The first day of the WTC Final 2025 saw a fierce battle between South Africa and Australia's pacers. After being bowled out for 211, Australia fought back, leaving South Africa at 43/4 at stumps. The match hangs in the balance going into Day 2.
The opening day of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 between South Africa and Australia was dominated by pacers of both teams at Lord’s on Wednesday, June 11.
After being bundled out for 211 in the first innings, Australia restricted South Africa to 43/4 in 22 overs before the close of play, Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham batting on 3 and 8, respectively. It was quite a day of fluctuating fortunes, with bowlers from both sides exploiting the conditions expertly to keep the final finely balanced on Day 2.
On that note, let’s take a look at 5 key takeaways from Day 1 of the Lord’s showdown.
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1. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen rattle Australia's top-order
South Africa's pace bowling duo of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen made early inroads for the first-time finalist as they rattled the top-order of Australia’s batting line-up. It started with Rabada dismissing opener Usman Khawaja for a 20-ball duck in the seventh over of the first innings. In the same over, the right-arm pacer conceded a four against Cameron Green before dismissing him for 4 runs, leaving Australia reeling at 16/2 in seven overs. Marco Jansen chipped in by removing Marnus Labuschagne for 17 and then dismissing dangerous Travis Head for 13 before the Lunch break. Australia were at 67/4 after 23 overs at the end of the first session, as Rabada and Jansen put Proteas firmly in control with fiery opening spells
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2. Steve Smith stepped up for Australia
Steve Smith continues to remain one of the most dependable batters for Australia, and he once again proved it on the opening day of the WTC Final. Walked in to bat with Australia at 16/2, the ace batter anchored the innings brilliantly and played a gritty knock of 66 off 112 balls while forming a crucial 79-run stand for the fifth wicket with Beau Webster until he was dismissed by Aiden Markram. With this innings, Steve Smith achieved the feat of becoming the highest run-scorer by an overseas Test batter at Lord’s, amassing 591 runs, including 2 centuries and 3 fifties, at an average of 59.10 in 10 innings.
3. Beau Webster leveraged the Proteas' missed review
Apart from Steve Smith, Beau Webster put up a gritty performance with the bat to keep Australia’s scorecard ticking. The all-rounder played an innings of 72 off 92 balls, which consisted of 11 fours, to take the defending champions past the 200-run mark after an early collapse in the first session. However, Webster leveraged the opportunity after Proteas decided not to take a review for his LBW. In the 29th over of the first innings, Webster hit on a back knee and crouched low off Kagiso Rabada’s delivery, and although it looked plumb, the Proteas decided not to take DRS for the original not-out decision. However, the replay later showed three reds on ball-tracking, meaning Webster would have been out LBW.
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4. Rabada's fifer overtook Allan Donald's tally
Kagiso Rabada delivered a fiery performance with the ball as he registered figures of 5/51 at an economy rate of 3.30 in 15.4 overs. He became the second bowler after New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson to pick a fifer in a WTC Final. Also, Rabada is the third South African pacer after Allan Donald and Makhaya Ntini to take two five-wicket hauls at Lord’s. With his five-wicket haul, Rabada overtook Allan Donald’s tally of 330 wickets to become the fourth-highest wicket-taker for South Africa in Tests. After Proteas’ first innings bowling, Rabada’s tally stands at 332 wickets, including 17 fifers and 14 4-wicket hauls, at an average of 21.82 and an economy rate of 3.34 in 129 innings.
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5. Australia's pace bowling trio makes inroads on Day 1
Just like South Africa’s pace bowling duo of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, Australia’s pace bowling trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood struck back with timely breakthroughs to keep the team in the contest. It began with Starc dismissing opener Aiden Markram for a duck in the first over before removing Ryan Rickelton for 16 at 19/2. Then, Wiaan Mulder and Temba Bavuma were hoping for no further fall of wickets until Cummins dismissed the former for 6, leaving the Proteas reeling at 25/3. Before the close of play, Josh Hazlewood dismissed Tristan Stubbs for 2 at 30/4.
