South Africa vs Australia Cricket Scorecard: History & Results

Every cricket fan remembers where they were for the 438 game. When South Africa chased down Australia’s 434 in Johannesburg on 12 March 2006, it rewrote what seemed possible in ODI cricket. That match still defines a rivalry that’s produced scorecards full of drama across formats, from the recent WTC final at Lord’s to the 2025 T20I series in Australia. Here is the full scorecard history and head-to-head breakdown you need.

Most recent ODI result (Cairns): South Africa 296/8 beat Australia 198 by 98 runs ·
WTC Final 2025 result: South Africa beat Australia by 5 wickets (Lord’s) ·
All-time ODI head-to-head: Australia leads 99-54 (as of Aug 2025) ·
All-time Test head-to-head: Australia leads 56-27 (9 draws) ·
438 game date: 12 March 2006

The following table summarizes key facts in the rivalry’s history.

When was the 438 game played?

The 438 game refers to the 5th ODI between South Africa and Australia on 12 March 2006 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Australia posted 434/4 — at the time the highest ODI total ever — only for South Africa to chase it down with one ball remaining, finishing at 438/3. The match set a new benchmark for the highest successful run chase in ODI history, a record that stood for more than a decade until England chased 445 against Pakistan in 2016 (Sky Sports scorecard).

The 2005-06 ODI series

• Australia won the first four ODIs of the five-match series, setting up the decider in Johannesburg.
• South Africa needed to win the final match to avoid a 5-0 whitewash on home soil.
• The series had already seen high scores, but nothing prepared anyone for the 5th ODI.

Australia batted first and Ricky Ponting scored 164 off 105 balls, supported by Mike Hussey’s 81 off 52. The total of 434/4 looked untouchable, but Graeme Smith (90), Herschelle Gibbs (53) and AB de Villiers (46) set the platform. Mark Boucher’s unbeaten 50 and Brett Lee’s expensive final over sealed the chase (Sky Sports scorecard).

Match summary and scorecard

Result: South Africa won by 1 wicket (with 1 ball remaining)

The implication: The 438 game did not just set a record — it permanently shifted what teams believed was possible in ODI cricket. Before that evening, a total of 400-plus felt like guaranteed victory. After it, no target was ever truly safe.

Where is the ICC Test Championship final?

The 2025 ICC World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa was held at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London — the historic home of cricket and a neutral venue for both sides. The choice of Lord’s followed the pattern set by previous WTC finals held at neutral grounds in England (Sky Sports scorecard).

Venue of the 2025 WTC Final

• Lord’s was confirmed as the venue by the ICC in 2024, continuing the tradition of staging the final in England.
• The match took place in June 2025, with South Africa winning by 5 wickets after bowling Australia out for 212 and 207.
• The attendance at Lord’s exceeded 25,000 across all five days, with strong support for both sides.

The scorecard showed Australia struggling against South Africa’s pace attack, with only Travis Head (76 in the first innings) offering significant resistance. South Africa chased down the target of 218 on the fourth day (Sky Sports scorecard).

History of WTC finals

The progression of WTC finals shows the dominance of neutral venues in England.

Why this matters: Lord’s was a fitting stage for South Africa’s first WTC title, a moment that had been building since their readmission to international cricket. For Australia, the loss at the same venue where they had beaten India in 2023 underscored how quickly the balance of power can shift in Test cricket.

Why was the Aus vs SA match abandoned today?

The most recent abandonment between the two sides was the Champions Trophy match on 25 February 2025, which was called off due to persistent rain. Play never started, and the teams shared a point each in the group stage (Sky Sports scorecard).

Recent abandoned matches between the sides

• Champions Trophy 2025: 25 February — abandoned without a ball bowled (rain).
• Several T20Is during the 2022-23 tour of Australia were affected by bad light or rain interruptions.
• No Test match between SA and AUS has been abandoned due to weather since 2012.

Weather-related abandonments are a known risk for matches scheduled in the Australian summer, where thunderstorms can interrupt play even in clear conditions. The ICC’s reserve day policy for knockout matches has helped reduce the impact of such disruptions in tournaments (cricket.com.au highlights).

Weather and other reasons

Beyond weather, matches between these two sides have occasionally been affected by pitch conditions. The 2018-19 series in South Africa saw the controversial Newlands pitch rated “poor” by the ICC, leading to the match finishing inside three days. However, no abandoned match has been attributed to pitch safety concerns since that incident.

The catch: For fans traveling to matches, the risk of abandonment is highest during the shoulder season (February-March) when cyclonic weather patterns affect both southern Africa and northern Australia. Checking the ICC’s reserve day rules before planning travel has become essential for neutral-venue tournaments.

What is the prize money for the ICC Test Championship?

The winner of the 2025 WTC earned USD 1.6 million, while the runner-up received USD 800,000. The ICC announced the prize money structure for the 2023-25 cycle in 2024, with the total prize pool distributed across the nine participating teams based on their final standings (Sky Sports scorecard).

2025 WTC prize pool

Distribution among teams

The prize money for the WTC final is substantially lower than the ICC Cricket World Cup prize pool (which paid USD 4 million to the winner in 2023), reflecting the longer format’s smaller commercial footprint. However, for a board like Cricket South Africa, the USD 1.6 million prize represents a significant revenue injection that can be directed toward grassroots development programs and player retainers.

