The rivalry between the Australian and the South African Teams is one of the oldest rivalries in cricket, but it is also one of its fiercest. In South Africa National Cricket Team vs Australian Men’s Cricket Team Timeline, you’ll find clashes not only on the sporting field but also in the national pride of the two nations mad about it.
Be it the thrilling Test matches, close-finished ODIs, and intense T20 clashes, cricket fans have already witnessed some great moments in matches.
Every series against Australia has featured drama, defiance, and spectacular personalities on both sides, from South Africa’s domination into international cricket through the side’s long-awaited return after years away from the cup.
Be it Australia stepping up to the top or South Africa demonstrating their top-flight status, the players from both sides have set fresh markers and records for future cricketers.
Two teams who have fought thrilling contests, on-field batting greats such as Ricky Ponting and AB de Villiers, look to go head to head while best bowlers Dale Steyn and Shane Warne blow steam at their peak.
The rivalry between the two sides has reached audiences with record-inflicting partnerships in batting and match-winning spells from bowlers. Whenever Shane Warne or Dale Steyn bowled, there was life to the contest, as they were constantly aggressive with the balls. The test matches plumb new (or perhaps low) depths of high scores, maximalist bowling, and partnerships.
Head-to-Head Summary of Recent Match Results
Historical stats of intense in-fights between the South Africa National Cricket Team and Australian Men’s Cricket Team. Every meeting between these two sides is a spectacle in its own right, given the respective stylings that have propelled both teams to the summit of world cricket.
Test cricket contests between the two are often marathons, with endurance a key to conquering this particular range. From South African brilliance down the years to Australian exertions, both camps have had their names engraved in history.
Tests
Team | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Draw | Tied | NR | W/L | %W | %L | %D |
Australia | 1902-2023 | 101 | 54 | 26 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 2.076 | 53.46 | 25.74 | 20.79 |
South Africa | 1902-2023 | 101 | 26 | 54 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0.481 | 25.74 | 53.46 | 20.79 |
ODIs
Team | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Draw | Tied | NR | W/L | %W | %L | %D |
Australia | 1992-2023 | 110 | 51 | 55 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.927 | 46.36 | 50.00 | 0.00 |
South Africa | 1992-2023 | 110 | 55 | 51 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1.078 | 50.00 | 46.36 | 0.00 |
T20Is
Team | Span | Mat | Won | Lost | Draw | Tied | NR | W/L | %W | %L | %D |
Australia | 2006-2023 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.125 | 68.00 | 32.00 | 0.00 |
South Africa | 2006-2023 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.47 | 32.00 | 68.00 | 0.00 |
The rivalry between these two teams has developed into a larger scale and ferocious yet gentlemanly competitive—mini rivalries, dramatic endings, and sportsmanship. These rivalries go back decades and showcase the blaring strengths of each team, as well as a passage of where they were placed in the cricketing scene.
