# South Africa's unbeaten run ends in heavy defeat to Australia

> The world Test champions lose by 214 runs in Durban after being outclassed across five days, raising questions about their readiness ahead of England's visit.
- Title: South Africa's unbeaten run ends in heavy defeat to Australia
- Summary: The world Test champions lose by 214 runs in Durban after being outclassed across five days, raising questions about their readiness ahead of England's…
- Keywords: south africa, australia, cricket, test cricket, durban, josh hazlewood, aiden markram, shukri conrad, sports, South, Africa's, unbeaten
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cmd7qv2pg333o
- Published: 2026-10-13T13:28:41.919+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: south africa, australia, cricket, test cricket, durban, josh hazlewood, aiden markram, shukri conrad, sports
## Proteas' unbeaten run ends in Durban
South Africa's twelve-match unbeaten run ended with a 214-run defeat to Australia in the first Test in Durban. Australia went one nil up in the three-match series.
## Hazlewood's career-best seals the win
Josh Hazlewood took career-best figures of six for forty-nine, breaking his previous best of six for sixty-seven against India in two thousand seventeen. South Africa held on until the afternoon session on day five.
## Markram fights but cannot save the match
Aiden Markram batted for almost six hours for seventy-five runs before edging Mitchell Starc through to Alex Carey in the afternoon session. It was one positive for the Proteas.
## Coach questions the team's fight
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad said he would like to see more fight from the team. He called the performance concerning, though he stopped short of calling it alarming.

> I would like to see more fight. I don't know if it is alarming but it is concerning.
## Batters struggle against world-class attack
South Africa's batters failed to convert starts into substantial scores. Conrad said the real disappointment was batting in the first innings on a really good wicket against a world-class attack.

> The real disappointment was the batting in the first dig on a really good wicket.
## Nortje impresses but spinners disappoint
Anrich Nortje impressed in his first Test since March two thousand twenty-three, taking four wickets. But Conrad said the spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj were not as sharp as they normally are.

> If we were brutally honest, our spinners were not as sharp as they normally are.
## Rabada's return cannot come soon enough
South Africa's premier quick Kagiso Rabada was seen bowling at lunch on day five. The return from injury of their leading fast bowler is expected to strengthen the bowling attack.
## Second Test in five days in Gqeberha
The second Test starts in only five days' time in Gqeberha. South Africa must hope this Test has removed the rust before facing Australia again.
## Key takeaway

South Africa's twelve-match unbeaten run ended with a 214-run defeat to Australia in Durban, prompting questions about whether rust or deeper batting problems explain the loss.