Australia and South Africa’s longstanding rivalry has long been one of the sport’s most compelling competitions. The South Africa National Cricket Team vs Australian men‚Äôs Cricket Team timeline reflects years of exciting action, dominance, equilibrium, heartache, and triumph throughout.
From the 1912 Triangular Test series to Lord’s for the 2025 World Cup final, every match has provided unforgettable moments of action-packed drama and remarkable performances.
| Date | Match Format | Venue | Winner | Key Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16, 2023 | ICC World Cup Semi-Final | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Australia won by 3 wickets | Travis Head (62 & 2/21), David Miller (101) |
| Sep 17, 2023 | 5th ODI | The Wanderers, Johannesburg | South Africa won by 122 runs | Aiden Markram (93), Marco Jansen (5/39) |
| Sep 15, 2023 | 4th ODI | SuperSport Park, Centurion | South Africa won by 164 runs | Heinrich Klaasen (174*), David Miller (82*) |
| Sep 12, 2023 | 3rd ODI | Senwes Park, Potchefstroom | South Africa won by 111 runs | Temba Bavuma (57), Tabraiz Shamsi (2/29) |
| Sep 9, 2023 | 2nd ODI | Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein | Australia won by 123 runs | Marnus Labuschagne (124*), Josh Hazlewood (3/41) |
History
South Africa and Australia boast a long and distinguished rivalry that has shaped some of cricket’s greatest battles.
Over decades of confrontation between these teams has produced jaw-dropping moments that keep fans gripped until the last ball is bowled – from 1999 World Cup semi-final in Birmingham to a record 438-run game, Australia and South Africa have created breathtaking moments that remain unforgettable memories among cricket enthusiasts for years.
Starting in South Africa during 1902-03, these two sides first met for a Test series and have since had five contests: three wins for each side in five Test series; four one-day internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 internationals each featuring both sides as winners; as well as three Twenty20s played between them with each side winning one match and losing another.
South Africa currently ranks fifth in ODIs and second in Tests, and their Proteas team are known for their deep batting lineup which features Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram as key members. South Africa have won more than 60% of ODI matches to become one of the premier international sides.
South Africa also enjoys great success in Twenty20 internationals. Their 2023-2025 ICC World Cup victory was thanks to Quinton de Kock’s sparkling batting performance as well as their strong bowling attack led by Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen and Pat Cummins.
Though South Africa’s early Test record was less-than-stellar, their recent performance has steadily improved over time and they now rank among quality international sides. Their batting department remains strong with players like AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Faheem Modise being capable of scoring multiple hundreds of runs each.
South Africa’s national team boasts an illustrious legacy of multiracial participation in sport, with black players participating for more than 100 years in intertown tournaments and village games held within town boundaries and villages across South Africa. Such multiracial tournaments paved the way for these black athletes to eventually join South African national teams and rise through prominence.
On August 10, 2005 in Darwin, South Africa and Australia met in their inaugural ODI. Australia won by 17 runs due to Tim David’s 83 and Glenn Maxwell’s spectacular boundary-line catch; Glenn Maxwell provided further assurance of victory with an exceptional catch at boundary line allowing South Africa a place in final.
Formats
South Africa and Australia clashes are always nail-biters, be they Test, ODI or T20. Their rivalry is marked by mutual respect and fierce competitiveness; both teams boast rich cricketing legacies that produce memorable cricketing battles; both boast world-class players like AB de Villiers who is an expert at 360 degree batting and Steve Smith (modern-day ODI legend) among others on both teams.
The 2022-2025 series between South Africa and Australia proved an exhilarating contest, with Australia emerging victorious from three Test matches with two victories out of three (2-0). Both sides played some brilliant cricket – South Africa led by Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith while Australia boasted Pat Cummins and Kagiso Rabada as leading bowlers; these same two teams also faced each other head on in the Carlton & United Series where South Africa prevailed by 6 runs during its opening final matchup against Australia (6-2).
South Africa and Australia have a rich and thrilling Test match history, featuring some of the most intense encounters ever played between them. Their rivalry can be traced back to 1902, when Kangaroos and Proteas first competed on South African soil – from then on, competition between both teams was fiercely competitive.
In 2006, Australia defeated South Africa in Johannesburg to set an unprecedented run chase record ODI run chase of 3,964. That match was an instant classic, as both sides scored hundreds and displayed fearless batting from both ends – truly one never to be forgotten by cricket fans everywhere!
Australia scored three centuries and defeated South Africa cricket team easily in Mackay for the final one-day international. Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green each notched an century as Australia amassed 431 runs with four of their batsmen reaching triple figures as South Africa suffered their lowest ODI score ever in this series.
Australia reached 100 runs in 13 overs and 261 by 34 overs before Marsh fumbled a slog-sweep against Keshav Maharaj’s spinner Keshav Maharaj, losing Green and Marsh before soon falling to 198-6 as Maharaj took five wickets instantly.
Matches
South Africa and Australia’s cricket rivalry is among the fiercest in all of sport. These two sides have an exciting history filled with nail-biting finishes, epic sledging battles, and iconic performances that fans love watching on match days between these teams; each match provides plenty of drama and emotion! Fans captivated by watching this rivalry cannot help but look forward to their encounters each week.
In 1902, both teams faced each other for the first time and won by Kangaroos by two test match series victories (2-0). Proteas had to fight hard but came up short against Kangaroos.
Over the following years, both teams engaged in several test matches and one day internationals (ODIs). While South Africa won some, most times they lost.
But in 2022-2023 the Aussies triumphantly defeated them again by winning by three wickets at World Cup 2022-2023 semi final match between Australia and Proteas by third semi final game (WWC 2023).
Travis Head, Dave Warner, Steve Smith, Alex Carey and Usman Khawaja all played key roles for Australia winning that match by scoring centuries whilst Kagiso Rabada also provided excellent bowling spells throughout that series of World Cup matches between both teams.
Beginning on Friday, both teams will compete in a 3-match One Day International series that begins with match 1. It marks the first time these sides have met since World Cup 2019 final, and is anticipated to be highly competitive, with both sides likely giving strong performances throughout.
Faf du Plessis will lead South Africa’s team in this Test series against Australia, while Quinton de Kock, David Miller and Rilee Rossouw will form part of their batting attack. Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith will lead Australia.
The match will take place at SuperSport Park in Centurion for the inaugural ODI between Proteas and Australians at this venue – an exciting spectacle sure to excite and thrill spectators, with Sky Sports broadcasting it live from Centurion. The Proteas won last time they met on this ground! Fans should prepare themselves for high scores! The broadcast will start from midday on March 15th!
Stats
Fans of South Africa-Australia cricket matches immediately conjure images of fierce competition, epic battles and unforgettable scorecards. This rivalry has long been a source of pride and passion among fans from both sides; from Test matches in the 1900s to record-shattering ODI chases of today, its legacy will live on in all cricket enthusiasts.
Australia and South Africa’s cricket series has produced some of the most entertaining contests ever seen in this format of cricket, featuring power-hitting, close finishes, momentum shifts, and nerve-jangling moments that kept fans hooked until the last ball had been bowled. Both sides also engaged in competitive Twenty20I matches featuring players such as Glenn Maxwell and Tim David producing match-winning performances that have kept audiences entranced throughout.
Australia won their opening match of the series by 98 runs thanks to Keshav Maharaj’s spectacular bowling performance; he took six wickets during this game and was honored as player-of-the-series. Additionally, captain Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head and Cameron Green all scored centuries for Australia during this win.
