In the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, Australia and South Africa continued to trade blows, mostly through their pacemen, after a 14-wicket first day and another 14-wicket day. South Africa began the post-lunch session at 121/5, but their first innings was quickly overtaken by Pat Cummins’s blazing spell (6-18), as they were bowled out for 138. After Australia took a 74-run advantage, South Africa put up a fierce fight, reducing them to 73/7 thanks to a brilliant bowling display from Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. However, Australia closed the day at 144/8, led by 218 thanks to a counterattacking 43 from Alex Carey and a strong 61-run eighth-wicket partnership from Mitchell Starc.
South Africa lost a review going upstairs for a caught-behind decision when Usman Khawaja missed a pull off Jansen, but Marnus Labuschagne got Australia off to a steady start in their second innings, pushing the lead closer to the 100-run mark after South Africa folded quickly in the second session. Rabada restored South Africa’s hopes by dismissing Khawaja and Cameron Green in the same over, with the left-hander edging to the ‘keeper and the right-hander giving a catch to third slip just before the tea break. The lead had grown to three figures.
Even though Ngidi didn’t seem to be playing at his best, Labuschagne and Steve Smith started to rebuild in the last session, but it wasn’t easy to get runs since the South African pacers kept it close. Before Labuschagne was lured into a drive by Jansen and edged it to the ‘keeper, the third wicket duo added just sixteen. South Africa then used the DRS to obtain the ruling in their favor when Ngidi trapped Smith lbw. Australia lost a review when the bowler, buoyed by the wicket, struck again, getting Beau Webster leg-before. Travis Head was bowled by Wiaan Mulder with a jagged back-in, making it 66/6.
When Ngidi believed he had Carey in front, but replays showed the ball was heading over the stumps, South Africa lost a review. In the same over, Cummins smashed a boundary, but the Australia captain was knocked down by Ngidi. Both Carey and Starc had a few close calls, but they were all unable to go past Aiden Markram at second slip. As Australia gained some vital runs, Jansen overstepped a few times and Rabada came back on the attack, hitting Carey for a couple of boundaries. Jansen gave Carey the lbw, but he successfully reviewed, and replays revealed an inside edge. With Starc supporting Carey well with his strike rotation, Australia managed to push their lead above 180 runs in an 11-run over.
Verreynne laid down a hard opportunity, but the ball died when Rabada found the edge of Starc’s bat. A short while later, the lead surpassed 200 after Carey hit a four in the same over to raise the half-century stand. Rabada pulled one back into Carey to trap him in front, ending his excellent innings. However, Rabada seemed to be having some difficulty as the day came to a close. In the final over of the day, Jansen threw down Starc at gully, although Mulder had a chance to take the ninth wicket.
Earlier, following a brief weather delay, the action-packed second session began. The alliance between David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne was brief because the latter was out lbw to Cummins. After colliding with the wicketkeeper-batter, the Australian captain hurriedly jumped up and went for a review, and his choice was sound. After Marco Jansen returned a catch to the bowler, Cummins took another wicket in the same over. He then became the first skipper to take a fifer at Lord’s since Daniel Vettori in 2008, when he got Bedingham to nick behind for 45. Rabada was hit by a short delivery from Cummins, who took his 300th wicket in Test cricket, while Keshav Maharaj was run out shortly after.
Temba Bavuma dealt in consistent boundaries throughout the morning session, looking much more assured than she had the night before. To the batter’s astonishment and relief, he utilized the DRS to have the onfield decision overturned after Josh Hazlewood had ruled him out lbw. Replays showed that he had an inside edge. As South Africa made strong headway and didn’t lose a wicket before the first drinks break, Bavuma also had the confidence to go skyward a few times during the first hour, including a commanding six off a chest-high delivery from Cummins. Overshadowed by Bavuma’s intent-filled batting, Bedingham started to play some strokes as well, but the 64-run partnership ended in a Cummins over when Labuschagne made a fantastic diving grab that put Bavuma out before lunch. South Africa was steadied by Bedingham and Verreynne, but they later lost their course.
Brief scores: Australia 212 & 144/8 (Alex Carey 43, Marnus Labuschagne 22; Lungi Ngidi 3-35, Kagiso Rabada 3-44) lead South Africa 138 (David Bedingham 45, Temba Bavuma 36; Pat Cummins 6-28, Mitchell Starc 2-41) by 218 runs.
