Lungi Ngidi lights up gloomy Lord's to provide Proteas with glimmer of hope in World Test Championship final
Lungi Ngidi was sensational for the Proteas on the Day 2 of the WTC Final at Lord's. Picture: AFP
Image: Picture: AFP
LONDON: The entire motivation behind the World Test Championship is for the values of the five-day game to be preserved and cherished.
In its purest form that means highly skilled bowlers and batters constantly testing each other. It is understood that without one the other will cease to exist.
Tell that to the capacity crowds that have been utterly enthralled on two consecutive days of this pulsating World Test Championship Final that is stuck in overdrive.
Fourteen wickets fell on Wednesday's opening day. It was perfectly matched on Thursday.
But it was the five that fell between tea and drinks in 14 intoxicating overs that was spellbinding.
As the day's play winds down, Lungi Ngidi's impressive spell of 3 for 35 has shifted the momentum in South Africa's favour. 🔥🇿🇦
The Proteas have dominated the final session on Day 2 with the ball, making crucial breakthroughs and tightening their grip on the contest. 👏🏏
🇦🇺… pic.twitter.com/bjQBvQx6K2 — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 12, 2025
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Ridiculed from all quarters for his listless performance in the first innings, Lungi Ngidi rose like a phoenix from the ashes in the gloom of St John's Wood. With the floodlights bearing down from above the pavilions, the famed old ground was transformed into a gladiatorial-like coliseum.
Australia had moved seemingly into a comfortable position at 32/2 - beefed up by a 74-run lead after earlier sending the Proteas crashing to 138 all out - with two of their most senior batters Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith at the crease.
Enter Ngidi. His fast bowling partner Kagiso Rabada, who had worked his way up the list of South Africa's greatest fast bowlers list with a second five-wicket haul on Monday, had offered the sage advice on Monday evening that Ngidi should shake off his opening disappointment by having 'a good night's sleep, a nice steak, a nice milkshake, watch a movie and come back tomorrow.'
Whether Ngidi indeed had the milkshake and steak is yet to be confirmed, but he certainly was a different beast that charged in from the Nursery End for nine consecutive overs.
Considering Ngidi has played just two Tests in this entire WTC cycle, and had to endure Proteas pace legend Dale Steyn tweeting that his run-up 'needs serious work' and that it was in fact 'pedestrian', it was a phenomenal comeback story that yielded three crucial wickets.
Ngidi certainly seized his moment, which was kickstarted by the dismissal of Australia's premier batter Steve Smith. It required the umpire's initial LBW decision to be overturned upon review, but the magnitude of the wicket was not lost on Ngidi and the Proteas.
Australia extend their lead past 200 despite South Africa's strikes to leave the #WTC25 Final evenly poised 🔥#SAvAUS
How the game panned out today ➡️ https://t.co/BZICeC71OJ pic.twitter.com/gDRMdPhH6V — ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2025
Marnus Labuschagne had already fallen to Marco Jansen for the second time in the match, which allowed Temba Bavuma's men to believe that they found a way back into this WTC final.
Ngidi's two further strikes, trapping Beau Webster in front and yorking Pat Cummins, certainly fuelled the belief even further as Australia slumped to 73/7 with an overall lead of just 147 with only three wickets remaining.
Australia's rapid capitulation had the Mount and Tavern Stands in raptures with the majority South African support finding their voices again after being silenced during the afternoon session when Pat Cummins had done a wrecking job on the Proteas middle-to-lower order.
Independent Media's Zaahier Adams will be at Lord's for the World Test Championship bringing you all the news, videos and podcasts. Picture: Independent Media
Image: Independent Media
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