David Bedingham divides his Test career into two sections: the first five and the next 11. He had scores of 56, 87 and 110 in eight innings in the first five. Since then he has had highs of 59 and 82 in 20 trips to the crease.

That translates into 376 runs at 47.00 in his first eight innings, and 547 at 32.18 in the next 20. Why the difference?

“When I started playing Test cricket [against India in Centurion in December 2023] it was a bonus because I didn’t really think it would happen,” Bedingham told a press conference on Friday (October 16). “And then, after my first five Tests, in which I did pretty well, I put myself under loads of pressure and I had a down year. Then, in this county season with Durham, I worked on loads of things.”

Bedingham scored five centuries among his 1,029 runs at 73.50 in 16 championship innings for the second-division side. He was fourth among the run-scorers and second in the averages, which was good enough for Durham to extend his contract for a season.

In 2025 he scored 333 runs at 30.27 with no hundreds in 11 championship innings for Durham. Why the difference this year?

“Mentally I’m happy to be playing for my country again. Whatever happens, happens. I think that’s when I play my best; be a free spirit and enjoy it rather than think, ‘I need a score, I need a score’, because whatever’s meant to be will be.

“In my first five Tests I felt free. I wasn’t thinking about my technique at all. You could just see ball, hit ball. And then I started thinking about my technique, and about what you guys [the press] say, and struggled.

“But I had a good summer at Durham. Maybe I was more confident than last year. But at the end of the day it’s just cricket. I know it’s our job, but there are a lot bigger issues in South Africa and the world. So hopefully I just enjoy it.”

All of which is doubtless true. But so’s this — all of Bedingham’s innings for Durham this year were at No. 4. Last year he had nine at No. 4 and the other two at No. 6 and No. 8.

Similarly, all eight of his innings in his first five Tests were at No. 5. Since then he has batted at Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as opened once. Did being moved around the order have a negative impact on his game?

“If you’re at No. 3 there are usually three slips and a gully, so there’s more chance to score. At No. 5 it’s different. There might be two slips and a fielder in the covers. But I don’t change much. I don't think about it too much. There are different challenges but I’m up for them.”

Bedingham spoke at St George’s Park, where the second Test against Australia starts on Sunday. South Africa are under pressure to keep the series alive in the wake of Australia winning the first match, at Kingsmead, by 214 runs on Tuesday.

South Africa reduced Australia to 124/6 but let them get away to a total of 390. Then they lost their top four — Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma and Bedingham — with 88 runs scored and all 10 wickets for 200 to concede a lead of 106. Bedingham’s 49 was the best effort in an innings in which six batters reached 30 without any of them making it to 50. Are the home side over those problems?

“There’s been lots of chat around it but the one thing we can do is try to bounce back,” Bedingham said. “That’s the only way we can show we’re moved past it. Hopefully come the next Test we’re ready and up for it.”

That’s easier said than done considering the calibre of Australia’s attack. They have three of the finest fast bowlers of the age in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon is in the same level as a spinner.

“In first-class cricket you face a decent bowler and then there's maybe another decent one. Then you cash in with the third or fourth bowlers. But here you get through six balls of Cummins and then you look up and it’s like, ‘Oh, here comes Starc’. You get through that spell and it’s like, “Flip. It’s Hazlewood. And Lyon.’ They’re machines, but everyone gets tired eventually. Hopefully …”

Bedingham said he had discussed taking on the Aussies with friends. What was their advice?

“Most of them are club players, so they all said reverse sweep, smack him across the line, that type of stuff. So there wasn’t a lot of thought from them.

“But it will always be tough against [Australia’s bowlers]. It’s just about how we can bat for longer. Six of our batters got to 30 in Durban. The big difference was that [Matt] Renshaw got 190 and 82.”

Bedingham batted for 80 minutes for his 46 in the second innings at Kingsmead in South Africa’s bid to save the match. He shared 66 with Aiden Markram, who also put on 69 with Wiaan Mulder. Markram was at the crease for two minutes short of six hours and faced 237 balls before he was ninth out for 75.

He will thus be central to South Africa’s cause at St George’s Park. So his absence from Friday’s training session was conspicuous. Team management said he was attending to a personal matter and would rejoin the squad on Friday evening. Bedingham, and the rest of the dressing room, will be relieved to have him back.