Cricket is more than just a sport; when South Africa plays against Australia, it becomes a battle of pride. The South Africa National Cricket Team Vs Australian Men’s Cricket Team Timeline is an epitome of this; which highlights the exciting chronicle of persistence, rivalry, and defining events that have spanned generations. From an era of apartheid restrictions, where South Africa was not able to play internationally, to the amazing, yet dramatic return of the Proteas, this rivalry is more than just wins and losses; it is a reflection of two countries and their love for cricket. From epic Test matches, to thrilling World Cups battles, and fiery fast-bowling duels, each chapter of cricketing rivalry showen us something new. It is not only about statistics and scorecards; it has pride, legacy, and histories of greatness.
South Africa National Cricket Team Vs Australian Men’s Cricket Team Timeline:
1900s to 1950: Initial Encounters
In the period from the 1900 to 1950, the Aussies showed their cricketing prowess and ruled the test format with their phenomenal teamwork. On the other side, the Proteas stood out in front of the strongest team and gave a tough fight to them. Through the South Africa National Cricket Team Vs Australian Men’s Cricket Team Timeline, we will know more about the initial battles between the two nations.
- 1902-1903 South Africa vs Australia- The South African and Australian cricket teams met for their first test rivalry in 1902. The Proteas hosted the first-ever Test match series between the teams. By a score of 2-0, the Kangaroos won on South African soil. The series’ opening game finished in a tie. The initial series between the teams led to the foundation of their future development in International cricket.
- 1910-1911 Australia vs South Africa- Australia hosted the 1911 series. In 1911, the Proteas went to Australia for the three-match test series. Australia celebrated the series win with victory in 2 matches, but the Proteas’ win in the 3rd test match on the Australian ground was an iconic moment for them. They won the match by 38 runs. The Proteas scored 482 & 360, thanks to the phenomenal batting of John Zulch (105 runs), Sibley Snooke (103 runs), and George Faulkner (115 runs), who scored a commendable innings in the 3rd test match and crushed Australia. Warwick Armstrong, Clement Hill, and Charles Macartney are some prominent players of the Australian team who scored a century in the series. Victor Trumper is the player of the Aussies who stole the hearts of the fans and scored a double century in the match with 214 runs.
- 1931-1932 Australia vs South Africa- Once again, the Proteas travelled to Australia for the 5-match test series. Aussies won the series 5-0 and destroyed the Proteas. Donald Bradman became the star of the series. He secured a commendable 804 runs throughout the series. His phenomenal batting contributed heavily to the win of the Aussies.
- 1949-1950 South Africa vs Australia- Once again, the Kangaroos triumphed over the Proteas with the scoreline of 4-0. The 4th match of the test series ended in a draw between South Africa and Australia. Lindsay Hassett, Samuel Loxton, Neil Harvey, Arthur Morris, and John Moroney are some notable batters of the Aussies in the series. William Johnston, Ian Johnson, and Keith Miller are some key bowlers from the Australian team who showed their bowling depths throughout the series. The Australian team won this series quite comfortably.
1951 to 1970: The Era of Tough Battles
The South Africa National Cricket Team Vs the Australian Men’s Cricket Team Timeline is filled with dramatic twists and legendary performances. The period from 1951 to 1970 saw intense competition between the teams. Whether it is the 1952-1953 equal match win or the 1969-1970 Proteas win over Aussies, this timeline reflects the balance of power between the two powerful nations.
- 1952-1953 Australia vs South Africa- This was an interesting series held between the two nations. The fourth match in the 1952–1953 series finished in a draw, and the series concluded in a 2-2 tie. The Proteas clinched a victory in the second and fifth test matches with 82 runs and 6 wickets, led by John Cheetham. Whereas the Australian team, led by Lindsay Hassett, won the first and third matches of the series.
- 1966-1967 South Africa vs Australia- This was a thriller series for the Proteas fans. They crushed the strong Australian team with a scoreline of 3-1. The fourth test match held at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, ended in a draw. The Aussies triumphed in the second test match by 6 wickets. Denis Lindsay, Graeme Pollock (209 runs), Peter van der Merwe, Peter Pollock, Ali Bacher, and Trevor Goddard are some of the notable players of the Proteas, who contributed heavily to the win of their team.
- 1969-1970 South Africa vs Australia- This series was truly a landmark moment in cricket history. South Africa delivered a stunning performance, defeating Australia 4-0 in a clean sweep that left fans and experts in awe. The Proteas completely dominated, thanks to the brilliant efforts of legends like Graeme Pollock, Eddie Barlow, Barry Richards, Brian Irvine, Peter Pollock, and Mike Procter. Each of them played a crucial role, whether it was with the bat, the ball, or their sheer determination on the field. Australia, on the other hand, struggled to cope with South Africa’s fiery pace and clever spin attack.
