Intense Day 1 of WTC Final 2025: South Africa vs Australia Highlights
Day 1 Recap of the WTC Final 2025
The opening day of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 featured a gripping contest between the pace bowlers of South Africa and Australia at Lord's on June 11. Australia, after being bowled out for 211, managed to restrict South Africa to 43 runs for the loss of 4 wickets by the end of the day.
The match is poised for an exciting continuation as both teams showcased their bowling prowess, leaving the outcome uncertain heading into Day 2.
Here are five significant takeaways from the first day of this thrilling encounter.
South Africa's Bowling Dominance
Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen led South Africa's bowling attack, making early breakthroughs against Australia's batting lineup. Rabada struck first, dismissing opener Usman Khawaja for a duck in just the seventh over. He followed this by taking out Cameron Green for 4 runs, leaving Australia in a precarious position at 16/2.
Jansen contributed by removing Marnus Labuschagne for 17 and Travis Head for 13, leaving Australia at 67/4 after the first session.
Steve Smith's Resilience
Steve Smith proved to be a cornerstone for Australia, stepping in at a challenging moment with the score at 16/2. He played a determined innings, scoring 66 runs off 112 balls and forming a vital 79-run partnership with Beau Webster for the fifth wicket before being dismissed by Aiden Markram. This performance elevated Smith to the status of the highest run-scorer by an overseas batter at Lord's, with a total of 591 runs in 10 innings.
Beau Webster's Key Contributions
Beau Webster also played a crucial role, scoring 72 runs off 92 balls, which included 11 boundaries. His innings helped Australia surpass the 200-run mark after a shaky start. Notably, he survived a close LBW call when South Africa opted not to review a decision that later showed he would have been out.
Kagiso Rabada's Five-Wicket Haul
Rabada's exceptional bowling performance saw him claim 5 wickets for 51 runs in 15.4 overs, marking him as the second bowler to achieve a five-wicket haul in a WTC Final. This achievement also placed him among the top South African bowlers at Lord's, surpassing Allan Donald's record with a total of 332 Test wickets.
Australia's Bowling Response
Australia's pace attack, led by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, responded effectively. Starc dismissed Aiden Markram for a duck in the first over and later took out Ryan Rickelton for 16. Cummins and Hazlewood continued the pressure, leaving South Africa struggling at 30/4 by the end of the day.