In the second cricket match of the ongoing Champions Trophy, the defending ODI champions Australia will play South Africa on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. After chasing down 352 runs in Lahore, Australia overcame England by five wickets in their inaugural match. In the meantime, South Africa beat Afghanistan by 107 runs in Karachi in their first game. This has made these both teams to be in nearly equal positions at the points table.
To understand the rivalry better here is a full key statistical data repressing the past performance of these two teams with each other.
Australian Men’s Cricket Team Vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline: 1902 – Beginning of Rivalry
The Australian national cricket team toured and played three test matches against South Africa. The national cricket team did a one-month halt through the Cape of Good Hope as part of a return trip from a home tour in England. There were three different captains during the series of South Africa, including Henry Taberer, Biddy Anderson, and Ernest Halliwell. Joe Darling was the captain of Australia.
1999 – Cricket World Cup
Most people view the 1999 Cricket World Cup second semi-final between Australia and South Africa as one of cricket’s most spectacular matches. The two sides made 213 runs in the match, which was held on June 17, 1999, in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and ended in a stalemate. However, Australia’s superior net run rate in the Super Six phase propelled them into the final.
2001–2002 Australia visit to South Africa
The 2001–02 Australian and South African cricket series was among the most thrilling and closely contested home-and-away encounters in recent cricket history. Australia visited South Africa in February and April 2002 for a seven-match ODI series and a three-match Test series. Australia began strongly in the Test series by winning the first two Tests convincingly. Adam Gilchrist’s unbeaten 204 in the inaugural Test at Johannesburg was especially remarkable, as it was responsible for one of the largest innings and 360-run wins in the history of Test cricket.
2006 ODI Matches
Australia and South Africa completed the last of their 2005–06 ODI matches against each other at Johannesburg’s New Wanderers Stadium on March 12, 2006, in a historical and memorable match. Numerous people rank this fifth and last One Day International among the finest ever contested.
Australia, who batted first, posted a daunting 434 for 4 in their 50 overs and shattered the previous highest ODI team score. Led by a blazing 164 off 105 deliveries from captain Ricky Ponting, supported by excellent contributions from Michael Hussey (81) Adam Gilchrist (55), and Simon Katich. In an ODI match, this was the first time a team achieved over 400 runs.
2008–2009 Australia visit to South Africa
Between February 20 and April 17, 2009, the Australian national cricket team toured South Africa and played five One Day Internationals, two Twenty20 Internationals, and three Test matches.
In the First Test, Tasmanian Brett Geeves was brought into the Australian team when Doug Bollinger pulled his abdominal muscles while exercising in the nets. To replace Hilfenhaus and Siddle, who were uncertain for the Second Test, Western Australian fast bowler Steve Magoffin was flown to join the tour team after the first test of the series.
2012 – Border Gavaskar Trophy
Australia won back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2012 by defeating India in an exciting home Test series with a dominating 4-0 clean sweep. From December 2011 to January 2012, the series was marked by great performances, particularly by skipper Michael Clarke, who accumulated 626 runs at an average of 125.20. One of Clarke’s finest innings was an unbeaten 329 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the first triple century and the highest individual score ever made there. Ben Hilfenhaus, with 27 wickets to his credit, headed the Australian bowling team, which repeatedly tore apart the Indian batting to take all four Test matches. All this comprehensive triumph brought Australia’s dominance back to the Border-Gavaskar series and emphasized their resurgence in Test cricket.
2014 South Africa’s win
South Africa did not win a Test series in Australia in 2014. South Africa, in their 2016–17 tour, won a Test series in Australia for the first time. Prior to Australia claiming the final Test in Adelaide, South Africa had won the first two Tests in that series, winning by 177 runs in Perth and by an innings and 80 runs in Hobart. Following wins in 2008–09 and 2012–13, this win was the third consecutive Test series win by South Africa in Australia.
2018 – Sandpaper Gate
This incident has become infamous as the “Sandpaper Gate,” and it was one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history. Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera attempting to use sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball on the third Test match against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town on March 24, 2018. The ball-tampering was organized by the leadership team, including captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner.
2019 Cricket World Cup
Each of Australia’s ten group stage matches in the 2019 Cricket World Cup was played by each of the ten teams against each other once in round-robin fashion. Australia qualified for the semi-finals after having played nine group stage games, winning seven and losing two.
2022-23 The Iconic clashes
The reliability and strength of Australia in global cricket were evidenced from their dominance within the home Test series of 2022–2023. Led by skipper Pat Cummins, the team emerged victorious in all five home Test matches, showcasing their depth within both batting and bowling. With a comprehensive 419-run win in the second Test, the largest victory margin in a Test match for Australia, they won the two-match Test series against the West Indies to begin the series. Australia also went on to register comprehensive wins in the three-match series against South Africa, with an innings and 182-run win in the second Test and a 6-wicket win in the first.
Australia vs South Africa in all Formats
| Format | Matches Played | Wined by Australia | Wined by SA | Draw or No Result | First Match | Last Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 101 | 54 | 26 | 21 | 11/10/1902 | 04/01/2023 |
| ODI | 110 | 51 | 55 | 4 | 26/02/1992 | 09/11/2023 |
| T20 | 25 | 17 | 08 | 0 | 09/01/2006 | 03/09/2023 |
Australia vs South Africa in ICC Tournaments
| Tournament | All Matches | SA Won | AUS Won | Tied/Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICC ODI World Cup | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 (Tie) |
| ICC T20 World Cup | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| ICC Champions Trophy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ICC World Test Championship | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 (Draw) |
| Total | 12 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
FAQs
1. When will the last match of SA vs AUS be played?
SA vs AUS last match was played on Tuesday 25 February at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Champions Trophy 2025 Group B.
2. What is South Africa’s current Champions Trophy 2025 Group B position?
With a net run rate of +2.140 after beating Afghanistan, South Africa now tops Group B.
3. What was a significant outcome of Australia and South Africa’s Test series in 2001–02?
Answer: Adam Gilchrist made an unbeaten 204 in the first Test at Johannesburg, as Australia won by 360 runs, one of the largest margins in Test history.
4. What was remarkable about the Johannesburg ODI match between South Africa and Australia in 2006?
When a team first scored over 400 runs in an ODI, Australia scored 434 for 4 and broke a new record.
5. Why was the 2018 scandal referred to as “Sandpaper Gate”?
The leadership of the team organized the utilization of sandpaper by Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft to alter the ball during a Test match with South Africa in Cape Town.
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