South Africa Seek Series Rescue as Second Test Against Australia Begins in Port Elizabeth
South Africa meet Australia in the second Test from October 18 in Port Elizabeth, needing a win to keep the series alive.
South African viewers can watch the match free of charge on SABC 3 and through the SABC+ streaming service. TechRadar notes that viewers outside South Africa who want to use that coverage will need a VPN to avoid geo-blocking, and recommends NordVPN, currently offered at up to 75% off with three extra months free.
In the United States, Willow TV holds the broadcast rights, with access available through Sling TV's Desi Binge Plus or Dakshin Flex packages from $10 a month. UK coverage is on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Plus, with Sky Sports plans starting at £35 a month, or £22 for existing Sky subscribers; Now Sports passes cost £14.99 a day or £26.99 a month. In India, the match is shown on the FanCode app and website, where a monthly subscription costs ₹199 and a standalone match pass ₹39. Australian viewers can watch on Fox Cricket via Foxtel, with streaming through Kayo Sports, which starts at AU$30 a month after a seven-day free trial and offers a first month for AU$1.
South Africa coach Shukri Conrad called for "more fight" from his side after the Durban loss, and TechRadar reports that batter Matthew Breetzke and uncapped Marques Ackerman are set to replace Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne in the XI. Breetzke earned the nickname "Aussie agitator" after scoring a century in an one-day international earlier on the tour, a knock that included taking a single when a throw rebounded off his body. Pace bowler Kagiso Rabada could return from a hamstring injury.
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald will be seeking a repeat of the first Test, in which Matt Renshaw made 272 runs across both innings, including 190 in the first, and Josh Hazlewood returned career-best figures of 6-49 in the second. Opener Nic Maddison, playing his first Test in 10 years, made 0 and 48 and could make way if Cameron Green or Josh Inglis recover from injury. A win would seal the series for Australia and keep alive the prospect of a first clean sweep in South Africa since 2005/06.
South Africa had arrived on a 12-match unbeaten run and with the memory of beating Australia in the World Test Championship final in the summer of 2025. One further Test follows at Newlands in Cape Town later this month.
Editor's Summary
South Africa meet Australia in the second Test in Port Elizabeth from October 18 to 22, needing a win to remain in the series after a 214-run defeat in Durban. Free coverage is available in South Africa on SABC 3 and SABC+, while rights in the US, UK, India and Australia sit with Willow TV, Sky Sports, FanCode and Fox Cricket respectively. A victory for Australia would secure the series with one Test remaining at Newlands.