Fourteen wickets fall as bowlers dominate enthralling day at Lord’s

Thursday, 12 June 2025 02:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A total of 14 wickets fell at Lord’s yesterday as bowlers dominated an exciting opening day of the ICC World Test Championship between South Africa and Australia.

Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada collected his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests to help dismiss Australia for just 212, but the reigning World Test Championship winners responded strongly through experienced trio Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood who combined to have South Africa in trouble at 43/4 at stumps with both sides well an truly in the contest.

Skipper Temba Bavuma (3) and No.6 David Bedingham (8) remain unbeaten at the crease, with the pair still with plenty of work to do given the Proteas trail by 169 heading into the second day.

South Africa’s bowlers enjoyed the best of the overcast morning conditions, with Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) picking up a pair of wickets each early as the Aussies were reduced to 67/4 at lunch after Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Jansen got the prized wicket of Travis Head right on the stroke of lunch to give South Africa the ascendancy, but it was Australia that fought back during the middle session as firstly Steve Smith (66) and then Beau Webster (72) got on top to ensure Australia went to tea at 190/5 and with the prospect of a big score still within their sights.

But Rabada and Jansen had other ideas, with the pair returning to wrap up the tail as the Aussies lost 5/22 and leave South Africa in the box seat.

Australia’s trusted fast bowling trio of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood showed their class, with the trio removing four of South Africa’s batters prior to stumps to have the one-off Test evenly poised.

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