Bowlers dominate as WTC final heads for tight finish

Hindustan Times

a day ago

London: The English invented it and Indians now underwrite it. But it's Australia who have cornered the most crowns in the lustrous history of cricket.
Defending champions in the game's ultimate challenge – the World Test Championship (WTC) – the Aussies had, perhaps, stolen a slight march over South Africa at stumps on the second day of the final in a dramatically low scoring match. A plucky 43 by Alex Carey had advanced the former to 144 for eight in the second innings - a lead of 218.
The Australian captain Pat Cummins' return of six for 28 in the South African first innings, bejewelled as it was by a post-lunch haul of four for four in 4.1 overs, seemed a game-changer. But the quicks, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, from the 'Mother Continent' had other ideas. So, it's still all to play for on the third day.
Early summer sunshine whimsically bathed the lush green, chequered turf of Lord's. Anecdotally, in the 13th century in the county of Kent adjoining London — where the Indian squad are industriously honing their techniques for the test series with England commencing 20 June — shepherds indulged in a form of pastime which evolved into cricket. In the 18th century, Hambledon Cricket Club in Hampshire county conceived the laws of the modern sport. But it was the Marylebone Cricket Club who codified the laws in 1788 and inherited the mantle of guardians of the game. Its amphitheatre in north London – Lord's, with its distinguished 19th century two-storied pink terracotta pavilion - is thus widely recognised as the 'home of cricket'.
It was, unsurprisingly, selected to host the inaugural WTC final in 2021; but the Covid pandemic forced a shift of venue to the more bio-secure Rose Bowl in Southampton. India lost that match to New Zealand; as they did two years later to Australia at The Oval in south London. A fixture featuring India attracts an audience who infuse festivity to the occasion, which the English find amusing, yet are affectionate about. It brings a smile to the otherwise stiff upper lip, especially because revenues are never so good.
A pall of gloom descended on the arena as the devastating news of an Ahmedabad to London Air India flight crashing hit the crowd's palmtops. The British capital contains a sizeable Gujarati community, many of whom are cricket enthusiasts. A sprinkling of them who were among the spectators, anxiously speculated whether anyone they knew had fallen victim.
Resuming on a rickety 43 for four on this second morning, the diminutive South African skipper, Tembu Bavuma, was rather a contrast to his circumspect self the previous evening, when he had almost threatened to give Cheteshwar Pujara a run for his money before opening his account after 31 balls. In the event, the Saurashtra batsman's patient consumption of 53 deliveries prior to troubling the scorer remained un-assailed.
Under clearer skies, Bavuma unfurled with flair, driving through the covers and pulling to the onside, including sending one sailing over midwicket for six off Cummins. He escaped being adjudged leg before wicket by the umpire as DRS overruled the decision. The snick-o-meter detected an inside edge, much to even the batter's surprise. The crowd in the Grand Stand on the northern side of the field cheered vociferously, thereby confirming that the bulk of South African supporters were ensconced there.
Bavuma and David Bedingham — who top-scored for South Africa with 45 — carved a sensible blend of caution and aggression, realising the best partnership of 64 runs for the fifth wicket. However, at this point Bavuma drove uppishly and Marcus Labuschagne flung himself to his right at short extra-cover, football goalkeeper fashion, to pull off an admirable catch. The fiery and unflagging Cummins had picked up the only wicket that fell in the morning session.
After lunch, with the ball reversing, Cummins sliced though the rest of the South African batting like a hot knife through butter. The underdogs had been bundled out for 138.
It isn't good value for money if 14 wickets fall on the first day of a WTC final and as many on the second. The head groundsman, Karl McDermott, did not curate a green-top. There was residual moisture in the pitch, caused by a combination of recent rainfall and colder than usual weather. This is a lesson for the visiting Indians as they head next week for the chillier climes of Leeds for the 1st test.
In the Australian second venture, batting was easier when the sun shone, harder when it was overcast and the light indifferent, the conditions having to be enhanced artificially to ensure continuance of play.
Kagiso Rabada, unerringly hitting the seam – and given his extra pace – predictably struck early, as he had in the first Australian outing. He induced Usman Khwaja and Cameron Green to snick in the same over. But it was Ngidi who scalped the redoubtable Steve Smith.
The South Africans in the galleries indicated they hadn't forgotten Smith's inglorious role in ball tampering at Cape Town in 2018; for which he was banned from the sport for a year. They booed as he stepped on to the grass. Contrary to the first innings, the master batsman could not conjure a riposte with the willow.