The stage was set for a thrilling World Test Championship final, and day one did not disappoint. By stumps, South Africa had managed a mere 43 runs, losing 4 wickets in the process. They still trail by 169 runs after Australia’s first innings ended at 212. The day belonged to the bowlers, with a total of 14 wickets falling.
South Africa’s captain, Temba Bavuma, and David Bedingham, were at the crease, scoring 3 and 8 runs respectively, as the day drew to a close.
Australia’s innings had come to a close at 212, thanks in large part to the devastating bowling of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. Despite a strong showing from Steve Smith and Beau Webster, who helped push the team past 200, the rest of the Australian lineup struggled. Big names like Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne failed to deliver, and Usman Khwaja didn’t even manage to get on the board. The last 5 Australian wickets fell for just 20 runs, with Rabada claiming 5 wickets and Jansen taking 1.
As the day wore on, it became clear that South Africa’s batsmen were also in for a tough ride. The team’s hopes of making a strong comeback were quickly dashed as wickets began to fall. By the end of the day, they had lost 4 wickets, leaving them with a significant deficit to overcome. With Bavuma and Bedingham still at the crease, South Africa will be looking to regroup and launch a comeback on day two.
Key Performances
- Kagiso Rabada: 5 wickets
- Marco Jansen: 1 wicket
- Steve Smith: key batsman for Australia
- Beau Webster: helped push Australia past 200
The battle between these two cricket powerhouses is heating up, and it will be exciting to see how the rest of the match unfolds. Will South Africa be able to stage a comeback, or will Australia’s bowlers prove too strong? Only time will tell.