By Shishir Prashant 
Proteas win third Test by 176 runs after bowling out Australia for 111; Rabada becomes fastest bowler to reach 350 Test wickets
PrashantNews
Australia suffered a humiliating collapse in the deciding third Test as South Africa defeated the visitors by 176 runs at Newlands on Saturday to clinch the three-match series 2-1 and reclaim the top spot in the ICC Test rankings.
The architect of Australia’s downfall was 37-year-old off-spinner Simon Ross Harmer, who produced a career-best performance of six wickets for just 16 runs to bowl out the visitors for 111 while chasing a target of 288.
Harmer finished with match figures of 10 for 120, registering his first 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. His devastating spell on the fifth morning left the Australian batting line-up in disarray, with the visitors losing their last seven wickets for just 51 runs.
Australia had appeared well placed in the match after restricting South Africa to 329 in the first innings and then scoring 429 to secure a 100-run lead. However, the hosts fought back strongly in their second innings, scoring 387, with centuries from Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder helping set Australia a challenging target.
The Australian chase unravelled almost immediately. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada struck twice in the opening over, removing Matt Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne. He subsequently dismissed Travis Head to reach a major personal milestone of achieving 350 wickets in Test matches.
Rabada became the fastest bowler in Test history to claim 350 wickets in terms of balls bowled, reaching the landmark in 13,808 deliveries. He surpassed the previous marks set by South African great Dale Steyn (14,719 balls) and Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (14,905 balls).
With Australia struggling at 60 for seven at lunch, Harmer completed the demolition after the break. Cameron Green top-scored with 27, while Nathan Lyon remained unbeaten on 33. Even a determined 90-ball resistance from Australian captain Pat Cummins could not prevent defeat.
The victory completed a remarkable turnaround for South Africa, who had lost the opening Test in Durban by 214 runs. The Proteas bounced back to win the second Test at Gqeberha by an innings and 31 runs before sealing the series in Cape Town.
The series triumph also took South Africa to the top of the ICC Test team rankings for the first time since January 2016.
Harmer was named Player of the Match, while Marco Jansen received the Player of the Series award.