match after becoming the first Australian to score more than 270 runs and take at least two wickets in the same Test.

Although Marco Jansen (35 off 54) reined in his natural instincts to hang around for 17 overs, he was no match for Hazlewood armed with a fresh Kookaburra.

The NSW quick slid a ball through the defences of Jansen to kick off a very quick finish to the Test as the final four wickets fell in just 15 balls.

Somehow able to extract extra bounce out of the dying wicket, his five-wicket haul was sealed in the same over with a jaffa that jumped up and took the gloves of Simon Harmer through to Carey.

Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0 with the next match beginning on Sunday (7pm AEDT) in Gqeberha.

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First Test: Australia won by 214 runs

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

South Africa's first Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (second Test onwards), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster