Australia set South Africa daunting target of 282 runs to win WTC final
LONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - Mitchell Starc scored an unbeaten half-century as Australia's last-wicket pair put on a 59-run partnership on Friday to set South Africa a daunting target of 282 runs to win the World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Starc scored a potential match-winning 58 as Australia looked to have put the contest beyond an increasingly deflated South Africa side, who had high hopes of wrapping up the tail on the third day but took two hours to make the breakthrough.
They will need to produce the joint second-highest run chase in test history at Lord's following England's successful 282-run chase against New Zealand in 2004. The highest is West Indies hunting down 342 against England in 1984.
A flatter wicket might offer some hope, after 28 wickets were taken on the opening two days of the contest, but Starc's exploits make Australia runaway favourites to retain their title after they scored 207 in their second innings.
They started the day on 144-8 with a 218-run lead and modest ambitions of adding 20-30 runs more, captain Pat Cummins had said after Thursday's play.
But while Nathan Lyon was dismissed in the third over of the day, becoming Kagiso Rabada's ninth victim of the match as he was trapped leg before wicket for two, Starc and Josh Hazlewood frustrated South Africa's hopes of chasing a less daunting target.
Starc was a model of patience, picking up runs and protecting Hazlewood, before bringing up his 50 with a scything cut shot that took Australia past 200, having been reeling at 73-7 late on the second day.
South Africa used six bowlers on Friday in their bid to forge a breakthrough and were increasingly desperate as the target crept up.
It was part-timer Aiden Markram who finally dismissed Hazlewood, as the batsman dragged the ball to Keshav Maharaj at cover. Hazlewood scored 17 off 53 balls.
South Africa scored 138 in the first innings which offers some perspective on how tough their second-innings task will be, albeit they have two and a half days in which to chase down the target.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
39 minutes ago
- BBC News
Plans for second Worcester pump track to be discussed
Plans for a second pump cycling track in Worcester are due to be discussed by councillors this popularity of the first one, in Battenhall Park, prompted the city council to draw up plans for a second, larger tracks are made up of hills and banked turns and are designed to be ridden by cyclists who generate momentum by using up and down movements, instead of pedaling or new facility at Perdiswell would feature two separate tracks, one for experienced users and another for children under the age of eight. Councillors are due to look at the plans at a meeting on 23 June, with a report which notes a shortage of play facilities in the north of the cityHannah Cooper, vice chair of the Place and Economic Development Committee, said: "The popularity of the smaller pump track in Battenhall Park shows what a popular sport this is, and that there is strong demand for another track in the city."The new track would cost £150,000, if approved. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
World Test Championship format needs revamping despite riveting final
LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - A riveting World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa went a long way to boost the sagging credentials of the five-day game, but the format of the competition is in need of a revamp, according to many of the game's top observers. South Africa beat Australia by five wickets at lunch on the fourth day of a fluctuating contest at Lord's in which the bowlers dominated the opening two days. A total of 24 wickets were taken, but the tables were turned as wickets turned benign and the batsmen changed the course of the match. It was classic test cricket, as good as the excitement from any limited overs contest, but the overall WTC is a bewildering competition, devoid of uniformity and an unbalanced points system. There was much criticism of how South Africa managed to reach the final without playing either Australia and England in the two-year qualifying period. "It's very hard for the average cricket fan to understand who's the best team in the world and how exactly the top two teams make it to the final," said former England captain Michael Vaughan, now a television pundit. The two finalists are decided by a table of test results, with points awarded for wins and draws. The pair with the highest percentage of points available to them advance to the final, which in 2027 could again be at Lord's or in India, according to International Cricket Council officials. But there was a major discrepancy in South Africa playing only 12 tests compared to 19 for Australia and India, and even more by England (22). "I can't remember if I've ever even given any real time to be specifically thinking about the World Test Championship to be honest because it's utterly confusing," added England captain Ben Stokes. Countries are free to decide how many tests they want to play, and in South Africa's case, there is much less of an appetite for test cricket because they lose money. In the next cycle, which starts on Tuesday when Bangladesh begin a two-test series in Sri Lanka, the new champions will play 14 tests, this time including three test series against each of Australia and England but only two against India. Five test series are now only the preserve of contests between Australia, England, and India. "The fixture list is uneven; not everyone plays everyone else, and some have an easier ride than others," wrote Michael Atherton last week. "Everyone knows the WTC in its present guise is flawed, and that solutions, with so many competing interests, are fiendishly difficult," added the former England skipper.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie cycling star, 34, forced to put career on hold just a month before the Tour de France because of life-threatening health issue
Aussie cycling superstar Michael Matthews has been forced to drop out of this year's Tour de France and has put his career on hold after team doctors discovered he had 'signs of a pulmonary embolism'. The discovery was made after the Jayco Alula cyclist, aged 34, was attending an altitude training camp. On learning of the issue, Jayco Alula's medical team opted to 'pause all physical activity for the rider until further notice, as a precautionary measure.' The Aussie sprinter, who hails from Canberra, was due to appear at the Tour de France, which begins on July 5, for the ninth time in his career. During his esteemed career, Matthews has won four individual stages on the Tour, having also claimed the Points Classification in 2017. In a statement issued on Sunday, Jayco Allula confirmed that his 'health condition is stable.' 'The Medical Team are now thoroughly investigating the extent of the issue and possible cause, to define a safe and optimal recovery process for the athlete,' a spokesperson wrote. 'During this period of investigation, as a safeguarding measure, Matthews will refrain from competition to ensure there is no risk to his health and well-being, therefore ruling out his participation in the upcoming Tour de France.' Matthews had enjoyed a fine start to 2025, winning the Eschborn-Frankfurt UCI World Tour race, while placing fourth in the Milan-San Remo race and fifth in the Amstel Gold Race. Matthews, meanwhile, thanked his friends, family and followers for showing him support on Sunday. 'Thank you everyone for the kind messages, I will get around to replying to you all, just taking a few days to process the news but my condition is OK and I will make a full recovery, it will just take some time. Thank you all,' he wrote on his Instagram. A pulmonary embolism is a serious condition where a blood clot blocks a vessel in a person's lungs. According to the NHS, a pulmonary embolism can in some cases be life-threatening if not treated quickly. Individuals can experience difficulty breathing, chest pain or even coughing up blood as a result of the condition.
