Starc makes 58 as Oz set SA 282 for victory
Mitchell Starc made a vital 58, his first Test fifty since 2019, as Australia set South Africa a challenging target of 282 to win the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final after making 207 in 65 overs of their second innings on day three at Lord's.
On a day where the sun shined bright and conditions eased out for batting, it meant 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. Starc was the aggressor in the partnership while Hazlewood firmly held one end up as the duo put on the highest tenth-wicket stand in any 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 went over the slip cordon to get a streaky boundary, which also brought up Australia's 200 as well, as South Africa's shoulders began to drop.
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, to give South Africa a daunting fourth innings total to chase.
Brief scores: Australia 212 and 207 in 65 overs (Mitchell Starc 58, Alex Carey 43; Kagiso Rabada 4-59, Lungi Ngidi 3-38) lead South Africa 138 in 57.1 overs by 218 runs.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
33 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Injured Steve Smith going with Australia to West Indies
LONDON (AP) — Star batter Steve Smith and his dislocated finger are going with Australia to the Caribbean. Smith doesn't need surgery on the compound dislocation to his right pinkie from the World Test Championship final at Lord's, captain Pat Cummins said on Saturday. But Smith's appearance in the three-test series against the West Indies starting on June 25 in Barbados remained a major doubt. "I'd say first test maybe unlikely and then go from there, but it's a bit early just to tell,' Cummins said. Smith became the highest non-English run-scorer in tests at Lord's and was hurt at a decisive moment in the final against South Africa on Friday. Standing at first slip and closer to the wickets than usual, his finger was smashed by an edge off South Africa captain Temba Bavuma and he dropped the catch. Bavuma was on 2 and went on to 66 in a match-winning stand with opener Aiden Markram, who scored 136. Smith's finger should heal in two weeks and he could play depending on his tolerance for wearing a splint. He has to wear the splint for eight weeks, which encompasses the entire series. Cummins was grateful that the West Indies tests — their opening series in the 2025-27 WTC cycle — mean they don't have long to lick their wounds after losing the final by five wickets inside four days. 'To make these finals, it's normally off the back of being really strong at home, but you've got to win some away series too,' Cummins said. "We've got a good chance to do that straight away. A three-test-match series out there, it means we're into some really important cricket. 'So, in some ways, it's good we get to dust ourselves off and turn around in a couple of weeks and start looking ahead to the next one. That's one of the good things about the World Test Championship, every test series and every test match feels like you're playing for something significant.' Cummins said they naturally want to be in the 2027 final but the makeup of what is an aging team has to be balanced between giving new talent a chance while trying to win matches, with an Ashes home series coming up in November. It wouldn't surprise if there are test retirements after that. 'It does feel like a little bit of a fresh start,' Cummins said. "Fast forward a couple of years, you start thinking about who's going to win. Hopefully if we make the final, who's going to be in that? Do we want to get some games into them? Do we feel like now is the right time to change? Or do you hold with the team that got us to the final? 'A new WTC cycle in some ways does feel like a bit of a reset.' Cummins had a good final, taking seven wickets and reaching 300 for his career, but he believes Australia let slip a second straight WTC title after having the upper hand at times. He felt their 74-run first-innings lead could have been more. 'There's lots of moments where both teams wrestled back control,' he said. "Our first-innings lead was really important. But it was an opportunity where we could have batted the opposition out of the game by putting on well over 300 plus. 'We didn't give ourselves a big enough buffer and we let them back into the game. It's disappointing to miss a huge opportunity like this, and when it happens by a little bit it leaves you feeling a bit empty.' ___ AP cricket:
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
MCC deems 'bunny hop' catches illegal, new rule to be included in ICC's Playing Conditions this month
