Rabada reflects on action-packed opening day and passing Allan Donald's wickets tally
Kagiso Rabada warned Australia 'there is still a lot of cricket to be played' as he backed his South Africa side to come out fighting on day two of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025.
Rabada took five for 51 on the opening day to etch his name on to the Lord's honours board for a second time and help dismiss Australia for 212, moving above Allan Donald into fourth on South Africa's all-time list of Test wicket takers in the process.
But Australia's own battery of seamers showed their mettle yet again in the evening session, reducing the Proteas to 43 for four to hold the early advantage.
South Africa let the holders off the hook at times – not least when they failed to use a referral for a Rabada delivery which struck Beau Webster on the pad when the all-rounder had eight. He went on to make a top score with 72 and help Australia to a score the seamer felt was over-par.
'(Bowling them out for) 212, you would take that,' he said. 'We thought 160 is what we should have had them at but that's just the way the game goes.
'At 40 for four, it's not the start we were looking for but there is still a lot of cricket to be played in this Test match so we just have to keep going for it. With this ball getting older, hopefully we can score some runs.
'Corbin Bosch came to fine leg and said it (Webster appeal) was out. I was like 'oh man'.
'It was a bit annoying. He didn't start too well and looked like he was going to get out any ball but his positive intent got him through.
'Cricket is a funny game and sometimes that is the way the cookie crumbles.'
Rabada set the tone with the ball for South Africa after they won the toss and batted, taking the twin scalps of Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in his fourth over.
He wrapped up the innings in a superb spell after tea, knocking over Australia captain Pat Cummins with a beauty before having Webster caught at slip and clean bowling Nathan Lyon to complete his 17th Test five-for and take his overall tally of wickets to 332.
The three men above him on South Africa's all-time list – Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock and Dale Steyn – represent something of a Mount Rushmore of seam bowling and Rabada admitted he is pinching himself at being in their company.
'It's honestly very simple, I sound like a stuck record but all you do is try and improve and win games for South Africa,' he said.
'As a player, growing up and representing South Africa, I have been inspired by those who have come before and seen what they have done on the big stage.
'As a kid, I was inspired to wanting to do the same thing. To be in that list is something special and long may it continue.'
Rabada's build-up to the game was dominated by off-field issues, with the paceman banned for a month after testing positive for a recreational drug.
He insisted he didn't arrive at Lord's feeling like he had a point to prove but is enjoying doing his talking on the field.
'It wasn't my best moment, as I have alluded to, but life moves on,' he said.
'Every game I play for South Africa, I try and do my best. didn't try and give any more or less than I usually do in all the games I play for South Africa. That's all I tried to do today.
'It's Test cricket, there are always nerves. Dealing with it is understanding the bottom line.
'If you are a bowler, that's line and length, if you're a batter, keeping the good ball out and scoring off balls that are not quite there. Everything else is just noise.'
ENDS
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