South Africa vs Australia 3rd Test: Newlands Start Time and Preview

Updated October 26, 2026: South Africa and Australia are level 1–1 heading into the third and final men’s Test at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, through Saturday, October 31. The current schedule lists the first ball for 10:30 a.m. South Africa Standard Time (SAST; UTC+02:00) on October 27, which is 08:30 UTC. The match is still listed as upcoming; the toss, final playing XIs, and result are not confirmed yet.

Why the Newlands Test matters

Australia won the opening Test in Durban by 214 runs, taking an early lead in the three-match series. South Africa answered in Gqeberha, winning the second Test by an innings and 31 runs. That left the series tied at 1–1 and made the Newlands match the decider: a win gives the winning side the series, while a draw leaves the teams level.

The turnaround has made the final match difficult to read from the first result alone. Australia showed it could build pressure across a Test, while South Africa’s response in Gqeberha demonstrated how quickly a side can regain control. Five scheduled days give both teams time to recover from an uneven session, and rain, light, or a slow scoring rate can also affect whether a result is possible.

The Test is also part of South Africa’s World Test Championship title defense. That championship context is related to, but separate from, the bilateral series score. Cricket South Africa included the Australia Tests in its WTC defense schedule, while the series itself is decided by the three match results.

Newlands venue, dates, and confirmed start time

• Match: South Africa vs. Australia, third and final men’s Test
• Venue: Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, South Africa
• Scheduled playing days: Tuesday, October 27, to Saturday, October 31, 2026
• Day 1 start: 10:30 a.m. SAST (UTC+02:00), or 08:30 UTC, on Tuesday, October 27

The time needs a small clarification because CSA’s earlier 2026–27 season announcement listed a 10:00 a.m. local start. The newer fixture information has moved to 10:30 a.m. The current Cricket South Africa fixtures listing, CSA’s Day 1 event listing, and Cricket Australia’s latest match preview show the 10:30 a.m. Cape Town start. SuperSport’s current fixture page displays 08:30, matching 08:30 UTC. For a last-minute change, check the live fixture pages again on match day.

Cape Town uses SAST, UTC+02:00, on the date of this Test. The UTC time above refers to the same instant as the Cape Town start; it is not a publication or page-update timestamp. No reader market is specified for this article, so the venue time and UTC are the useful reference points for viewers elsewhere.

Squads and team news

Cricket Australia’s match-eve preview lists South Africa’s third-Test squad as Temba Bavuma (captain), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, and Kyle Verreynne. Anrich Nortje is unavailable after the groin injury he sustained during the second Test.

Australia’s listed squad is Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Beau Webster. Cricket Australia reported on October 26 that Nic Maddinson and Sam Harper had been released from the touring group. Its match preview said Green and Inglis were fit and available for selection, while Smith was expected to be ready after neck stiffness during the previous Test. Green would not be available to bowl if selected.

Those are squad and availability updates, not the final teams for the match. As of this update, Cricket Australia’s official match centre still marks the fixture as upcoming and has no confirmed toss or playing XIs. Wait for the teams announced at the toss rather than treating a predicted lineup or a squad list as confirmation.

Where to watch and follow the score

In Australia, Cricket Australia lists Kayo and Fox Cricket as the broadcast options for the series. It also identifies ABC and SEN as radio coverage. Check the broadcasters’ schedules for the exact program listing and local availability. In South Africa, SuperSport carries the fixture listing; viewers should check the SuperSport TV guide for the channel or streaming details. Broadcast rights vary by country, so viewers elsewhere should consult an official rights-holder in their own market.

For the toss, confirmed XIs, ball-by-ball score, and result, use the Cricket Australia match centre for fixture CA:39992. Its series page also lists the Newlands Test as upcoming and shows the venue and five-day window. CSA’s live fixtures page provides another official schedule reference.

What to watch at Newlands

Newlands has a reputation for rewarding pace bowling, although past conditions cannot guarantee what the surface will do in this match. Cricket Australia’s preview notes that fast bowlers took 84 wickets to spin’s nine across the three Tests played there since 2020. That small sample suggests why the new-ball spells and movement through the day will draw attention, but captains still have to judge the actual pitch and weather once play begins.

Marco Jansen is one player to watch after contributing 85 runs and taking five wickets in South Africa’s Gqeberha win. Kagiso Rabada is another key figure for the hosts, while Australia will have to decide how to balance its batting and bowling options now that Green and Inglis are available. Green’s fitness adds batting depth, but his inability to bowl if selected affects the balance of the attack. These selection questions remain open until the toss.

The practical checklist is straightforward: use 10:30 a.m. SAST (08:30 UTC) as the scheduled Day 1 start, verify the broadcast in your country, and refresh the official match centre for the toss and playing XIs. The series is tied, so the Newlands result will settle the South Africa–Australia Test series if either side wins; a draw would leave it at 1–1.