1990s to 2005: Era of Close Contests
- 1991-1992 Benson & Hedges World Cup- The first ODI match between the Proteas and the Kangaroos took place in 1992. It was a memorable World Cup match for both teams. South Africa clinched a victory on the Australian Ground by 9 wickets. The Proteas showed their cricketing prowess to the Aussies after their comeback in International cricket following a 21 years ban. Australia batted first, setting the target of 171 runs in 50 overs. When Proteas came to bat, they easily achieved the targetand scored 171/1 runs in 46.5 overs.
- 1993-1994 Benson & Hedges World Series- The 1994 World Series was held in Australia. The Kangaroos won the Trophy by winning the best-of-three finals. The Aussies crushed the Proteas in the 2nd and 3rd final matches of the World Series held at Sydney Cricket Ground. The Proteas won the first final match by a margin of 28 runs. Thanks to Richard Snell’s five-wicket haul in the game and Gary Kirsten’s outstanding hitting, which saw him reaching a century with 112 runs.
- 1996-1997 South Africa vs Australia- Both teams met for the 3-match test series in South Africa in 1997. The Aussies defeated Proteas by 2-1. At SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa defeated the opposition by eight wickets in the third test. Steve Waugh (160 runs), Greg Blewett (214 runs), and Mark Waugh (116 runs) are the notable players of the Aussies who scored an amazing century. On the other hand, Adam Bacher, Hansie Cronje, and David Richardson from the Proteas played phenomenal innings in the series and made their team feel proud.
- 1997-1998 Carlton & United Series- In the Carlton & United Series of 1997–1998, the Australians defeated the South African squad once more. Out of the three series final games, they prevailed in the second and third games. However, the first final match victory by 6 runs was a main highlight of the series for the Proteas.
- 1999 ICC World Cup- It was the second semifinal of the world cup played between the two countries, on June 17, 1999, in Edgbaston, Birmingham. With the Proteas and the Aussies tied, it was the most memorable World Cup match. Australia amassed 213 runs, with Michael Bevan scoring 65 runs. South Africa fought well and turned to Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes, who were playing well with moderate success in the chase, only to end with a tie.
- 2001-2002 Australia vs South Africa- South Africa travelled to Australia for the 3-match test series in 2001-2002. The Aussies once again whitewashed the Proteas by 3-0 on their home soil. They won the first game by 246 runs, the second by 9 wickets, and the third by 10 wickets. This series shows the supremacy of the Australian team over the Proteas. Among the notable Australian players who hit an impressive century in the game and significantly aided their team’s victory were Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, and Matthew Hayden.
- 2005-2006 Australia vs South Africa – It was a 2-match test series held at the Australian grounds. The first test match ended in a draw between the teams. However, Australia clinched a victory in the second test match by 184 runs. Bradley Hodge emerged as a Shining star of the Aussies by securing a great innings in the match with 203 runs. However, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, and Matthew Hayden also showed their best batting skills in the series by securing centuries.
2006 to 2020: Changing Dynamics of South Africa & Australia
- 2005-2006 Australia vs South Africa- Both teams played their first T20I match at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane on 9th January, 2006. The Aussies won this match convincingly by 95 runs. By winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Kangaroos set the target of 210 runs in 20 overs for their opponent. When the Proteas came for batting, they managed only 114 runs in 18.3 overs and lost the match. Damien Martyn (96 off 56) and Andrew Symonds (54 off 26) played great innings. Damien Martyn was honored with the Man of the Match award for his extraordinary batting.
- 2006-2007 ICC World Cup- Once again the Australia, being dominant over the Proteas, showed their supremacy in the 2nd semi-final match of the World Cup. They clinched a victory in the match by 7 wickets. The Aussies scored 153/3 runs in 31.3 overs.
- 2008-2009 Australia vs South Africa- The 2008-2009 Test series between Australia and South Africa was truly a memorable one. South Africa made history by winning the series 2-1 on Australian soil. Players like AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, and Dale Steyn stepped up with brilliant performances that proved too strong for the Aussies. While Australia tried hard to hold their ground with stars like Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, and Ricky Ponting, they couldn’t stop South Africa’s solid and determined run throughout the series.
