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Beau Webster fell for 72 in the final session on Day 1.
In a compelling clash at the Home of Cricket in Lord’s, defending WTC champions Australia find themselves reeling at seven wickets down in the ongoing final session of the ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa.
While Kagiso Rabada removed Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in the same over, there was a bit of a partnership between Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne before Marco Jansen’s double-wicket spell, removing Labuschagne and Travis Head.
Aiden Markram removed Smith for 66 in the second session to break a 79-run stand but Beau Webster remains unbeaten on 55.
The match marks South Africa and Australia’s first neutral-venue encounter since 1912, when Australia claimed a 10-wicket victory at the same ground.
While Australia entered as favourites with their formidable quartet of Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon – the first bowling attack in Test history with 250+ wickets each, they had gambled on an untested batting lineup, with Labuschagne opening and Green at No. 3, a ploy which backfired in the first innings.
South Africa, despite winning their last seven Tests, embrace the underdog status. Led by Bavuma and spearheaded by the lethal Rabada, they seek their first major title since 1998.
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Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon are the two batters out in the middle for Australia.
What a wicket! It’s the big wicket of Webster who falls for 72 off 92. Classic Test match dismissal. Batter things he can drive but only manages an edge and a regulation take in the first slip. AUS are reduced to 210/8.
AUS- 202/7 after 54 overs. Mitchell Starc- 1* off 4, Beau Webster- 64* off 88.
The ball hits the seam and angles away, beats the defence of Cummins to hit the top of off. Just the most perfect dismissal for a seam bowler. Australia now find themselves at 199/7.
Keshav Maharaj has dismissed Alex Carey for 23. The Aussie keeper batter tried the reverse sweep but ended up missing the shot altogether. Carey’s stumps were rattled. He departs for 23 off 31.
Kagiso Rabada to bowl first over of the final session.
Welcome back everybody. While the first session belonged to South Africa, fair to say the second session was Australia’s.
AUS- 190/5 vs SA after 50 overs at TEA. Alex Carey- 22* off 29, Beau Webster- 55* off 76.
The first one is off the edge of the bat, the second one more convincing. Australia fetch 9 runs in that over. They are 183/5 after 48 overs.
Fifty off 69 balls for Webster. Fine innings this which proves that he is more than ready for this level as he scores a significant fifty in the context of this title decider.
AUS- 172/5 after 46 overs. Alex Carey- 11* off 14, Beau Webster- 49* off 66.
Alex Carey- 6* off 8, Beau Webster- 49* off 66.
AUS- 161/5 after 44 overs. Beau Webster- 48* off 64, Alex Carey- 1* off 4.
Mulder with an 11-run over. Two boundaries in that over. AUS move to 157/5 after 43 overs. Beau Webster- 45* off 62. Alex Carey- 0* off 0.
Australia are now 5 down. Markram might be out to change ends and he produced the edge of Smith to get him out caught at 66 off 112. It’s a ball that is tossed wide outside off which tempts Smith to go for the drive but all he manages is an edge. A sharp catch from Jansen on the second attempt.
End of a 79-run partnership.
3 runs off the over. AUS- 145/4 after 41.
AUS- 142/4 after 40 overs. Smith- 65* off 106, Webster- 34* off 47.
Powerful punch for FOUR! It’s Webster against Mulder. No backward point and he has placed this superbly to find the boundary.
AUS- 137/4 after 39 overs. Steven Smith- 65* off 104, Beau Webster- 29* off 43.
A half volley now from the bowler and Webster aces the drive to find FOUR! 10 runs coming off the 38th over. AUS- 133/4 after 38 overs. Beau Webster- 27* off 41, Steven Smith- 63* off 100.
Ngidi errs in line and Webster clips for FOUR. Instant punishment for the bowler.
Ngidi back into the attack.
Great shot from Smith. Picks the length early, takes the aerial route on that pull and times it well enough for a one-bounce FOUR. 6 runs coming off the over.
37 overs done. AUS-123/4. Smith- 62* off 98, Beau Webster- 18* off 37.