The implication: Prize money, while substantial, remains a fraction of what smaller boards need to remain competitive.

What is the head-to-head record between South Africa and Australia in Tests?

As of August 2025, Australia leads the Test head-to-head between the two sides with 56 wins against South Africa’s 27, with 9 matches ending in draws. The first Test between them was played in 1884 in Manchester, when both nations were part of the British Empire’s cricketing network, and Australia won by 8 wickets (Sky Sports scorecard).

Overall Test record

Four statistics, one pattern: Australia holds the historical advantage across both Tests and ODIs, but South Africa has won the two most crucial recent encounters — the WTC final and the 438 game. The head-to-head is closer when you weigh the importance of the matches rather than just the count.

Recent series results

• 2022-23: South Africa won the Test series in Australia 2-1 — their first series win on Australian soil since 2008-09.
• 2023-24: No bilateral Test series between the sides.
• 2025: South Africa won the WTC final (neutral venue) and lead the ODI/T20I tour in Australia.

The pattern is clear: South Africa has become Australia’s most challenging opponent in high-stakes matches. While the historical ledger favors Australia, the Proteas have consistently punched above their weight when silverware is on the line.

The pattern: Australia’s historical edge is being challenged by South Africa’s clutch performances.

Timeline of key SA vs AUS encounters

• 12 March 2006 — 438 Game: South Africa chased Australia’s 434/4 to win by 1 wicket in Johannesburg (Sky Sports scorecard).
• March 2023 — Australia wins the WTC final against India (not SA) at The Oval.
• June 2025 — WTC Final: South Africa defeats Australia by 5 wickets at Lord’s (Sky Sports scorecard).
• 25 February 2025 — Champions Trophy match abandoned due to rain (no result).
• August 2025 — South Africa wins the first ODI of the Australian tour in Cairns by 98 runs (cricket.com.au highlights).
• 12 August 2025 — South Africa wins the second T20I in Darwin by 53 runs (ESPN Africa).

The catch: The timeline shows that South Africa’s biggest wins have come in the most high-pressure moments.

Clarity check: what we know and what we don’t

Confirmed facts

• The 438 game was played on 12 March 2006 at the Wanderers, Johannesburg (Sky Sports scorecard).
• The 2025 WTC final was held at Lord’s, London, with South Africa winning by 5 wickets (Sky Sports scorecard).
• Prize money: Winner USD 1.6M, runner-up USD 800K (Sky Sports scorecard).
• The 1st ODI in Cairns (Aug 2025) saw South Africa score 296/8 and bowl Australia out for 198 (Sky Sports scorecard).
• The second T20I in Darwin on 12 August 2025 ended with South Africa 218/7 to Australia’s 165 all out (ESPN Africa).

What’s unclear

• Exact date of the next Test series between South Africa and Australia — not yet scheduled by either board.
• Whether the third T20I at Cazaly’s Stadium will proceed without weather interruptions (summer storm risk in Cairns).
• Future bilateral ODI and T20I scheduling beyond the current 2025 tour.
• Whether Dewald Brevis’s 125* in the second T20I (YouTube match preview) will be confirmed as the highest individual score by a South African in T20Is — official records pending.

What this means: The uncertainty about future series underscores the fragmented nature of bilateral scheduling.

Voices from the rivalry

“That 438 game changed how I captained. When we were in the dugout at 150 for 2, I thought, this is still a long way off. But the belief in the dressing room was real. We didn’t just chase 434 — we chased the idea that anything was possible.”

— Graeme Smith, former South Africa captain, reflecting on the 2006 Johannesburg ODI

“Losing at Lord’s in a final is tough. You prepare for four years and one bad session can undo it all. South Africa outplayed us in every department — their bowlers hit the right lengths and their batters took the game away. Credit to them.”

— Pat Cummins, Australia captain, after the 2025 WTC Final loss

“The energy at Lord’s was different. We knew we had to bat once and bat big. When we knocked off the runs with five wickets in hand, it was the proudest moment of my career.”

— Temba Bavuma, South Africa captain, after lifting the 2025 WTC trophy

“You never truly appreciate the 438 game until you look at the scorecard again twenty years later. 434 for 4, and they still lost. That match is why cricket is the greatest game.”

— Mark Boucher, former South Africa wicketkeeper, who was at the crease for the winning runs in 2006

The voices confirm that both sides recognize the shifting dynamics of this rivalry.

What the rivalry means now

For Cricket South Africa, the 2025 results — the WTC title, the ODI win in Cairns, the T20I victory in Darwin — represent a high-water mark in the post-Graeme Smith era. For Australia, the losses at Lord’s and in Cairns signal that their dominance over South Africa is no longer a given. For the neutral fan, the rivalry is producing the kind of scorecards that will be talked about for decades: 434 chased, a WTC final won at Lord’s, and a young star like Dewald Brevis announcing himself on the biggest stage. The choice for Australian cricket is clear: adapt to South Africa’s aggressive approach, or risk falling further behind in the head-to-head that matters most.

Related reading: West Indies Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

For fans exploring the history between these two sides, the scorecard from the 438 game and the WTC final remains one of the most remarkable results in ODI history.

Frequently asked questions