A riveting day of test cricket delivered almost everything on the wish-list for the first day of the Worls Test Championship final at Lord’s on Wednesday – except, perhaps, a century.
Kagiso Rabada claimed 5-51 to spearhead Australia’s dismissal for just 212 but Mitchell Starc (2-10) grabbed two quick wickets to reduce South Africa to 43-4 in reply to reclaim the advantage.
“Bowling them out for 212, you would take that,” Rabada said afterwards. “We thought 160 is what we should have had them at but that’s just the way the game goes.
“At 43 for four, it’s not the start we were looking for but there is still a lot of cricket to be played in this test match so we just have to keep going for it. With this ball getting older, hopefully we can score some runs,” Rabada said.
KG brought his very best to Lord's on Day One 🤩🔥#SSCricket | #WTC25 pic.twitter.com/jtxd3Fs3fV
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 11, 2025
Steve Smith, who scored 66 and added 79 for the fifth wicket with Beau Webster (72) to help Australia recover from 67-4 at lunch to 190-5 at tea, admitted that a turning point in the day’s play came when South Africa did not review an lbw decision against Webster, against Rabada, on just eight because they thought he had inside-edged the ball.
Television replays showed there was no contact with the bat and that it would have been plumb.
“Corbin Bosch came to fine leg and said it was out. I was like ‘oh man’. It was a bit annoying. He didn’t start too well and looked like he was going to get out any ball but his positive intent got him through. Cricket is a funny game and sometimes that is the way the cookie crumbles.”
On a personal level Rabada’s wicket tally moved from 327 to 332 overtaking Allan Donald’s career tally of 330 and moved him into fourth place on his country’s all-time list behind just Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock and Dale Steyn, who tops the list with 439.
𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐘 🇿🇦🙌
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 11, 2025
Rabada overtakes Donald to become the @ProteasMenCSA's fourth highest wicket-taker in Test cricket 👏👏
📺 Stream #WTC25 on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/cGEQw8MJHd
“As a player, growing up and representing South Africa, I have been inspired by those who have come before and seen what they have done on the big stage. As a kid, I was inspired by wanting to do the same thing. To be in that list is something special and long may it continue.”
Rabada’s build-up to the game was obfuscated by his one-month ban for recreational drug-use but was adamant that the fall-out from that did not provide ‘added inspiration’ for the opening day.
“It wasn’t my best moment, as I have alluded to, but life moves on,” he said.
“Every game I play for South Africa, I try and do my best. I didn’t try and give any more or less than I usually do in all the games I play for South Africa. That’s all I tried to do today.”