The Josh Hazlewood middle finger to South African fans incident has become one of the biggest talking points from the fourth day of the third Test between Australia and South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town. The Australian fast bowler appeared to lose his temper after facing repeated taunts from spectators, with footage showing him making an offensive gesture towards the crowd.
Mitchell Starc also found himself involved in a heated exchange with supporters near the boundary line as tensions continued to rise during the crucial Test match. The Josh Hazlewood middle finger incident in the Cape Town Test came after sections of the South African crowd reportedly revived memories of Australia’s infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
The incident added an unexpected controversy to an already intense Australia-South Africa contest. With the Test series level at 1-1, emotions were running high, both on the field and in the stands.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc lose their cool
The Josh Hazlewood South Africa crowd incident occurred when the Australian pacer approached the boundary during Day 4. A video circulating on social media showed Hazlewood appearing to raise his middle finger towards spectators following repeated provocations.
The experienced fast bowler looked visibly frustrated as members of the crowd continued to direct comments towards the Australian players.
Mitchell Starc also appeared unhappy with the behaviour of the spectators. The left-arm pacer was seen pointing towards a supporter near the boundary and seemingly exchanging angry words with him.
The Mitchell Starc angry reaction to South African fans attracted attention alongside Hazlewood’s gesture, with both Australian bowlers appearing to have reached the limit of their patience.
Although the exact words exchanged between the players and spectators were not clear, the footage highlighted the growing tension at Newlands.
The reactions also raised questions about player conduct and spectator behaviour. While international cricketers are expected to maintain their composure under pressure, supporters also have a responsibility to respect the players representing their countries.
Sandpaper taunts against Australian cricketers revive 2018 controversy
The reason behind the hostile atmosphere goes back to March 2018, when Newlands witnessed one of the most controversial moments in Australian cricket history.
During a Test against South Africa, Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to alter the condition of the cricket ball. The incident triggered a massive controversy, eventually resulting in lengthy suspensions for Steve Smith, David Warner and Bancroft.
Smith and Warner received 12-month suspensions from international and domestic cricket, while Bancroft was banned for nine months.
The episode became popularly known as Sandpapergate and continues to be associated with Australian cricket whenever the team visits South Africa.
During the ongoing series, sections of the South African crowd reportedly used the scandal to taunt Australian players by calling them cheats.
Nathan Lyon had also faced a similar incident earlier in the match when a spectator displayed sandpaper near the boundary.
These repeated sandpaper taunts against Australian cricketers appeared to increase the frustration within the visiting camp. Hazlewood and Starc subsequently became involved in separate exchanges with spectators.
The Australia vs South Africa 3rd Test 2026 controversy has therefore extended beyond the cricketing action, bringing an old rivalry and an uncomfortable chapter of Australian cricket back into the spotlight.
Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder produce match-changing centuries
While the crowd controversy attracted attention, South Africa delivered an outstanding batting performance on Day 4 to put themselves in a commanding position.
The hosts resumed their second innings at 140/4, needing a substantial partnership to build a competitive advantage over Australia.
Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder stepped up with brilliant centuries, showing tremendous patience and determination against Australia’s bowling attack.
Rickelton scored 101 runs from 219 deliveries, while Mulder contributed 115 from 221 balls. Their partnership completely changed the momentum of the innings and gave South Africa the platform they needed.
Rickelton’s innings was particularly important after the early setbacks, while Mulder continued to frustrate the Australian bowlers with his disciplined approach.
South Africa eventually finished their second innings at 387 in 134.4 overs, establishing a significant lead.
The Australian bowlers struggled to break the partnership quickly, allowing the hosts to take control of the match during the most important phase of the contest.
Australia need 288 runs to win the series decider
The match situation became increasingly interesting after South Africa completed their second innings.
South Africa had scored 329 in their first innings, before Australia responded with 429 to secure a 100-run lead.
However, Rickelton and Mulder’s centuries helped the hosts turn the match around. South Africa’s second-innings total of 387 gave Australia a target of 288 runs to win the third Test.
With the series tied at 1-1, Australia needed 288 runs to secure a 2-1 series victory. South Africa, meanwhile, required 10 wickets to win the deciding Test on home soil.
The fourth-innings chase was expected to test Australia’s batting depth, particularly against a South African bowling attack looking to finish the series strongly.
The Josh Hazlewood middle finger to South African fans controversy added another layer of drama to a match that already had enormous significance.
The 2018 Sandpaper scandal may belong to the past, but the latest scenes at Newlands showed that its memories have not disappeared from the Australia-South Africa rivalry.
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