Update — October 31, 2026, 1:22 p.m. GMT (8:22 a.m. CDT): South Africa beat Australia by 176 runs at Newlands to win the Test series 2–1.

Australia was dismissed for 111 in pursuit of 288. Simon Harmer took six wickets for 16 runs in the innings. The final result replaces the in-progress position below; earlier updates are retained as the match history.

Update — October 31, 2026, 12:02 GMT (7:02 a.m. CDT): Australia fell to 62 for eight when Simon Harmer bowled Cameron Green for 27 on the first ball of the 39th over at Newlands.

The wicket left Australia 226 runs short of its 288-run target, with South Africa needing two more wickets. The match was still in progress. This updates the lunch-interval account retained below.

Earlier Reporting — October 31, Lunch

Australia reached lunch at 60 for seven on the final day of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands on October 31, leaving the visitors 228 runs short of their victory target.

The lunchtime position, reported by BBC Sport and The Guardian, followed a damaging morning session in Cape Town. Australia began the day chasing 288, but lost both Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne in Kagiso Rabada’s opening over.

Rabada then dismissed Travis Head for 14, with Marco Jansen taking the catch. The wicket brought Rabada’s career total in Test cricket to 350, BBC Sport reported.

Australia suffered another setback when Josh Inglis was run out for four following a mix-up with Cameron Green. Spinner Simon Harmer subsequently removed Alex Carey and Cooper Connolly in the same over, leaving the chase at 42 for six.

Harmer added Mitchell Starc’s wicket on the final ball before lunch. His figures at the interval were three wickets for five runs from eight overs.

Green remained unbeaten on 25, according to The Guardian’s lunchtime account, offering resistance as wickets fell around him. Australia had completed 26 overs in the innings when the teams left the field for the break.

The morning’s collapse put South Africa in a strong position in the series decider, but did not complete the match. This report describes the lunch interval, rather than a final result. Play was scheduled to resume at 11:10 GMT, with Australia still batting and South Africa needing three further wickets.

Sources BBC Sport — October 31 Newlands Live Reporting, Lunch: https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/live/c63eldwzqzevt The Guardian — October 31 Third Test Live Reporting, Lunch: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/oct/31/south-africa-v-australia-third-test-day-five-cricket-newlands-cape-town-live-updates Reuters — October 31 Final Result: https://www.reuters.com/sports/cricket/harmer-rabada-steer-south-africa-series-win-over-australia-2026-10-31/