SA vs AUS | Australia find their footing in final after South African onslaught with ball

06/11/2025

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Steve Smith scored his fifth 50+ score in his last six matches at Lord's

Australia showed great resilience on Day 1 of the WTC Final by restricting South Africa 43/4 at stumps thanks to a magical Mitchell Starc (2/10) spell. Earlier, South Africa ran through the Australian top order before Steve Smith (66) and Beau Webster (79) helped their side to a respectable total.

With overcast conditions on offer at Lord’s Temba Bavuma was quick to opt for the ball after the coin toss went South Africa’s way. His bowlers backed his decision well with three consecutive maidens to start the final. With the pressure piling, Kagiso Rabada was the first to strike by dismissing Usman Khawaja, Australia's top run scorer in the WTC cycle, for a 20-ball duck. The returning Cam Green glanced the ace bowler for a boundary on his first delivery but took the long walk back a couple of balls later after edging one to Markram. The incoming Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne tried to play it safe and managed to get the score to 46 before the latter gloved one to Verreynne. Travis Head tried to counter attack with 11 off 12 but he too perished while trying to guide a ball fine only to find the glove of a diving Verreynne to send the defending champions into lunch with the scoreboard reading 67/4.

Post Lunch, Smith looked like his usual best offering very few opportunities to the South African bowlers. He was ably supported by Beau Webster, who was handed an extra life after the Proteas failed to review a straight forward LBW. Smith continued his magical run at Lords as he went past the 50-run mark for the fifth time in his last six outings at the venue. Having scored just 18 off 37 deliveries, Webster decided to join the attack in the 38th over with two boundaries in a Lungi Ngidi over. With the Aussies getting to 145/4 by the 41st over, Bavuma decided to throw the ball to Markram and it worked wonders as Smith edged one to Marco Jansen behind the wicket. Webster and Alex Carey managed to take their side into Tea with no more damage and 190 runs on the board.

Just as it appeared the Aussies would start to get their noses ahead, they lost two wickets in as many overs to give their opponents an opportunity to fight back. And the Proteas grabbed it with both hands with two more wickets, including the important one of Webster (79), with the scoreboard reading 210/8. The last two wickets yielded just two more runs as the Aussies folded their first innings with just 212 on the board with Kagiso Rabada making the honours board with an impressive fifer.

In response, Mitch Starc came out firing scalping Markram in the very first over. Even though Mulder was given a reprieve after Carey dropped a sitter, Starc induced an error from Ryan Rickelton to leave South Africa at 19/2. Over the next six overs South Africa were only able to add four runs to the total before Pat Cummins put Mulder out of his misery by sneaking one in through the gate. Bavuma was able to instigate one of the loudest cheers of the game when he eventually got off the mark on his 31th delivery. While Stubbs also made the long walk back to the pavilion, David Bedingham scored back to back boundaries in the last over to bring an end to the day with the scoreboard reading 43/4.

KING Bavuma gets off the mark!

— Birdman (@kingbirdman22)

Hilarioussss!

A Big cheer from the crowd as King Temba Bavuma scores his first run on his 31st ball.
— afsoonist (@The___X2)

He's the KING!

31 balls of survival — and finally, a run! 😬

Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma breaks the shackles, but Aussie pacers continue to dominate at Lord’s. 🇦🇺⚡
— Root Jaiswal (@JaiswalRoot)

LOL!🤣🤣🤣🤣

Crowd's reaction when Bavuma scored his first run on 31st ball 🤣🤣🤣
— Rahul (@meri_mrziii)

Big run for him!

Finally 1st Run for Temba Bavuma

He took 31 balls 😮
— Rocky. (@RockyXDreams)

He's the man!

King Bavuma scored His first run after 30 deliveries...
— MOHSIN MALIK (@MohsinMumtaz_07)

Easy for him!

Hazlewood join the party 🔥🔥
— RANCHHOD MALI 🇮🇳 (@RANCHHOD5111)

Yupe he did!

HAZLEWOOD GETS STUBBS. 😲

- Australia all over South Africa in WTC Final.
— chanchal sarkar (@cricxnews140982)

True that!

Proteas have absolutely no idea about the lengths being bowled by the Australian trio of . They're in deep trouble, having lost 4 wickets for just 30 runs.
— Tejan Shrivastava (@BeingTeJan)

He's a beast!