Recent Match Results
In the initial decades of Test matches, South Africa was generally soundly beaten in Australia until its re-emergence. Then, the gentle rise was curtailed, so there is a long history stretching over 80 years. The clash is a treat for cricket lovers, serving up strategy and genes over the formats. Each match simply lays a brick to the wall that is your rivalry, creating subsequent series’ for whatever meeting comes next. Look at the stats below:
Tests
Team | Winner | Margin | Ground | Match Date | Scorecard |
Australia | Drawn | – | Sydney | Jan 4-8, 2023 | Test #2488 |
Australia | Australia | Inns & 182 runs | Melbourne | Dec 26-29, 2022 | Test #2485 |
Australia | Australia | 6 wickets | Brisbane | Dec 17-18, 2022 | Test #2482 |
South Africa | South Africa | 492 runs | Johannesburg | Mar 30-Apr 3, 2018 | Test #2302 |
South Africa | South Africa | 322 runs | Cape Town | Mar 22-25, 2018 | Test #2300 |
ODIs
Team | Winner | Margin | Ground | Match Date | Scorecard |
Australia | Australia | 3 wickets | Eden Gardens | Nov 16, 2023 | ODI #4704 |
Australia | South Africa | 134 runs | Lucknow | Oct 12, 2023 | ODI #4667 |
South Africa | South Africa | 122 runs | Johannesburg | Sep 17, 2023 | ODI #4648 |
South Africa | South Africa | 164 runs | Centurion | Sep 15, 2023 | ODI #4646 |
South Africa | South Africa | 111 runs | Potchefstroom | Sep 12, 2023 | ODI #4642 |
T20Is
Team | Winner | Margin | Ground | Match Date | Scorecard |
South Africa | Australia | 5 wickets | Durban | Sep 3, 2023 | T20I #2230 |
South Africa | Australia | 8 wickets | Durban | Sep 1, 2023 | T20I #2228 |
South Africa | Australia | 111 runs | Durban | Aug 30, 2023 | T20I #2224 |
Australia | Australia | 5 wickets | Abu Dhabi | Oct 23, 2021 | T20I #1351 |
South Africa | Australia | 97 runs | Cape Town | Feb 26, 2020 | T20I #1065 |
Highest Totals
No doubt, these always attract a buzz surrounding every Test, ODI, or T20I between South Africa and Australia. But more often than not, this intensity has turned lethal. But their stats go further than numbers — it’s a tale of brilliant minds, war room plans, and the desire to win it all.
Tests
Team | Score | Overs | RR | Ground | Match Date | Scorecard |
Australia | 652/7d | 146.0 | 4.46 | Johannesburg | 22 Feb 2002 | Test #1590 |
South Africa | 651 | 154.3 | 4.21 | Cape Town | 19 Mar 2009 | Test #1916 |
Australia | 628/8d | 193.4 | 3.24 | Johannesburg | 28 Feb 1997 | Test #1356 |
South Africa | 622/9d | 167.5 | 3.70 | Durban | 5 Feb 1970 | Test #671 |
South Africa | 620 | 177.3 | 3.49 | Johannesburg | 23 Dec 1966 | Test #611 |
ODIs
Team | Score | Overs | RR | Ground | Match Date | Scorecard |
South Africa | 438/9 | 49.5 | 8.78 | Johannesburg | 12 Mar 2006 | ODI #2349 |
Australia | 434/4 | 50.0 | 8.68 | Johannesburg | 12 Mar 2006 | ODI #2349 |
South Africa | 416/5 | 50.0 | 8.32 | Centurion | 15 Sep 2023 | ODI #4646 |
Australia | 392/8 | 50.0 | 7.84 | Bloemfontein | 9 Sep 2023 | ODI #4638 |
Australia | 377/6 | 50.0 | 7.54 | Basseterre | 24 Mar 2007 | ODI #2552 |
T20Is
Team | Score | Overs | RR | Ground | Match Date | Scorecard |
South Africa | 89 | 14.3 | 6.13 | Johannesburg | 21 Feb 2020 | T20I #1046 |
South Africa | 96 | 15.3 | 6.19 | Cape Town | 26 Feb 2020 | T20I #1065 |
South Africa | 101/7 | 20.0 | 5.05 | Melbourne | 7 Nov 2014 | T20I #408 |
South Africa | 114 | 18.3 | 6.16 | Brisbane | 9 Jan 2006 | T20I #4 |
South Africa | 115 | 15.3 | 7.41 | Durban | 30 Aug 2023 | T20I #2224 |
In T20Is, the rivalry takes on a new level of vitality where it becomes an absolute bat-swinging, ball-hitting contest. This format is an innovative game with Glenn Maxwell and Faf du Plessis playing.
The nature of the T20s and the head-to-head branding between South Africa and Australia provided a carnival that individual fans of those fixtures would not miss.
But every T20I between these teams is like a high-octane cocktail mixing brute force batting, street-smart bowling, and captaincy with a textbook definition of the modern game.
