New Delhi: South Africa drew first blood in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final against Australia as Kagiso Rabada’s double strike with the new ball rattled the defending champions in the first hour of Day 1 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Returning to international cricket, after serving a one-month ban for testing positive for a recreational drug, Rabada struck twice in his fourth over to take the pressure off Temba Bavuma’s decision to bowl first in overcast conditions.
Proteas were rewarded in the seventh after their new-ball pair of Rabada and Marco Jansen applied sustained pressure on Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne.
Rabada puts Australia on back foot
Khawaja paid the price for being overcautious and was dismissed for a 20-ball duck when he edged a straight delivery to the first slip. David Bedingham took a neat catch as Proteas erupted with joy after drawing first blood in arguably the biggest match of their career.
Khawaja’s exit brought Cameroon Green to the crease, and the towering all-rounder started with a boundary through fine leg after Rabada erred in line to the right-hander.
However, the Proteas fast bowler had the last laugh. Rabada was rewarded for consistently bowling in the corridor of uncertainty and induced a second edge in the space of three deliveries. His accurate bowling was supported by some fabulous catching in the slip cordon, with Aiden Markram making a tough low catch look easy.
The two quick wickets put Australia on the back foot early in the contest.
Earlier, South Africa skipper Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl first in the final of the ICC’s showpiece red-ball event at the iconic Lord’s stadium.
Australia have decided to play with a new top order by pushing up Labuschagne to open in a Test for the first time, and placing Cameron Green at No. 3. Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood replaced Scott Boland in the pace attack.
The Proteas, looking to win their maiden ICC title, brought back Lungi Ngidi as the third seamer.
Lineups:
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (C), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
WTC Final: Kagiso Rabada, who is returning to international cricket, after serving a one-month ban for testing positive for a recreational drug struck twice in the seventh over to rattle the Australian top-order. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
