Rabada's early double strike rocks Australia in WTC final
Rabada, 30, who has more than 300 Test wickets, is playing his first Test after serving a one-month ban for cocaine use earlier this year.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma opted to field in overcast conditions in London that promised to favour his quicks after winning the toss and his decision paid early dividends.
Opener Usman Khawaja fell for a 20-ball duck in the seventh over, edging behind to David Bedingham at first slip.
And 12-1 became 16-2 when new batsman Cameron Green edged Rabada low to second slip, where Aiden Markram held a brilliant diving catch under the glare of the Lord's floodlights.
The dismissal of Green brought Steve Smith to the wicket.
South Africa are aiming to win their first major trophy since lifting the ICC Knockout, a forerunner of the Champions Trophy, in 1998.
The top-ranked Australians, who beat India in the 2023 WTC final, have won multiple white-ball trophies.
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France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Prince says Bavuma set for 'defining moment' as South Africa eye WTC final triumph
Aiden Markram led the way with an unbeaten century but the opener received superb support from the hobbling Bavuma, 65 not out despite suffering a hamstring strain early in his innings. Their unbroken stand of 143 guided South Africa to 213-2 against Australia at the close of Friday's third day, with the Proteas now needing just 69 more runs to reach a victory target of 282. "It was a big call because of how it could affect Temba's stroke-play and Aiden's rhythm, but both were adamant that he must continue," said Prince of the decision to let Bavuma bat on rather than retire hurt. Bavuma has faced more than the usual amount of scrutiny after his 2014 debut meant he become the first black African batsman to represent the Proteas in Test cricket. But Prince said the 35-year-old had shown his leadership qualities by battling on through the pain barrier on Friday. "Temba has had to fight throughout his career but this could be his defining moment." Prince, himself a former South Africa batsman, added team management always had faith in the ability of the stylish Markram, out for a duck in the first innings. "He's someone for the big occasion," he said. "We know what he's capable of." 'Not done yet' South Africa have suffered decades of disappointment in one-day international and T20 World Cups. But they are now in sight of winning a first major final since triumphing at the 1998 ICC Knockout, the forerunner of the Champions Trophy. "For us, the most important thing is to stay in the moment," insisted Prince. "It's not done yet." Earlier, South Africa struggled to take Australia's final wicket as the WTC title-holders built what seemed a significant lead. But Prince said South Africa took some comfort from the way Mitchell Starc (58 not out) and Josh Hazlewood (17) held firm until shortly before lunch on Friday on an increasingly good surface for batting compared to the one where 28 wickets fell on the first two days. "It was frustrating but we thought it might be something in our favour if their numbers nine, 10 and 11 could look pretty comfortable," said Prince. Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori said Markram had been "exceptional" on Friday, although the former New Zealand captain noted how conditions had changed markedly in northwest London as the sun beat down. "The wicket was pretty benign. The wicket is slow and the bounce is lower than we expected from previous matches here," said Vettori. "It has been difficult for scoring but South Africa made the most of the conditions and put the pressure back on us with critical partnerships, their running and their ability to dissect the field. "The hope for us is we that can get a wicket or two in the morning and see what it looks like but (taking) eight (wickets) for 70 is a real challenge."
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
Brilliant Markram takes South Africa to brink of WTC final glory
South Africa reached the close on the third day at Lord's on 213-2 in their second innings, needing just 69 runs to win, with eight wickets still standing. Opener Markram, dismissed for a duck in the first innings, was 102 not out and South Africa captain Temba Bavuma unbeaten on 65 despite spending most of his innings limping with a hamstring injury. The pair have shared an unbroken stand of 143 as South Africa pursue what will be, if they achieve it, the second-highest successful run chase in a Test at Lord's. The highest chase at the London ground is the 344-1, requiring 342, made by the West Indies against England in 1984. But South Africa, whose last International Cricket Council title came at the 1998 ICC Knockout, have such a long history of folding under pressure that their fans will take nothing for granted against serial winners and WTC title-holders Australia. "There was great joy in the changing room for Aiden's hundred and his partnership with Temba is right up there in the history of South African cricket, but the job is not yet done," Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince told the BBC. South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder said a change in approach had been key to the team's improved batting display on Friday following a meagre 138 all out in their first innings. "We had to go for it whatever they (Australia) got," he told Sky Sports. "There was a lot less fear of failure." South Africa will be desperate to get over the line. In 18 previous attempts in the one-day international and T20 world cups, they have only reached a solitary final -- at last year's T20 World Cup in Barbados, when they fell apart within sight of victory. Starc stars Australia's Mitchell Starc had starred earlier Friday with both bat and ball to put his team in charge and seemingly on their way to victory. The tailender made 58 not out in Australia's second-innings total of 207 and then, in his main role of left-arm fast bowler, dismissed Ryan Rickelton (six) and Mulder (27) to leave the Proteas 70-2. Starc almost had a third wicket when Bavuma got a thick edge only for Steve Smith, in a helmet at an advanced slip position, to drop a fast-travelling catch and leave the field with a finger injury. But with any early moisture in the surface long gone, conditions for batting at a sun-drenched Lord's were now as good as at any time in the match. Markram, aggressive from the outset, punched and pulled Australia captain Pat Cummins for well-struck fours. With Australia appearing to miss absent former captain Smith's tactical input, Bavuma produced the occasional gem of a shot, including a glorious drive down the ground off Cummins. Australia spinner Nathan Lyon almost dismissed both batsmen, with Markram aiming a booming drive at a sharply turning off-break, only to miss the ball completely before it also beat wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Bavuma had made 43 when a slog-sweep off Lyon just evaded a diving Sam Konstas at deep midwicket as the substitute fielder attempted to pull off a low catch, only for the ball to run away for four. Soon afterwards, the diminutive Bavuma, who has a history of hamstring trouble, completed a gritty 83-ball fifty. Markram went to 97 with a brilliant straight-driven boundary off Josh Hazlewood and, shortly before stumps, clipped the fast bowler through midwicket to complete his hundred with an 11th four in 156 balls faced. South Africa enjoyed an early breakthrough at the start of the day's play when paceman Kagiso Rabada had Lyon lbw to leave Australia 148-9 in their second innings. But tailender Starc, dropped by Marco Jansen late Thursday, kept the Proteas at bay, ably assisted by Hazlewood, while making the 11th fifty of his 97-Test career. Part-time spinner Markram eventually succeeded where the frontline bowlers had failed when Hazlewood holed out to end a 59-run partnership for the last wicket.
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Australia's Smith dislocates finger in WTC final
The batsman, fielding with a helmet, was standing in an unusually advanced slip position when he could not hold on to a fast-travelling edge from South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, who had only made two at the time. After on-field attention, Smith left the field -- evidently in pain -- with South Africa then 76-2 chasing 282 to win on the third day. A Cricket Australia statement said: "Steve Smith has suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger while fielding in the slip cordon during the ICC Men's World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's. "He was assessed by Australian team medical staff at the ground and taken to hospital for X-rays and further treatment." Smith has scored more than 10,000 Test runs at a superb average of more than 56. The 36-year-old former Australia captain made a valuable 66 in the WTC title-holders' first innings at Lord's.
