WTC final on knife's edge after Cummins' 6-wkt burst
London, June 12 (UNI) The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord's remains tantalisingly poised a
fter an action-packed second day that saw bowlers dominate, with both Pat Cummins and Kagiso Rabada putting on masterclasses for their respective sides.
Australia skipper Cummins delivered a sensational spell of 6/28 — the best figures by a Test captain at Lord's — to bowl out South Africa for a paltry 138 in reply to Australia's first-innings 212, giving his side a 74-run lead. Cummins' performance marked his 14th five-wicket haul and moved him to joint-second for most five-fors as a Test captain, alongside legends like Bishan Singh Bedi.
But just when it seemed Australia had seized control of the final, the South Africa pace attack, led by Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, stormed back into the contest. Rabada and Ngidi shared six wickets between them as Australia collapsed to 144/8 in their second innings by stumps, with only Mitchell Starc (16*) and Nathan Lyon (1*) remaining at the crease.
With a slender lead of 218 and just two wickets in hand, the Australians will hope their tail can stretch the advantage further on Day 3, even as the Proteas eye a manageable chase to claim the WTC mace.
The morning session began with a flurry as South Africa captain Temba Bavuma (36) briefly counter-attacked with flair, including a six off Cummins, before Marnus Labuschagne's spectacular diving catch turned the tide. David Bedingham (45) offered resistance, but Cummins' relentless precision dismantled the rest of the batting order. Only two other Proteas reached double digits.
In Australia's second innings, Rabada was again at his ruthless best, removing Usman Khawaja (6) and Cameron Green (0) in quick succession. Marco Jansen got Labuschagne (22) caught behind, while Ngidi snared the key wicket of Steve Smith (13). Travis Head (9) and Alex Carey (41) tried to rally, but wickets continued to tumble under sustained pressure from the South African seamers.
Carey's late resistance with Starc kept Australia afloat, ensuring the final remains in the balance heading into a pivotal third day. With both sides locked in a battle of attrition, the WTC Final is shaping up to be a classic.
The match concludes a riveting WTC cycle — South Africa having stormed into the final after winning seven consecutive Tests, and Australia aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the championship's inception in 2019.
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Indian Express
40 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Despite sore hamstring, captain Temba Bavuma keeps his end of bargain in WTC final
The South African pair Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram watched on curiously when the umpires changed the ball after constant imploring from the Australian fielders. The ball-change was perhaps the last ray of hope for the defending champions, living on the edge, their crown shaking. Often in these shores, a change of ball could result in change of fortune. Not this evening though, as Bavuma and Markram clung on tenaciously to guide them to 213 for 2 at stumps, just 69 runs short of scripting the most famous moment in their country's cricket. Except that they cannot take the victory for granted and relax in the morning. It's touching distance, yet distant. The Australians are heist-artistes, and the history of these grand two cricketing nations would offer lessons of caution and premature celebrations. On Saturday, the clouds could acquire a menacing tone and connive with Australia's deathly seam-bowling triumvirate. But Friday was bright and sunny, and South Africa batted without much ado. Lateral movement was negligible, the ball lost its shine and sting fast and purposeful South African batsmen batted gleefully, motoring along with a steady clip of boundaries. Classy from the captain! ✨ Bavuma shows the way with a cracking straight drive – pure leadership on display! 💪 LIVE NOW 👉 | #SAvAUS | Day 3, LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 13, 2025 If Markram was the axis, Bavuma was thumping heart, the embodiment of their grit and fight. Their unbroken 143-stand could be the most valuable partnership in their history, a coming-of-age moment after several heartbreaks. It was as much about the individuals as the team's collective spirit. The target of 282 was daunting, even if the conditions were more benevolent than it was on the first two days. There was the pressure of the final and the burden of the past, the fearsome Australian bowlers and the wicked ways of fate. But nothing mattered to Bavuma's men. 'The chase took away the fear of failure,' observed Wiaan Mulder, whose steely 61-run association with Markram was as important as the Bavuma-Markram stand in the broader context of the game. Fear of failure has scripted several South African meltdowns. Not this time. Not when they started the chase of what could be the second highest successful run-chase on the hallowed turf positively, not when they lost Ryan Rickleton with the score on nine via a sublime piece of Starc's trickery, and not when Australia last pair combined 59 runs for the last wicket to reawaken the old ghosts of squandering advantageous positions. But this was a South African brigade willing to tear the old chapters. The plaudits would be showered on Markram, for his breathtaking strokes and unwavering composure. But Bavuma's 65 from 121 balls was equally paramount in the context. He batted through crushing physical pain after pulling a hamstring during the 22nd overs. He grimaced when he ran, turned down otherwise straightforward opportunities to run doubles or triples, slumped to the ground during breaks, writhed in pain at times. But he would not surrender. He would not retire hurt, he would not throw his wicket away, but channelled all his energy into facing the next ball as practically as he could. Skipper leads the charge! #TembaBavuma isn't just chasing a target, he's chasing history for #SouthAfrica. LIVE NOW 👉 | #SAvAUS | Day 3, LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 13, 2025 The injury did not shackle him. He executed several gorgeous strokes, none more delectable than the straight drive off Pat Cummins in the 33rd over. Apart from the edge Steve Smith dropped at an advanced first slip, as edges had been recurrently falling short of the slips-men, when he was on two, he was flawless. His judiciousness was exemplary as he resisted the impulses to attack wantonly. Neither did he retreat into a shell of negativity. He and Markram took the pitch out of the equation. The surface was bereft of the moisture it had on the first two days, thanks to the blazing sun. But it was slow, some deliveries stopped like the one from Starc that consumed Wiaan Mulder. The odd ball leapt off the surface, Nathan Lyon turned one square. But they kept every strain of negativity from their minds, committed fully to the cause of winning the game. Starc and Co would return for one last tilt, pouring every ounce of their sweat and skill, at redirecting the game's destiny on Saturday morning. Bavuma and Markram would be more than aware of the game's fickle manners, and there are 69 runs more runs between them and the promised land. It could be a stroll, or a stutter.