According to an MCC note circulated to member boards by the ICC, while the existing law 'led to some spectacular' fielding efforts, it also allowed 'some unusual-looking catches that, to the majority of the cricketing public, feel unfair'. read more Michael Neser's catch during the BBL 12 final between Brisbane Heat and Perth Scorchers was cited as one of the reasons behind the MCC deeming such catches as illegal. Image credit: Screengrab of video posted by @7Cricket on X Boundary catches involving 'bunny hops', or multiple airborne touches outside the rope, have been deemed illegal by the Marylebone Cricket Club, with the new ruling set to be integrated into ICC's playing conditions this month and the MCC's laws from October next year. Spectacular catches like the ones pulled off by Michael Neser during BBL 2023 and Tom Banton, with Matt Renshaw's help in 2020, will not be considered legal once the updated rule comes into force. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to an MCC note circulated to member boards by the ICC, while the existing law 'led to some spectacular' fielding efforts, it also allowed 'some unusual-looking catches that, to the majority of the cricketing public, feel unfair'. Describing Neser's catch for Brisbane Heat to dismiss Jordan Silk, the MCC said the fielder 'bunny hopped' before completing the catch inside the boundary. While the act complied with the law at the time, the note added it 'felt like the fielder had - quite literally - gone too far'. Outrageous catch from Michael Neser 😱 Allow Glenn Maxwell to explain why it's a legit catch #BBL12 — 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 1, 2023 Both instances triggered widespread debate, prompting the ICC and MCC to review Law 19.5.2, which was last updated in 2010. As part of its revision, the MCC clarified that any fielder making a second contact with the ball after jumping from beyond the boundary must land inside the field of play, or else a boundary will be awarded. 'MCC has devised a new wording where the 'bunny hop' wholly beyond the boundary is removed, but these catches where the fielder pushes the ball up from inside the boundary, steps outside and then dives back in to catch the ball, are permitted,' the note said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Our solution has been to limit any fielder who has gone outside the boundary to touching the ball while airborne only once, and then, having done so, to be wholly grounded within the boundary for the rest of the duration of that delivery.' The rule will also apply to relay catches. If a fielder parries the ball while airborne outside the boundary and fails to return inside the field before the catch is completed — even by a teammate — it will be ruled a boundary. 'Even if the ball is parried – to another fielder or inside the field of play - if the fielder lands outside the boundary, or subsequently steps outside, then a boundary will be scored. 'For clarity, that means the fielder gets one chance, and one chance only, to touch the ball having jumped from outside the boundary. After that point, the boundary becomes a hard line – and any time they touch the ground in that delivery, whatever else happens, they must be inside.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The revised rule will be enforced starting June 17, when the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle begins with Sri Lanka taking on Bangladesh in Galle. The change in the laws will officially take effect from October 2026.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
'RCB Is Curse...': Memes Surface As South Africa Stun Australia In WTC Final
Last Updated: South Africa win their first World Test Championship title, sparking memes about Australia's failure to defend their title. Even as South Africa won their maiden World Test Championship title and an ICC trophy after 27 long years, the internet was flooded with funny memes over their title win as well as taking subtle digs at Australia's failure to defend their world title, albeit all in a light mood. There was no old heartache at the Lord's, with Aiden Markram making 136 and South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma 66 as they chased down a target of 282 for a five-wicket victory over Australia. Markram, meanwhile, said that he hadn't slept well after finishing Friday's play on 102*. 'I even took a sleeping pill, but it didn't work, he said. Meanwhile, let's take a look at some of the memes that have surfaced online: 'Just 1 wicket from Hazlewood after bowling more than 30 overs across 2 Innings at Lords. This happens when you prioritise IPL over the WTC Final 😅," a user tweeted on Saturday afternoon. 'Josh Hazlewood never lost a final. RCB is a curse," another user tweeted on Saturday evening. ' Ek tha jo stand me khade khade trophy jitwa deta tha," a tweet read. 'Ek tha jo stand me khade khade trophy jitwa deta tha" — TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) June 14, 2025 ' Aaram se bhai Brigadier Temba Bavuma ne 27 saal baad ICC trophy 🏆 dilwai hai," a user tweeted. Aaram se bhai Brigadier Temba Bavuma ne 27 saal baad ICC trophy 🏆 dilwai hai #WTCFinal #WtcFinal2025 — Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1) June 14, 2025 Dil Chhota mat kar — Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) June 14, 2025 Temba Bavuma to Pat Cummins. #WtcFinal2025 | #AUSvsSA — Rajabets 🇮🇳👑 (@rajabetsindia) June 14, 2025 Australia suffered a five-wicket loss as South Africa, with opener Aiden Markram making a superb 136 and captain Bavuma 66, chased down a target of 282 before lunch on Day 4. Markram, dismissed for a duck in the first innings, was 102* and Bavuma unbeaten on 65 despite spending most of his innings limping with a hamstring injury after the end of Day 3. First Published: June 14, 2025, 23:18 IST
