Josh Inglis becomes first Australian to achieve this historic milestone

Josh Inglis Makes Australian Cricket History with Cape Town Test Century

Josh Inglis has added a distinctive milestone to his growing international career, becoming the first Australian batter to score multiple centuries in all three international formats. His composed hundred against South Africa in the decisive Cape Town Test further strengthened Australia’s position in a series that has swung sharply between the two sides.

Inglis’s achievement spans Test cricket, one-day internationals and T20 internationals. Before his latest landmark, he had already recorded two ODI centuries, a T20I hundred and a Test century on debut against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2025. His innings at Newlands gives him a second Test hundred and places him in a rare category in Australian cricket.

Australia Recover After a Difficult Start

The third Test began with a contentious decision at the toss. Australia captain Pat Cummins chose a path that attracted scrutiny as the match developed, particularly when South Africa appeared to gain control. The Cape Town surface was slower than expected from the opening day, making it difficult for Australia’s fast bowlers to find early breakthroughs with fuller deliveries.

South Africa made the most of its start, building a substantial opening partnership of 158. Australia’s bowlers responded by adjusting their lengths, moving away from consistently pitching the ball up and using shorter deliveries to challenge the batters. The change brought rewards, but the home side still reached 329 in its first innings—a competitive total that put pressure on the visitors.

Australia’s reply began steadily, with the openers giving the team a platform. The challenge was to turn that start into a substantial first-innings score, and the middle order needed to provide the kind of support that could shift the match’s momentum. Inglis delivered precisely when Australia needed it, combining patience with timely aggression.

Inglis Shows Control Against Pace and Spin

Inglis built his century through adaptable batting rather than relying on one scoring method. He handled South Africa’s pace attack with discipline, making 55 runs from 83 balls, including six fours and a six. Against spin, he accelerated, scoring 47 from 52 deliveries with five boundaries and another six.

The contrast in his scoring rates reflected a clear reading of the conditions. Inglis was prepared to absorb pressure against the quicker bowlers, then take opportunities when the spinners offered room or a hittable length. That balance helped him keep the scoreboard moving without surrendering his wicket, an important quality on a surface where reckless shot-making could quickly undo a promising innings.

His century also underlined the value of flexibility in modern international cricket. Inglis has established himself across formats, and his ability to shift gears—from measured Test-match accumulation to more assertive scoring—has become a significant part of his appeal. For Australia, the innings was both a personal milestone and a major contribution to the team’s effort to seize control of the match.

Key Partnership with Alex Carey Changes the Contest

Inglis found an ideal partner in experienced wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey. Together, they put on 185 runs, a decisive stand that helped transform Australia’s position after South Africa had posted a strong first-innings total. It was the highest partnership of the series and Australia’s largest stand for the fifth wicket or lower at Newlands.

The partnership mattered beyond the numbers. Carey’s experience and Inglis’s confident stroke play gave Australia stability while also forcing South Africa to reconsider its plans. As the stand grew, the bowlers had fewer opportunities to attack with close catchers, and the fielding side faced the challenge of containing two batters who were scoring at different tempos.

For a series-deciding match, such a partnership can have a lasting effect. It not only adds runs but also shifts the psychological balance, particularly when a side has been forced to recover from an opponent’s strong start. Australia’s middle order turned a position of uncertainty into a platform for a first-innings lead.

Australia Take a 100-Run Lead in Series Decider

Australia reached 429 in its first innings, moving 100 runs ahead of South Africa. That advantage gives Cummins and his team a meaningful opportunity to put the home side under pressure in its second innings. The match remains finely poised, however, and the outcome will depend on how effectively Australia can use its lead and how South Africa responds.

The three-match series has already produced a dramatic shift in fortunes. Australia opened with a commanding victory over the reigning World Test Championship holders, while South Africa struck back in the second Test. With the series level, the Cape Town match effectively serves as a final: the winner will claim the series trophy.

The result also carries wider significance for Australia’s position in the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle. A strong performance in a high-stakes away Test would support the team’s campaign, while South Africa will be equally motivated to protect its home record and finish the series with a statement win.

Prediction: A Crucial Second Innings Awaits

Australia’s 100-run lead gives the visitors an important advantage, but it does not guarantee victory. The Newlands pitch has shown that batting can be challenging, and the first innings demonstrated how quickly momentum can change. If Australia’s bowlers maintain disciplined lengths and make use of the surface’s slower pace, they could put South Africa under significant pressure.

South Africa, meanwhile, will need a composed response from its top order. A solid start could erase much of Australia’s advantage and bring the contest back into balance. The prediction for the remaining stages of the match therefore hinges on the first session of South Africa’s second innings: early wickets would strengthen Australia’s position, while a substantial partnership could set up a tense finish.

Whatever the final result, Inglis has already made the Cape Town Test memorable. His century, his partnership with Carey and his rare achievement across all three formats have given Australia a powerful platform—and added a new chapter to the story of one of the series’ defining performances.