Australia maintained their advantage in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s on Thursday, led by captain Pat Cummins’s exceptional bowling performance and Alex Carey’s crucial 43 runs. Despite a dramatic collapse that saw Australia reduced to 73-7 in their second innings, they ended the day at 144-8, establishing a substantial lead of 218 runs.Pat Cummins delivered a remarkable spell, taking four wickets for just one run as South Africa were bowled out for 138 in response to Australia’s first-innings total of 212. Cummins finished with impressive figures of 6-28, reaching the milestone of 300 Test wickets.The second day witnessed a flurry of wickets, with 28 dismissals across both teams on a pitch that offered some assistance to fast bowlers but remained playable. The match, originally scheduled for five days, could potentially conclude before the third day’s end. Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi led South Africa’s bowling attack in Australia’s second innings. Rabada, who had already claimed 5-51 in the first innings, continued his strong performance with 3-44, while Ngidi contributed with 3-35.
South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham provided the only substantial resistance during their first innings, sharing a fifth-wicket partnership of 64 runs. Bavuma scored 36 while Bedingham contributed 45.The Australian collapse began when Rabada dismissed Usman Khawaja for six and Cameron Green for a duck in the 11th over. Green’s brief appearance resulted in just four runs from five balls across both innings. Marnus Labuschagne, in his debut as a Test opener, was caught behind for 22 off Marco Jansen. Beau Webster, who had top-scored with 72 in Australia’s first innings, fell lbw to Ngidi, reducing Australia to 48-4.
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The situation worsened for Australia when Cummins was bowled by Ngidi’s yorker, leaving them at 73-7. However, Carey and Mitchell Starc mounted a recovery, sharing an eighth-wicket partnership of 61 runs before Carey was dismissed lbw by Rabada. The day’s final over saw a missed opportunity when Jansen dropped Starc, then on 14, off Wiaan Mulder’s bowling. Starc remained unbeaten on 16 at stumps.Cummins’s outstanding bowling performance earned him a place on the Lord’s honours board. His reception was notably different from two years ago when he faced boos following a controversial stumping incident involving Carey and Jonny Bairstow during an Ashes Test.The match remains poised with Australia on the front foot, holding a 218-run lead with two wickets remaining in their second innings.
