Kagiso Rabada absolutely ripped through Australia in the first over of their fourth-innings chase on Saturday, putting South Africa firmly in control of the third Test in Cape Town. Australia needed a daunting 288 runs to win the match and the series, but Rabada wasted no time, sending opener Matt Renshaw and No. 3 batter Marnus Labuschagne packing in a devastating opening over that immediately plunged the visitors into deep trouble. Talk about making a statement!
The First-Over Fury That Left Australia Reeling
That wasn’t just any start; Rabada’s double strike in the very first over is the kind of legendary stuff that gets etched into history books. He’s only the fourth South African bowler to pull off that feat in a Test innings’ first over, a list that includes some true legends of the game. We’re talking Allan Donald, who did it against India way back in 1996, Dale Steyn against New Zealand in 2016, and Morne Morkel against Bangladesh in 2017. And guess what? Every single one of those instances, just like Rabada’s, came in the pressure cooker of a fourth innings. It’s almost like he thrives when the stakes are highest, isn’t it? He set a tone that Australia simply couldn’t answer.
350 Wickets and an Unstoppable Ascent
Rabada wasn’t done making history. He followed up his opening fireworks by dismissing Travis Head with the final ball of the seventh over, effectively reducing Australia to three wickets down and cementing South Africa’s stranglehold on the match. This wasn’t just another wicket, though. Delivering a blistering full ball outside off stump at 143 kmph, Rabada forced Head into a drive without moving his feet, eliciting an edge that Marco Jansen snapped up with both hands at gully. That dismissal? It was Rabada’s 350th Test wicket. Yeah, you read that right. Three hundred and fifty. He now joins an unbelievably elite club as only the fourth South African bowler to hit that massive milestone. Think about the names: Dale Steyn leads with 439, followed by Shaun Pollock with 421, and Makhaya Ntini with 390. Rabada has now powered past legends like Allan Donald, who finished with 330 wickets, and Morne Morkel, who had 309. This dude is truly in a league of his own, carving out his place among the all-time greats.
Setting the Stage for a Series Decider
Rabada’s heroics might have stolen the show, but let’s not forget the crucial work done earlier on Day 4 that even allowed South Africa to challenge Australia. Wiaan Mulder and Ryan Rickelton both smashed centuries, helping the hosts recover and set that challenging target of 288. South Africa was bowled out for 387 in their second innings in the final over of the day, having fought back incredibly hard after conceding a 100-run lead in the first innings. Rickelton was brilliant with 101 runs off 219 balls, and Mulder was equally impactful with 115 off 221 deliveries. Their partnership put South Africa in a position to truly fight for this series, and Rabada capitalized on it in spectacular fashion. With South Africa now firmly in control thanks to their star bowler, you can bet they’ll be pushing hard to close this one out and turn Rabada’s historic performance into a match and series win.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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