- 2011-2012 South Africa vs Australia- The 2-match test series was held between the two nations in 2011-2012. This was one of the thriller series between the Aussies and the Proteas. Both teams gave a tough fight to each other but series ended 1-1. In the first test Proteas crushed the Kangaroos by 8 wickets. The second match was held on the Australian home soil at Wanderers Stadium, where the Aussies defeated the South African team by 2 wickets. Graeme Smith (101 off 140) and Hashim Amla (112 off 134) scored a commendable century in the first test match. While Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, and Ricky Ponting are some of the prominent players of the Aussies in the series.
- In the 2012-2013 ICC World Twenty20, Australia, once again dominant over the Proteas, won the match by 8 wickets. The Aussies scored 147 runs in 17.4 overs by achieving the target set by the Proteas off 147 runs in 20 overs. With 70 off 47, Australia’s legendary allrounder Shane Watson was awarded the Player of the Match award for his exceptional hits.
- 2014-2015 Zimbabwe Triangular Series- The final match of the Zimbabwe Triangular series was held at Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe. After a long time, the Proteas defeated Australia and won the match by 6 wickets. Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, and AB de Villiers were the key players of South Africa.
- 2016-2017 South Africa vs Australia- The South African team achieved a victory in the 2016-2017 ODI series. They won the series by a scoreline of 5-0. It was a great achievement for the Proteas. Quinton de Kock (178 runs), Faf du Plessis (111 runs), David Miller (118 runs), and Rilee Rossouw (122 runs), played an extraordinary innings. However, Dave Warner’s 117 runs and Steve Smith’s 108 runs in the third ODI match were the main highlights of the series.
- 2018-2019 Australia vs South Africa- On November 17, 2018, the Australian team hosted the 2018–2019 T20I match at Carrara Oval in Gold Coast. In this match, the Proteas defeated the Kangaroos by 21 runs. It was a great victory for the South African team on Australian home soil. Quinton de Kock (22 off 16) and Faf du Plessis (27 off 15) showed their exceptional batting skills in the match.
- 2019 ICC World Cup- It was the 45th match of the World Cup held at Old Trafford, Manchester on 6th July, 2019, where South Africa once again defeated the Aussies by 10 runs. The Proteas scored 325/6 in 50 overs. Faf du Plessis, the captain of the South African team, scored a century with 100 off 94 in the match. Because of his outstanding performance throughout the game, he was given the Player of the Match award.
2021 to Recent Battles:
The period from 2021 to 2025 shows the clear dominance of the Australian cricket team over the Proteas. Whether it was the 2023 semi-final match of the World Cup or the 2025 test match, the Australian team nailed it all. South Africa National Cricket Team Vs Australian Men’s Cricket Team Timeline has witnessed several thrilling encounters like that. This period shows the unpredictable and competitive nature of the clashes between the two cricketing powerhouses.
- 2022-2023 Australia vs South Africa- South Africa toured Australia for the 3-match test series. It was an iconic series for the Aussies team as they won by 2-0. The third match of the test series ended in a draw. Some players of the Australian team, such as Travis Head, Dave Warner, Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Usman Khawaja, and Marnus Labuschagne, spellbound the fans with their commendable batting in the series. While Pat Cummins showed his amazing bowling skills. On the other hand, South African players such as Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Temba Bavuma, and Kagiso Rabada gave a tough fight to their opponents.
- 2023 ICC World Cup- The Australian team clinched a victory over the Proteas in the second semi-final match of the World Cup by 3 wickets. The Kangaroos scored 215 runs in 47.2 overs. Travis Head scored a phenomenal innings at the beginning of the match with 62 off 48. While Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took 3 wickets each of the South African team. Travis Head won the Man of the Match award for his commendable hits in the game.
- 2023 South Africa vs Australia- It was a 3-match T20I series. The Australian team achieved a victory with their name by winning 3-0. South Africa lost all three matches against the Aussies. Mitchell Marsh, Tim David, Matthew Short, and Travis Head are some of the key players from the Kangaroos.
- 2025 Australia vs South Africa- The Proteas clinched a victory over the Aussies in the recent WTC Final by 5 wickets. The test match took place at Lord’s, London. The Proteas scored 138 & 282/5. Kagiso Rabada took 5 wickets of the Kangaroos in the first innings of the match. However, Aiden Markram scored a century with 136 off 207 in the game. He won the Man of the Match award for his great innings.
Australia vs South Africa Head to Head Records
| Formats | Total Match Played | South Africa Win | Australia Win | Drawn/No Results |
| Test | 101 | 26 | 54 | 21 |
| ODIs | 110 | 51 | 55 | 4 |
| T20I | 25 | 8 | 17 | 0 |
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