Australia fight back against Proteas as wickets tumble at Lord's
Mitchell Starc led an Australia fightback after Kagiso Rabada's superb five-wicket haul, as bowlers dominated the opening day of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 at Lord's.
Starc took two top order wickets and combined with fellow quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to reduce South Africa to 43 for four at the close, 169 runs in arrears.
Rabada and Marco Jansen (3/49) had earlier come to the fore as the holders collapsed after tea and were bowled out for 212, losing five for 20 after half-centuries from Steve Smith and Beau Webster had helped them steady the ship.
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma began the day by winning a vital toss and opting to bowl in overcast conditions – a decision Rabada immediately vindicated.
The seamer opened up with three consecutive maidens from the Nursery End and struck twice in his fourth over, Usman Khawaja edging to first slip without scoring before Aiden Markram held a fine low catch in the cordon to see the back of Cameron Green.
Smith joined Marnus Labuschagne to stem the tide but the return of Rabada's new-ball partner Jansen did the trick for the Proteas.
Labuschagne was caught behind on 17 and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne then dived to his right to take a stunning one-handed catch and remove the dangerous Travis Head.
The left-hander scored a match-defining century in the ICC World Test Championship Final two years ago but his departure for 11 on this occasion came from the final ball before lunch, which arrived with Australia on 67 for four.
Webster was forced to dig deep alongside Smith and survived two big lbw appeals, both from the bowling of Jansen, early in his innings. One was reviewed – the batter survived by virtue of umpire's call – and one was not, with replays later showing the ball would have gone on to uproot middle stump.
The all-rounder seized his reprieve, driving nicely through the off-side amid a handy partnership with Smith, who brought up a 76-ball half century with a vicious cut to the point boundary.
In doing so, the 36-year-old became the most prolific overseas batter in the rich history of Lord's, though his latest productive innings at the Home of Cricket was brought to an end by an unlikely source.
Markram had just three Test wickets to his name when thrown the ball by Bavuma but the fourth was a particularly notable one as Smith was tempted into a heave and succeeded only in edging to Jansen, who took a juggling catch.
Webster followed Smith in reaching his half-century, but South Africa seized control in ruthless fashion in the evening session.
Alex Carey missing a reverse sweep off Keshav Maharaj started the collapse, with Rabada soon uprooting Pat Cummins' off stump with a beautiful delivery which straightened up the slope.
Rabada then had Webster wafting outside off stump and caught at slip for 72, moving past Allan Donald's tally of 330 Test wickets in the process, and Jansen kept up the momentum by arrowing a full delivery through Nathan Lyon's defences.
The stage was set for Rabada to add his name to the honours board for a second time, and he did just that by clean bowling Starc with the score on 212.
Starc was straight into the action with the ball, cleaning up Markram in the first over of the Proteas' innings before a run was on the board.
He should have had a second wicket when Wiaan Mulder edged behind, only for Carey to spill the chance, but did not have to wait long for it to arrive as Ryan Rickelton edged to Khawaja.
Captain Cummins then got in on the act, clean bowling Mulder, and Hazlewood ensured he was not to be left out as he castled Tristan Stubbs to leave the Proteas with plenty of work to do on day two.
Scores in brief
ICC World Test Championship Final, Lord's – Day One
Australia 212 all out in 56.4 overs (Beau Webster 72, Steve Smith 66; Kagiso Rabada 5/51, Marco Jansen 3/49)
South Africa 43/4 in 22 overs (Ryan Rickelton 16; Mitchell Starc 2/10)
South Africa trail by 169 runs with six wickets remaining
ENDS
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