The stage was set at Lord’s for a thrilling World Test Championship final, but it was Pat Cummins who stole the show. His devastating bowling left South Africa reeling, with the Proteas managing only 138 runs. This handed Australia a crucial 74-run lead. Cummins was the architect of South Africa’s demise, claiming six wickets for just 28 runs.
Australia had earlier posted a modest 212 runs in their first innings, leaving many to believe that South Africa would counter-attack with their batting. However, Cummins had other plans. He single-handedly changed the course of the game, leaving the South African team in tatters. Mitchell Starc also chipped in with some impressive bowling, dismissing both openers. Starc sent back Aiden Markram for a duck and then removed the dangerous Ryan Rickelton.
For South Africa, David Bedingham was the top scorer with 45 runs. His 111-ball innings included six boundaries. Captain Temba Bavuma also made a contribution, scoring 36 runs off 84 balls with four boundaries. But apart from these two, no other South African batsman could withstand the Australian bowling attack. The South African batsmen fell like a pack of cards, with the team losing their last five wickets for just 12 runs. At one point, they were 126/5, with Bedingham still at the crease, but the collapse was swift and merciless.
The South African batting lineup crumbled under the pressure, with Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, and Marco Jansen all falling cheaply. Keshav Maharaj was run out for seven, while Kagiso Rabada managed only one run. As the day drew to a close, Australia found themselves in a commanding position, leaving South Africa with a daunting task to turn the match around.