Most Runs
Here, we have the best of the rivalries for a short format game, with both teams always setting standards across sides in form and play.
These ODIs are exciting showcases of big-hitting and accurate dot-ball bowling with some excellent hard-hitters like David Warner and Quinton de Kock.
As for ODI, it gets slightly more spicy, especially since both teams enjoy the kind of high-scoring game.
One game, Australia’s 438 runs in a match, is all needed to encapsulate their rivalry — where Australia set a massive target for South Africa, only to be chased down successfully.
Tests
Player | Mat | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 0 | 4s | 6s |
RT Ponting (AUS) | 26 | 3 | 2132 | 143* | 47.37 | 3566 | 59.78 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 252 | 12 |
AB de Villiers (SA) | 24 | 5 | 2068 | 169 | 51.70 | 4149 | 49.84 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 247 | 20 |
JH Kallis (SA) | 28 | 4 | 1978 | 147 | 40.36 | 4357 | 45.39 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 240 | 11 |
RN Harvey (AUS) | 14 | 3 | 1625 | 205 | 81.25 | – | – | 8 | 5 | – | 105+ | 0 |
HM Amla (SA) | 21 | 2 | 1574 | 196 | 41.42 | 3059 | 51.45 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 197 | 3 |
ODIs
Player | Mat | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 0 | 4s | 6s |
RT Ponting (AUS) | 48 | 1 | 1879 | 164 | 39.97 | 2260 | 83.14 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 174 | 24 |
JH Kallis (SA) | 47 | 2 | 1639 | 104* | 36.42 | 2220 | 73.82 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 118 | 20 |
JN Rhodes (SA) | 55 | 12 | 1610 | 83* | 40.25 | 2066 | 77.92 | – | 10 | 3 | 94 | 14 |
SR Waugh (AUS) | 47 | 7 | 1581 | 120* | 42.72 | 2013 | 78.53 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 120 | 14 |
WJ Cronje (SA) | 39 | 7 | 1364 | 112 | 47.03 | 1867 | 73.05 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 91 | 21 |
T20Is
Player | Mat | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 0 | 4s | 6s |
DA Warner (AUS) | 15 | 1 | 471 | 89 | 33.64 | 322 | 146.27 | – | 4 | 2 | 44 | 19 |
JP Duminy (SA) | 15 | 3 | 378 | 78 | 34.36 | 326 | 115.95 | – | 3 | 1 | 35 | 8 |
Q de Kock (SA) | 13 | 1 | 358 | 70 | 29.83 | 258 | 138.75 | – | 1 | 1 | 33 | 17 |
MR Marsh (AUS) | 11 | 4 | 318 | 92* | 45.42 | 203 | 156.65 | – | 2 | – | 29 | 16 |
SR Watson (AUS) | 10 | – | 296 | 70 | 29.60 | 234 | 126.49 | – | 2 | – | 25 | 12 |
The rivalry does not lose an ounce of venom in a short format, and the spitefulness can be sampled in T20Is alike. Some have mastered this format in their style, and the likes of Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers bring with it an excitement that nobody else can provide.
T20 cricket is already a format where a truckload of spice is served, and when two rivals face off against each other, it becomes a rival between both sides to try one-up on their immediate opponent in tricks and hefty hitting.
Most Wickets
It embodies that age-old passion exhibited by both sides in Tests — cricket’s premier form. Matches would hardly ever be anything less than five-day full-on battles, battles in skill levels, and mental and physical endurance.
Duels between bowler and batsman have become fabled — arguably, no match-up has brought this battle to life quite like Mitchell Johnson vs Hashim Amla.
Test arena itself has been a true test of character for both sides – one that challenged their ability to adapt and strategize but, mostly, put towering performances in the record books — the likes of which haven’t been seen before.
Duels between bowler and batsman have become fabled — arguably, no match-up has brought this battle to life quite like Mitchell Johnson vs Hashim Amla.
