South Africa vs Australia
1st Test

South Africa play Australia in the 1st Test of Australia tour of South Africa 2026 at Kingsmead, Durban, on Tue 13 Oct 2026, starting at 09:30 local time (07:30 UTC).

Earlier in Australia tour of South Africa 2026: 1st ODI (Thu 24 Sep 2026): South Africa won by 67 runs; 2nd ODI (Sun 27 Sep 2026): South Africa won by 32 runs; 3rd ODI (Wed 30 Sep 2026): Australia won by 45 runs (DLS Method due to rain).

The five scheduled days: Day 1 Tue 13 Oct; Day 2 Wed 14 Oct; Day 3 Thu 15 Oct; Day 4 Fri 16 Oct; Day 5 Sat 17 Oct. Play starts at the same local time each day unless the umpires change it for weather or light.

In Tests, South Africa and Australia have met 102 times: South Africa won 27, Australia 54, 21 drawn (records to 26 November 2025).

Kingsmead holds 25,000, its ends are the Umgeni End and the Old Fort Road End. Durban’s Test ground and the home of the Dolphins; part of the viewing area is grass terracing.

At Kingsmead: Its first Test, South Africa v England, was played from 18 to 22 January 1923. The 1939 Test against England ran from 3 to 13 March before it was called off so England would not miss their ship home. It hosted South Africa’s first home Test after readmission to international cricket.

Ground facts: en.wikipedia.org ↗