India.com
41 minutes ago
- India.com
WTC Final: Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma Take South Africa Closer To Championship Glory
Aiden Markram stepped up when it mattered the most by hitting a magnificent 102 not out, taking South Africa within 69 runs of a historic triumph in the ICC World Test Championship after ending the third day's play at 213/2 in 56 overs in the final being played at the Lord's here on Friday. After Australia's second innings ended at 207, and that put South Africa on a chase of 282, Mitchell Starc struck by taking two early wickets. But Markram was pristine in his shot selection and with conditions being the best for batting, the right-handed batter was rock solid in slamming his eighth Test century off 156 deliveries in the fag end of the day. He also stitched an unbroken 143-run stand for the third wicket with skipper Temba Bavuma, who hit 65 not out off 121 balls, despite tweaking his left hamstring and hobbling to complete his runs before the tea break. With Markram and Bavuma showing poise, precision, and authority in amassing runs while complementing each other, the duo have ensured that South Africa are on the cusp of a very special cricketing achievement on day four. Australia, the defending champions, will need something extraordinary on day four if they are to become the first side to retain their World Test Championship title. In the morning, Starc, who was dropped on 14 in the final over of day two's play, was at his resolute best to take the lead past 280, while sharing a 59-run last-wicket partnership with an equally solid Josh Hazlewood. For South Africa, who bowled 22 extras, including 10 no-balls, Kagiso Rabada picked 4-59 while Lungi Ngidi returned with figures of 3-38. Resuming day three from 144/8, Rabada struck by trapping Nathan Lyon lbw, with the ball tracking showing the ball would hit the top of the leg stump. Starc and Hazlewood were largely untroubled by South Africa's pacers, as they didn't get sideways movement. The duo getting four quick boundaries meant Australia's lead went past 250. It was a partnership in which Starc was the aggressor while Hazlewood firmly held one end up, as the duo put on the highest tenth-wicket partnership for any team in a men's ICC championship final. Starc then got his 11th Test fifty in the 64th over by flashing at one outside off-stump from Marco Jansen and got a streaky boundary, which also brought up Australia's 200 as well. South Africa's frustrating time on the field ended when Hazlewood punched off the back foot to a wide one from Aiden Markram and was caught by cover, as the tenth-wicket stand was worth a whopping 59 runs coming off batting out 22.2 overs before lunch interval came. Just like the first innings, Starc struck early by swinging one away from Ryan Rickelton, who tried to drive through cover, but he could only nick behind to Alex Carey. With Markram oozing confidence through his shots in covers and point, Wiaan Mulder was great on the cut, punch, and pull. Though Lyon managed to nearly castle Mulder through the gate, the all-rounder firmly latched on to an overpitched delivery to pick a boundary and raise South Africa's hopes of chasing an improbable total. But Starc delivered another breakthrough for Australia by coming from around the wicket and forcing Mulder to hit straight to Marnus Labuschagne at cover, who grabbed a good, low catch. The pacer could have got Bavuma in the 20th over when the South African skipper was squared up and the ball flew to Steve Smith at wide first slip. But Smith couldn't grab the catch and was left in pain. With a whisper of possible finger dislocation, Smith headed straight off the field, with Sam Konstas coming as a substitute fielder before South Africa ended a good second session with fear around whether Bavuma would run freely. With Smith sent to the hospital for an X-ray after suffering a compound dislocation in his right little finger, Markram raised his fifty off 69 balls in the final session and soon brought up the fifty of his partnership with Bavuma, who hobbled on to take singles which were on offer due to lack of proactive fields. With boundaries flowing off Markram's bat and Bavuma also chipping in with some drives, it meant there was no stopping South Africa, as the South African skipper brought up his 29th Test fifty in 83 balls. Markram continued to be pristine by punching Nathan Lyon, dabbing late off Beau Webster, and unfurled a beautiful straight drive off Hazlewood. With the South African crowd chanting his name, Markram got his century by flicking Hazlewood through mid-wicket, and the crowd cheered for him, which included his wife Nicole and legendary batter AB de Villiers in attendance, as day three did turn out to be the moving day of the clash.
NDTV
42 minutes ago
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Brilliant Aiden Markram Takes South Africa To Brink Of WTC Final Glory
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