South Africa beat Australia by 31 runs in the second Test in Gqeberha, levelling the series. Travis Head reached a century before he was dismissed for 121, leaving Australia at 5-209. Scott Boland defied the South African attack as nightwatchman for 40 runs, but he was bowled by Wiaan Mulder after tea. Steve Smith was caught for 3, and Mitchell Starc was bowled by Kagiso Rabada. Josh Hazlewood was caught behind to end the innings as the threatened rain never came.
South Africa beat Australia by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha, levelling the two-Test series. Australia lost 19 wickets over the final two days at St George's Park. Travis Head scored 121 off 190 balls, the only batter to offer sustained resistance on the final day. Kagiso Rabada took four wickets and Wiaan Mulder took three. The series now moves to the third Test in Cape Town next week.
South Africa beat Australia by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test at St George's Park in Gqeberha, levelling the series at 1-1. Travis Head scored 121 and Scott Boland made 40 as the visitors resisted on the final day. Rain delayed the start of play, but Australia's hopes faded once Head and Boland were dismissed. Pat Cummins said the team was well short of its best. The final Test starts on Tuesday at Newlands in Cape Town, with the series on the line.
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Australia retained the Rose Bowl with a 40-run win over New Zealand in the second Twenty20 at North Sydney Oval, taking a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Ash Gardner's 84 from 45 balls led Australia to 6-167, and Georgia Wareham took 3-18 as New Zealand finished on 8-127. The result extended Australia's winning run to 12 T20 matches. Captain Sophie Molineux was credited by Gardner for building a positive team culture. The decisive third match is scheduled for Thursday.
Rain has almost entirely washed out the first day of Australia's second Test against South Africa in Gqeberha. Scott Boland struck twice in two balls during a brief spell of play, leaving South Africa at 2-20 after 12.2 overs. Boland was included ahead of spinner Nathan Lyon, giving Australia four seamers on a green pitch. Play stopped again after only a handful of overs following rain. Marques Arkerman will resume on 5 not out alongside captain Temba Bavuma on 4 not out on day two.
Australia secured a clean sweep of the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh with an eight-wicket win. Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland scored 137 runs for the third wicket to chase down Bangladesh's total of 172. Megan Schutt was named player of the match and the series after taking 4-16 and restricting Bangladesh to 172. Schutt now has 28 wickets in 14 ODIs at Allan Border Field, the most of any bowler in history.
Megan Schutt took four wickets in a tight spell as Australia secured an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in the third ODI. Annabel Sutherland and Ellyse Perry both scored half-centuries to complete the run chase. Schutt was named player of the series after taking 10 wickets at an economy rate of 2.37. Australia won the series 3-0, with their next ODI tour scheduled for Sri Lanka in December.
Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series with a 214-run win over South Africa at Kingsmead on day five. South Africa were bowled out for 206, losing their last four wickets for just five runs. Josh Hazlewood took career-best figures of 6-49. Matt Renshaw was named player of the match for his innings of 190 and 82 and two second-innings wickets. Aiden Markram made 75 in a fourth-innings stand that ended when Hazlewood and Alex Carey combined to remove Wiaan Mulder.
Australia's women's cricket team will play Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series starting on 9 October in Brisbane. Sophie Molineux will miss the series due to a hip injury, with Tahlia McGrath named as captain. Bangladesh have appointed David Hemp as their new head coach. Australia have won all three previous editions of the ICC Women's Championship and started the latest cycle with a 3-0 victory over the West Indies in April. Bangladesh have not played an ODI series since April, when they lost 2-1 to Sri Lanka.
Australia's 2018 cricket tour of South Africa was marred by poor behaviour and the infamous sandpaper scandal. The series, which Australia lost, saw aggressive incidents involving players like David Warner and Nathan Lyon. Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to alter the ball, leading to bans for him, Warner, and Steve Smith. The tour marked South Africa's first Test series win over Australia since 1970, ending a 22-year cricket absence due to apartheid. This return series is Australia's first Test tour of South Africa in eight years, with both teams now aiming for a more competitive, less controversial contest.
Cameron Green will miss the first Test against South Africa in Durban due to an abdominal injury. Coach Andrew McDonald said Green is unlikely to bowl in the series, even if he returns for the remaining two Tests. The injury has left Australia with a choice between Cooper Connolly or Nic Maddinson for the number five batting spot in the first Test, which begins on Friday night, AEST.
