Where Allan Donald and Morkel couldn't: Kagiso Rabada joins Steyn and Pollock in elite Test club
toi
newspoint|31-10-2026
Kagiso Rabada struck twice in the first over of Australia's fourth-innings chase on Saturday, putting South Africa in control of the third Test in Cape Town. Australia began the final day's play needing 288 runs to win the match and the series, but Rabada removed opener Matt Renshaw and No. 3 batter Marnus Labuschagne in the first over to leave the visitors in early trouble.
Two wickets in the 1st over of a Test innings for SA:
Rabada became only the fourth South African bowler to take two wickets in the first over of a Test innings. The previous instances were Allan Donald against India in Durban in 1996, Dale Steyn against New Zealand in Centurion in 2016 and Morne Morkel against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom in 2017. All three instances, like Rabada's, came in the fourth innings.
Rabada then dismissed Travis Head with the final ball of the seventh over to reduce Australia to three wickets down. Bowling at 143 kmph, Rabada delivered a full ball outside off stump. Head went for a drive without moving his feet and edged it towards gully, where Marco Jansen took the catch with both hands.
Head's dismissal also brought up Rabada's 350th Test wicket, making him only the fourth South African bowler to reach the milestone. Dale Steyn leads the list with 439 wickets, followed by Shaun Pollock (421) and Makhaya Ntini (390). Allan Donald finished his Test career with 330 wickets, while Morne Morkel took 309.
Earlier, centuries from Wiaan Mulder and Ryan Rickelton helped South Africa recover on Day 4 and set Australia a target of 288. The hosts were bowled out for 387 in their second innings in the final over of the day, having conceded a 100-run lead in the first innings.
Rickelton scored 101 off 219 balls, while Mulder made 115 off 221 deliveries to put South Africa in a position to challenge Australia for the series.
Two wickets in the 1st over of a Test innings for SA:
- Allan Donald vs IND, Durban, 1996 (4th inns)
- Dale Steyn vs NZ, Centurion, 2016 (4th inns)
- Morne Morkel vs BAN, Potchefstroom, 2017 (4th inns)
- Kagiso Rabada vs AUS, Cape Town, 2026 (4th inns)*
Rabada became only the fourth South African bowler to take two wickets in the first over of a Test innings. The previous instances were Allan Donald against India in Durban in 1996, Dale Steyn against New Zealand in Centurion in 2016 and Morne Morkel against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom in 2017. All three instances, like Rabada's, came in the fourth innings.
Rabada then dismissed Travis Head with the final ball of the seventh over to reduce Australia to three wickets down. Bowling at 143 kmph, Rabada delivered a full ball outside off stump. Head went for a drive without moving his feet and edged it towards gully, where Marco Jansen took the catch with both hands.
Head's dismissal also brought up Rabada's 350th Test wicket, making him only the fourth South African bowler to reach the milestone. Dale Steyn leads the list with 439 wickets, followed by Shaun Pollock (421) and Makhaya Ntini (390). Allan Donald finished his Test career with 330 wickets, while Morne Morkel took 309.
Earlier, centuries from Wiaan Mulder and Ryan Rickelton helped South Africa recover on Day 4 and set Australia a target of 288. The hosts were bowled out for 387 in their second innings in the final over of the day, having conceded a 100-run lead in the first innings.
Rickelton scored 101 off 219 balls, while Mulder made 115 off 221 deliveries to put South Africa in a position to challenge Australia for the series.
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