Time for Keshav Maharaj to roll his arms over.
AUS- 117/4 after 36 overs. Smith- 56* off 92, Webster- 18* off 37.
First ball of Ngidi’s over and Webster smashes it down the ground to find the boundary. This is turning out to be a much needed partnership for the Aussies.
AUS- 111/4 after 35 overs. Smith- 55* off 90, Webster- 13* off 33.
5 runs off the over, including two no-balls. AUS- 109/4 after 34 overs vs SA. Smith- 53* off 84, Webster- 13* off 33.
AUS- 104/4 after 33 overs. Beau Webster- 12* off 32, Steven Smith- 51* off 77.
Smith cuts for FOUR! Brilliantly timed cut against Rabada to find the fence and complete his half-century off 76 balls. The big match player delivers once again.
Webster finds a boundary off the fifth ball of the over. That allows Aussies to add 5 runs to the total. Their total moves to 99/4 after 32 overs. Smith- 46* off 75, Webster- 12* off 28.
Not a run off Rabada’s 10th. Top class bowling from a top athlete. AUS- 94/4 after 31 overs. Smith- 45* off 73, Webster- 8* off 24.
AUS- 94/4 after 30 overs. Smith- 45* off 73, Webster- 8* off 19.
AUS- 94/4 after 29 overs. Beau Webster- 8* off 18, Steven Smith- 45* off 67. Rabada had Webster out LBW (replays confirm) but the on-field call was not out and South Africa chose not out. Brilliant comeback from Rabada after that FOUR first ball.
Not that bad a line but perhaps the length is too full and Webster seems to be in great form. He judges the length early and using the full face of the bat to drive it past mid off for a BOUNDARY. Webster holds the pose after that FOUR!
Smith finds the fence off the last ball of Jansen over. Opens the face of the bat off the last ball to find the boundary on the square of the wicket on the off side. AUS- 90/4 after 28 overs. Steven Smith- 45* off 67, Beau Webster- 4* off 12.
On field call is not out. Impact is Umpire’s call which saves Webster. Ball tracker confirms the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.
Rabada hasn’t looked like the same bowler since the second session commenced. Too straight again and Smith clips it for a 3. At the end of 27 overs, AUS- 82/4. Smith- 40* off 64, Webster- 1* off 9.
AUS- 78/4 after 26 overs. Steven Smith- 37* off 63, Beau Webster- 0* off 4.
Not the best of Rabada overs in the day AUS- 78/4 after 25 overs. Smith- 37* off 57. Webster- 0* off 4.
Up and over the slips for FOUR MORE!. It’s Smith again. It’s more the like old saying come true- when you slash, slash hard.
Rabada offers width and Smith latches on to it. FOUR off the first ball of Rabada’s over.
AUS- 67/4 after 24 overs. Smith- 26* off 51, Webster- 0* off 4.
If South Africa win the second session, they might have left themselves too much catching up to do.
Welcome back everybody to our live coverage of the SA vs AUS WTC final. It’s been South Africa’s day so far. After opting to bowl, they have reduced Australia to 67/4 in the first session.
Australia- 67/4 at LUNCH on Day 1 and it’s Jansen who gets rid of Travis Head. Not quite a wicket taking ball as the ball was drifting down leg but Head gets a tickle and what a fantastic catch by the South African keeper Verreynne. Head falls for 11 off 13. Two wickets apiece to Rabada and Jansen in the session then.
AUS- 67/3.
The ball tracker showed that the ball would have gone on to clip the leg stump but since the umpire had deemed Jansen not out on the last ball off the Jansen over, the decision remains not out. AUS- 66/3 after 22 overs. Steven Smith- 26* off 46, Travis Head- 10* off 10.
Smith cuts Jansen and finds the fence on the off side. Smith being Smith- being busy on the wicket while also finding the boundary when the opportunity arises.
AUS- 58/3 after 21 overs. Travis Head- 9* off 9, Steven Smith- 19* off 41.
That’s more like the Head we know. Gets width on offer and dispatches it for a boundary to end the over.
