LONDON: Australia’s pace trio—Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood—rattled South Africa’s top order on the opening day of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s on Wednesday.
Starc claimed two wickets, while Cummins and Hazlewood took one apiece, leaving South Africa struggling at 43/4 in 22 overs in reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 212.
At stumps, South African captain Temba Bavuma was unbeaten on 3, alongside middle-order batter David Bedingham, who was on 8. The pair will resume the innings on Day 2, with South Africa still trailing by 169 runs.
Left-handed opener Ryan Rickelton (16) was the only South African to reach double figures during the challenging outing with the bat.
Australia, resuming their first innings from 190/5, could only manage to add 22 runs to their total and were later bowled out for 212 in 56.4 overs.
By the end of the second session on Day 1, the high-stakes clash remained finely balanced, with Beau Webster and Alex Carey stitching together a 45-run stand for the sixth wicket.
However, the tide turned quickly after the break. Carey was bowled attempting a reverse sweep off just the second delivery he faced from Keshav Maharaj. He made 23 off 31 balls, including four boundaries.
Australia’s troubles deepened in the very next over when captain Pat Cummins was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada for just one, as the pacer broke through his defence.
Rabada put South Africa on top in his next over when he got set batter Webster caught at first slip, reducing Australia to 210/8.
Webster remained the top scorer for Australia with a 92-ball 72, studded with 11 fours.
Marco Jansen then put South Africa one wicket away from wrapping up Australia’s first innings when he cleaned up Nathan Lyon, while Rabada struck again in the next over to conclude South Africa’s dominant outing with the ball.
Kagiso Rabada was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking five wickets for 51 runs in 15.4 overs. He was supported by fellow pacer Jansen, who took three, while spinners Aiden Markram and Maharaj chipped in with one scalp apiece.
The defending champions resumed their first innings at 67/4, with veteran Steve Smith and Beau Webster at the crease, and added crucial runs to stabilize the innings.
Facing a fired-up South African bowling attack, the pair showed composure and built a vital 79-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Their stand came to an end in the 42nd over when part-time spinner Aiden Markram induced a thick edge from Smith, which was eventually held by Marco Jansen after a couple of attempts.
Smith departed after a well-crafted 66 off 112 balls, including 10 boundaries.
After his dismissal, Webster teamed up with wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and the duo resisted South Africa’s charge with a gritty partnership, helping Australia navigate a tense second session without further loss.
Webster and Carey had added 44 runs to their sixth-wicket partnership until the conclusion of the second session.
At the Tea, Webster was unbeaten on 55, while Carey had mustered 22 off just 29 deliveries.
For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen have picked up two wickets each, while Markram chipped in with one scalp.
After being asked to bat first, Australia struggled to find their rhythm, failing to score a single run in the first three overs of the match.
Usman Khawaja succumbed to the pressure early and was the first to fall, dismissed by Kagiso Rabada for a 20-ball duck, leaving the team at 12-1 in 6.3 overs.
In the same over, Cameron Green, who managed just four runs off a boundary, was also sent back by Rabada, increasing the pressure on Australia at 16-2 in seven overs.
Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith tried to steady the innings, building a brief 30-run partnership to ease the early tension.
However, they couldn’t sustain the momentum, as Marco Jansen claimed his first wicket by removing Labuschagne for 17 off 56 balls, reducing Australia to 46-3 in 18 overs.
Smith and Travis Head then took charge, finding the boundary regularly and stabilising the innings as they guided the team safely to the lunch break.
Australia lost their fourth wicket before lunch on day one with the dismissal of Travis Head, who scored 11 off 13 balls, to Marco Jansen, who claimed his second wicket.
For those unfamiliar, Australia and South Africa have met 101 times in Test cricket. Australia holds the edge in their head-to-head record with 54 victories, while South Africa has won 26 matches. The remaining 21 encounters have ended in draws.
Australia Playing XI
Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa Playing XI
Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
