South Africa responded in emphatic fashion to beat Australia – and the weather – in Gqeberha, levelling the three-match series at 1-1 ahead of a blockbuster showdown in Cape Town next week.

Australia won convincingly in Durban to hand Temba Bavuma his first taste of defeat as Test captain, and had the series in the palm of their hands at St George’s Park, until Bavuma himself launched a stunning fightback with the bat before the bowlers then took centre stage to complete a famous victory by an innings and 31 runs.

Only 43 overs were possible across the first two days, while the hosts were then held up by a morning washout on day five, another clutch innings from Travis Head and a resolute Scott Boland, but remained patient to beat the clock and wrap up one of the all-time great Test wins during the final session as dark clouds loomed.

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Bavuma turns the tide as Aussie momentum unravels

South Africa found themselves 97-5 at the close of day two and firmly up against it to rescue the series.

Step up captain Bavuma, who produced an epic innings of the highest order to drag his side back into the contest and turn the trajectory of the match – and potentially the series – completely on its head.

Having walked out to the middle on a gloomy day one with the score 12-2, the diminutive figure occupied the crease against Australia’s imposing pace attack for over nine hours spanning three days, finally being dismissed for a career-best 179 which triggered the declaration on 425-9.

It was not only Bavuma’s masterful knock that proved decisive.

Marco Jansen added a counter-attacking impetus with 85 off 100 balls in a seventh-wicket stand worth 132, before veteran Simon Harmer scored his maiden Test fifty with 82 in a partnership worth 183 with his skipper – the highest for the eighth-wicket in South Africa Test history.

Bavuma had resisted calling time on the innings earlier on day three which given the condensed nature of the match raised some questions, leaving themselves effectively just two days to dismiss the Australians twice.

What followed was a remarkable passage of play in fast-forward mode as the tourists capitulated, with Travis Head and nightwatchman Scott Boland ending day four as they started after Australia were forced to follow-on in an away Test for the first time since Trent Bridge in the 2005 Ashes.

Proteas bowlers bring the heat to send England warning

Australia were bundled out for just 99 to surrender a deficit of 326.

Steve Smith top-scored with 28 but received treatment for a neck issue which delayed his arrival to the crease in the second innings.

Fresh from his batting efforts, left-arm quick Jansen produced a hostile spell that exposed Australia’s frailties, claiming a superb fifth Test five-wicket haul to leave the visitors reeling and reinforce the 26-year-old’s status as the world’s premier all-rounder.

Kagiso Rabada’s highly-anticipated injury return did not disappoint either. He claimed two wickets in the first innings and was soon clocked in the region of mid-90mph mark.

The hosts were made to work much harder second time around and were a bowler down with Anrich Nortje forced off the field with a groin issue, having made an impressive comeback to the side in Durban.

Jansen and Rabada were relentless in his absence, however, and the latter enjoyed a greater share of the rewards in the second innings with 4-77, disturbing Matt Renshaw’s stumps and luring Smith into a rare false stroke which Matthew Breetzke safely held at the second attempt with Bavuma unable to bring himself to watch.

It was Jansen who fittingly sealed the win when he drew an outside edge from Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram at first slip.

While the fiery pace duo will grab the headlines, seamer Wiaan Mulder is also enjoying a hugely impressive series with his accuracy and ability to extract significant movement off the surface.

The vastly underrated all-rounder recorded match figures of 5-78, producing a peach to take the prized scalp of Smith in the first innings and later ending the resistance of both set batters on the final day in similar fashion.

Undroppable Boland shows the way as batters struggle again

With two world-class bowling attacks on display, it is inconsistent batting units facing intense scrutiny.

Both Tests were heavily influenced by one standout innings. For Australia, Renshaw’s sublime 190 in Durban may prove to have papered over the cracks.

Marnus Labuschagne arrived under most pressure.

He failed to capitalise on a third promising start as he attempted to take down Harmer, only to find long-on in an inexplicable dismissal straight out of the England Ashes playbook.

The recalled Nic Maddinson has struggled with three single-figure returns and another change at the top of the order appears inevitable, while Beau Webster’s underwhelming form may open the door for Cooper Connolly at Newlands.

The tourists did offer some fight in surviving 107 overs following on, with Head overcoming a slight lean spell to officially record his maiden away Test century (the 2023 World Test Championship final at the Oval is classed as a neutral venue).

And Boland once again seized his opportunity to give the selectors a real headache if spinner Nathan Lyon is to be reinstated.

The 37-year-old tore through South Africa’s top order on his way to figures of 5-81, taking his Test bowling average to 18.44.

With the bat, he has already now faced the third-most deliveries by an Australian this series, displaying heroic defiance for 40 off 166 balls in a three-hour vigil to frustrate the Proteas.

It had looked a good bet to be the first drawn Test on South African soil since 2016 but that run now extends to 38 matches as a mouthwatering series decider awaits between two sides who may yet renew rivalries for a second consecutive WTC finale in England next year.

The current instalment perhaps deserved a five-match chapter.