Test arena itself has been a true test of character for both sides – one that challenged their ability to adapt and strategize but, mostly, put towering performances in the record books — the likes of which haven’t been seen before.
Tests
Player | Mat | Balls | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w |
SK Warne (AUS) | 24 | 7928 | 1321.2 | 367 | 3142 | 130 | 7/56 | 24.16 | 2.37 | 60.98 | 7 | 7 |
CV Grimmett (AUS) | 10 | 3913 | 652.1 | 248 | 1199 | 77 | 7/40 | 15.57 | 1.83 | 50.81 | 2 | 8 |
DW Steyn (SA) | 15 | 3240 | 540.0 | 96 | 1923 | 70 | 5/67 | 27.47 | 3.56 | 46.28 | 7 | 2 |
MG Johnson (AUS) | 12 | 3174 | 529.0 | 96 | 1641 | 64 | 8/61 | 25.64 | 3.10 | 49.59 | 5 | 3 |
HJ Tayfield (SA) | 15 | 6027 | 753.3 | 179 | 2208 | 64 | 7/23 | 34.50 | 2.19 | 94.17 | 2 | 4 |
ODIs
Player | Mat | Balls | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w |
SK Warne (AUS) | 45 | 2464 | 410.4 | 23 | 1718 | 60 | 4/29 | 28.63 | 4.18 | 41.06 | 3 | – |
GD McGrath (AUS) | 41 | 2255 | 375.5 | 43 | 1380 | 58 | 4/24 | 23.79 | 3.67 | 38.87 | 2 | – |
SM Pollock (SA) | 42 | 2230 | 371.4 | 34 | 1525 | 55 | 5/36 | 27.72 | 4.10 | 40.54 | 3 | 1 |
DW Steyn (SA) | 27 | 1467 | 244.3 | 11 | 1318 | 49 | 4/27 | 26.89 | 5.39 | 29.93 | 3 | – |
AA Donald (SA) | 30 | 1606 | 267.4 | 10 | 1169 | 45 | 4/29 | 25.97 | 4.36 | 35.68 | 4 | – |
T20Is
Player | Mat | Balls | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w |
PJ Cummins (AUS) | 10 | 222 | 37.0 | 2 | 228 | 13 | 3/25 | 17.53 | 6.16 | 17.07 | – | – |
JP Faulkner (AUS) | 5 | 114 | 19.0 | – | 140 | 10 | 3/25 | 14.00 | 7.36 | 11.40 | – | – |
RJ Peterson (SA) | 6 | 120 | 20.0 | – | 173 | 10 | 3/28 | 17.30 | 8.65 | 12.00 | – | – |
AC Agar (AUS) | 4 | 84 | 14.0 | – | 93 | 9 | 5/24 | 10.33 | 6.64 | 9.33 | – | 1 |
K Rabada (SA) | 10 | 210 | 35.0 | – | 304 | 9 | 2/25 | 33.77 | 8.68 | 23.33 | – | – |
Conclusion
These turnaround matches are tighter finishes, and every ball becomes crucial in high-run-rate games. Although fierce competitors, the two sides have made each other hoist the bar on many occasions over ODIs, creating some memorable moments together as they saturate well into one of cricket’s great rivalries.
Ultimately, though, the South Africa vs. Australia rivalry boils down to mutual respect and excellence pursued between both national sides taking the field with their hearts waving on a badge. This rivalry, though, has evolved over the years to fit the changing needs of the game — but its fundamental aggressive nature endures.
Going forward, there is no way this rivalry cannot produce magic moments that are of global interest if players from either side, like Henrick Klassen and Steve Smith, will try to fill that legacy in a few more years down the road.
The South Africa vs Australia timeline is a story of cricket — not just of who played whom when, but of the zeal, intensity, and excellence that characterize best practice cricket. A rivalry steeped in history.
Not only does their rivalry turn into a part of cricketing history, but it also inspires cricketers and draws fans from around the world. The one that continues the South Africa vs Australia story and an entire generation of cricketers will write its next chapter.
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