'Probably The Best Wicket': Lungi Ngidi On Steve Smith's Dismissal In 2nd Innings

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Ngidi trapped Steve Smith (13) in front of the wickets on the fifth ball of the 19th over of Australia's second innings in the ongoing match at Lord's.
South Africa's Lungi Ngidi reflected on his impactful second innings spell on Day 2 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at Lord's. He acknowledged that dismissing Steve Smith was likely the 'best wicket" he could have secured.
Following a strong start from South Africa, where Kagiso Rabada quickly dismissed Usman Khawaja (6) and Cameron Green (0), and Marco Jansen removed Marnus Labuschagne (22), Ngidi claimed the crucial wicket of Smith, trapping him lbw for 13 to leave Australia struggling at 48/4.
'I think because of the stage we're playing on, that's probably the best wicket I could've gotten. Having struggled a bit in the first innings and then to be able to get that wicket at that stage, it probably ranks very high up there for me. I can't put into words how I felt about taking that wicket. Such a relief," Ngidi told ICC Digital.
After a tough first day, where he recorded figures of 0/45 from his eight overs, Ngidi made a strong comeback on Day 2, finishing with three for 53.
'I probably tried to do too much too early, ended up leaking runs, putting myself under pressure and then you're chasing the game from there. I was putting a bit of pressure on myself. Bowling in the first innings, seeing the guys that have gone ahead, they've performed so well, taken wickets, you want to carry on that momentum," he said.
'With Test cricket, you've got two chances as a bowler. The coach said, 'just go play your game, don't worry about anything that has gone on before, it's your moment now. When you get the ball, just make it count,'" Ngidi recalled.
Pat Cummins' impressive spell had earlier reduced South Africa to just 138, giving Australia a 74-run lead in the first innings. However, the Proteas' fast bowlers responded fiercely, with Rabada and Ngidi combining for six wickets, leaving Australia at 144/8 going into the third day.
'The first innings probably didn't go as planned. Once I got a bit of rhythm from the other end, I could feel that I was putting the ball in the right areas and there was still some assistance from the wicket. I felt that would probably lead to the dismissal I was aiming for.
'And then, yeah, I got it spot on, so very happy about that. It definitely meant a lot. We're excited about the position that we're in," Ngidi concluded.
(With inputs from IANS)
First Published:
June 13, 2025, 21:00 IST