A second successive 14-wicket day left the final of the World Test Championship fascinatingly poised with Australia on 144-8 in their second innings at Lord’s on Thursday, leading by 218 runs but far from certain of retaining their WTC title on the third and what will almost certainly be the final day on Friday.
A special day of Test cricket.
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 12, 2025
See you tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/gOgxQIywAt
Pat Cummins claimed an extraordinary 6-28 to spearhead South Africa’s implosion to 138 all out shortly after lunch before South Africa hit back yet again to reduce Australia to 73-7 which, even with a generous first-innings lead of 74, left them just 147 runs ahead with South Africa looking favourites.
But the twists and turns of test cricket resulted in another dramatic shift in fortunes with wicketkeeper Alex Carey (43) and fast bowler Mitchell Starc (16*) adding a potentially crucial 61 for the eighth wicket to push Australia's lead over 200.
A remarkable middle session saw seven wickets fall for the addition of just 49 runs as South Africa lost 5-17 to collapse from 126-5 to 138 all out before Kagiso Rabada (2-15) removed both Usman Khawaja (6) and Cameron Green (0) within three balls, both caught in the cordon.
Kagiso Rabada, you beauty!!! 🇿🇦🔥!!
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 12, 2025
Khawaja and Green in the same over in the first innings, rinse and repeat in the second innings 💪.
AUS 28/2 after 10.4 overs.#WTCFinal #WozaNawe #ProteasWTCFinal pic.twitter.com/iWvC2iTUJ6
The wickets continued to tumble after the tea break with Marnus Labuschagne (22) edging Marco Jansen to ‘keeper Kyle Verreynne before a revitalised Lungi Ngidi, listless in the first innings, grabbed three of the next four starting with the prized scalp of Steve Smith, trapped lbw for 13.
The ever-dangerous Travis Head (9) was bowled off his pads by a fired-up Wiaan Mulder (6-0-14-1) and Ngidi (3-35), in the midst of an unprecedented nine-over spell, had Beau Webster (9) lbw and Cummins (6) bowled in consecutive overs to leave the innings in disarray at 73-7.
The best of Lungi Ngidi in isiXhosa 😏🎙️🇿🇦#WTC25 | #SSCricket pic.twitter.com/jAjXVWpAGv
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 12, 2025
Carey batted with enormous skill in the knowledge that the result of the match could be at stake, choosing his moments to attack for five boundaries but was mostly content to accumulate singles and trust Starc’s defence.
He was given out lbw on 19 against Marco Jansen but successfully reviewed before Rabada trapped him lbw shortly before the close.
South Africa could have been just one wicket away from beginning the fourth innings run-chase but Starc’s thick edge against Mulder in the final over of the day was spilt by Jansen at gully.
It was the first catch South Africa had dropped in the match and almost the first blemish of any sort in the field – barring an unforgivable 19 no-balls across the two innings.
CUMMINS DASH SA HOPES
Earlier captain Temba Bavuma (36) and David Bedingham (45) added 64 for the fifth wicket to threaten a revival for the Proteas after starting the day on 43-4.
Having taken 31 balls to score his first run on the first evening Bavuma was finally able to rotate the strike but also played a couple of spanking cover drives against the fearsome Starc (2-41) before the shot of the session, a remarkable pulled six against Cummins.
Bavuma appeared to enjoy a considerable slice of good fortune on 17 when he was given out lbw against Josh Hazlewood.
The batsman waited until the last second – literally – before deciding to review the decision and was as surprised as anyone when the DRS television replay showed the faintest of contact with the bat and the decision was reversed.
Bedingham’s forte was the straight drive which he played impressively for boundaries against both Starc and Hazlewood but otherwise was content to absorb pressure and wait patiently for scoring opportunities while gathering singles wherever he could.
Bavuma’s innings ended when he failed to keep another cover drive on the ground and Marnus Labuschagne with a fine diving catch at extra cover.
His 36 came from 84 balls with four fours and the six while the introduction of allrounder Webster (3-0-20-0) into the attack shortly before lunch provided some desperately needed respite for Bedingham who took advantage with two driven boundaries on the offside.
But hopes of coming close to Australia’s total of 212 were quickly dashed by the brilliant fast bowling of Cummins.
Onto the Honours Board for the first time! pic.twitter.com/WOD8QzMIwF
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 12, 2025
South Africa will already need to make the highest score of a low-scoring test to become champions but the pitch, by common consent, is far from ‘unplayable’ and the underdogs will believe they can chase anything under 250.
SOUTH AFRICA: Temba Bavuma (capt), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
AUSTRALIA: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.