South Africa Tour of Australia Tests December 2022-January 2023: Australia Win 2-0 (1 Draw) — Warner 200 in 100th Test (2nd Australian and 10th Cricketer Ever), Carey 111 First Australian Keeper Century Since 2013, Green 5/27 Maiden Five-For, Khawaja 195*, Gabba Completed in 2 Days
Australia won the South Africa Test series December 2022-January 2023 by 2-0 with one draw. Player of the Series: David Warner. 1st Test The Gabba Brisbane (Dec 17-18, 2022): Australia won by 6 wickets — completed inside 2 days (SA 152 & 99; AUS 218 & 35/4). Pat Cummins 5/42 in SA's 2nd innings; Travis Head 92 (Player of Match); Kyle Verreynne 64 (SA top scorer); Rabada 4/76+4/13. 2nd Test MCG Melbourne (Dec 26-29, 2022): Australia won by an innings and 182 runs — SA 189 & 204; AUS 575/8d. David Warner 200 in his 100th Test — only the 2nd Australian after Steve Waugh and 10th cricketer overall to score a century in their 100th Test; also became the 2nd cricketer after Gordon Greenidge to score a century in both their 100th Test and their 100th ODI; reached 8,000 Test runs. Alex Carey 111 (maiden Test century — only 2nd keeper to score century at MCG after Rod Marsh; first Australian keeper century since Brad Haddin in 2013). Cameron Green 5/27 (maiden Test five-wicket haul). Smith 85; Head 51. SA: Bavuma 65 (2nd innings); Verreynne 52 + Jansen 59 (1st innings). Warner PoM. 3rd Test SCG Sydney (Jan 4-8, 2023): Drawn — AUS 475/4d; SA 255 & 106/2. Khawaja 195*; Smith 104; Head 70 off 59 balls; Maharaj 53 (SA). Khawaja PoM.
Australia won the 3-Test series against South Africa in December 2022-January 2023 by 2-0 with one match drawn. Player of the Series: David Warner. It was Australia's first home Test series win against South Africa since 2005-06 and their first Test series win against South Africa anywhere since 2014. 1st Test The Gabba Brisbane (December 17-18, 2022): Australia won by 6 wickets — the match was completed inside 2 days. South Africa were dismissed for 152 (Kyle Verreynne 64 top-scoring) and 99 in their two innings. Australia made 218 in their 1st innings and reached the 34-run target for the loss of 4 wickets. Pat Cummins took 5/42 in South Africa's 2nd innings. Kagiso Rabada took 4/76 and 4/13 across Australia's two innings. Player of the Match: Travis Head (92 in Australia's 1st innings). 2nd Test MCG Melbourne (December 26-29, 2022): Australia won by an innings and 182 runs — South Africa 189 & 204; Australia 575/8 declared. David Warner scored 200 in his 100th Test — making him only the 2nd Australian after Steve Waugh and the 10th cricketer in all of Test history to score a century in their 100th Test match. Warner also reached 8,000 Test runs and became the 2nd cricketer after Gordon Greenidge to score centuries in both their 100th Test and their 100th ODI. Alex Carey scored 111 on the same day — his maiden Test century, the first by an Australian wicketkeeper since Brad Haddin in 2013, and only the 2nd century at the MCG by a wicketkeeper after Rod Marsh. Cameron Green took 5/27 in South Africa's 1st innings, his maiden Test five-wicket haul. Steve Smith made 85 and Travis Head 51 in Australia's 575/8d. For South Africa: Temba Bavuma scored 65 in the 2nd innings; Marco Jansen made 59 and Verreynne 52 in the 1st innings. Player of the Match: Warner. 3rd Test SCG Sydney (January 4-8, 2023): Match drawn — Australia 475/4 declared; South Africa 255 & 106/2. Usman Khawaja scored 195 not out in Australia's only innings. Steve Smith made 104 and Travis Head an attacking 70 off 59 balls. South Africa's Keshav Maharaj scored 53. Persistent rain prevented a result. Player of the Match: Khawaja.
Warner 200 in His 100th Test: A Day of Milestones at the MCG
David Warner's 200 in his 100th Test at the MCG was one of the landmark individual performances of Australia's 2022-23 home summer. Warner became only the 2nd Australian after Steve Waugh (105 not out at The Oval, 2002) and the 10th cricketer in Test history to reach three figures in their 100th Test match — joining an elite list that includes Ricky Ponting, Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge, Colin Cowdrey, and Javed Miandad. Warner's 200 was also his highest Test score and his 8,000th Test run. His additional distinction — scoring centuries in both his 100th Test (today) and his 100th ODI (earlier in his career) — made him only the 2nd cricketer after West Indies opener Gordon Greenidge to achieve that double milestone. Alex Carey's 111 on the same day — his maiden Test century at his home ground, only the 2nd wicketkeeper century at the MCG after Rod Marsh — made December 26, 2022 one of the richest single days of Australian batting milestones in recent Test history. Cameron Green's 5/27 in South Africa's 1st innings complemented the batting by restricting South Africa to 189, giving Australia their 386-run lead before the declaration.
The 2-Day Gabba and the Series Opener: Cummins 5/42 Sets the Tone
The Gabba Test's completion inside 2 days — only the 7th time in post-war Test history at the Gabba that a match had been concluded in 2 days — was driven primarily by Pat Cummins's 5/42 in South Africa's 2nd innings, dismissing them for just 99. South Africa, who had made 152 in the 1st innings (with Verreynne's 64 providing the only resistance of substance), never recovered after being bowled out for 99 in their 2nd innings. Australia needed only 34 to win, reaching the target at 35/4 — four wickets falling to Rabada (4/13) in a meaningless cameo at the end. The contrast between the Gabba's 2-day match and the MCG's 4-day spectacular (Warner 200, Carey 111, Green 5/27) exemplified the range of surfaces South Africa encountered on the tour, while Khawaja's 195* in a drawn Sydney Test rounded out the series as Australia's dominant top-order season.
Frequently asked questions
What was the result of the South Africa tour of Australia Test series in 2022-23?
Australia won 2-0 with one draw. Test 1 at the Gabba: AUS won by 6 wickets in 2 days (Cummins 5/42; Head 92 PoM). Test 2 at MCG: AUS won innings+182 (Warner 200 in 100th Test; Carey 111 maiden century; Green 5/27 maiden five-for; Warner PoM). Test 3 at SCG: Drawn (Khawaja 195*; Smith 104; Khawaja PoM). Player of the Series: Warner.
What records did David Warner set in his 100th Test at the MCG in December 2022?
Warner scored 200 — only the 2nd Australian (after Steve Waugh) and 10th cricketer in Test history to score a century in their 100th Test. He reached 8,000 Test runs and became the 2nd cricketer after Gordon Greenidge to score centuries in both their 100th Test and their 100th ODI.