AUS- 47/3 after 19 overs. Steven Smith- 18* off 38, Travis Head- 0* off 0.
A no-ball from Mulder. That’s the only run in his bowling so far.
Just when it looked like that Labuschagne and Smith will manage to help Australia out of trouble, Jansen strikes. The left-hander was coming in with the angle which forced Labuschagne to poke at it but he only got an edge and throw to the keeper. Labuschagne out for 17 off 56.
Jansen bowls a short-pitch ball and Labuschagne looks to leave but the ball hits him and goes for FOUR leg byes.
AUS- 41/2 after 17 overs. Smith- 17* off 28, Labuschagne- 17* off 53.
Wide outside off from Ngidi and Smith throws his hand at it. Times it well enough to find a boundary. That ends the over. AUS- 41/2 after 16 overs. Smith- 17* off 28, Labuschagne- 17* off 47.
AUS- 37/2 after 15 overs. Labuschagne- 17* off 47, Smith- 13* off 22.
Ngidi errs in line again and Smith clips it away for a boundary. Two boundaries in that Ngidi over then. AUS- 37/2 after 14 overs. Smith- 13* off 22, Labuschagne- 17* off 41.
Ngidi misses his line and Smith clips it away for a boundary down leg. Good shot at exactly the time where Australia need a period of dominance.
AUS- 29/2 after 13 overs. Labuschagne- 17* off 41, Smith- 5* off 16.
Wiaan Mulder replaces Rabada. What an opening spell from the Protean spearhead.
Labuschagne with a drive that helps Aussies fetch 3 runs off the last ball. The scoreboard moves to 29/2 after 12 overs. Labuschagne- 17* off 35, Smith- 5* off 16.
Rabada’s sixth over on the trot. But he hasn’t missed his line here. No run from the over. AUS- 26/2 after 11 overs. Smith- 5* off 16, Labuschagne- 14* off 29.
AUS- 26/2 after 10 overs. Smith- 5* off 10, Labuschagne- 14* off 29.
Smith has joined his old batting mate. Finds the boundary through the off side against Rabada to end over number 9. AUS- 22/2 after 9 overs. Steven Smith- 5* off 10, Marnus Labuschagne- 10* off 23.
Labuschange tried to work that ball behind the square on the leg side, dangerously close to the man at backward square leg but it falls short AUS- 18/2 after 8 overs. Marnus Labuschagne- 10* off 23, Steven Smith- 1* off 4.
AUS- 16/2 after 7 overs. Cameron Green- 4* off 3, Marnus Labuschagne- 9* off 21.
The ploy to send Cameron Green in at 3 hasn’t worked. He did score a boundary but his innings has been cut short by some brilliance from Rabada. Gets this ball to nip away and does enough to produce the edge as Green plays away from the line. Good catch from Aiden Markram at the second slip. AUS- 16/2 in 6.6 overs.
Wow! That’s Test cricket at its fines. Gets this to angle away from the left-hander and produces the edge which is caught in the slip cordon. Brilliantly set up by Rabada on the back of some lovely bowling in the build up to this. Khawaja out for 0 off 20. Rabada gets the wicket.
AUS- 11/0 after 6 overs. Khawaja- 0* off 19, Labuschagne- 8* off 19.
Second no-ball from Jansen in this spell.
Bit too straight from Jansen this time and Labuschagne clips it to the leg side for a couple.
And Labuschagne happy to add a couple with a lovely drive on the off side.
What else did we expect? Pin point accuracy with line and lengths from the South African pacer. Usman Khawaja- 0* off 18, Marnus Labuschagne- 4* off 13.
Australian openers happy to bide their time. Having said that, Labuschagne does manage to get the scoreboard up and running with a couple off the fourth ball. A no ball and another couple coming off it in the end. AUS- 5/0 after 4 overs. Marnus Labuschagne- 4* off 13, Usman Khawaja- 0* off 12.
Khawaja shows respect. Not a run from this over. AUS- 0/0 after 3 overs. Khawaja- 0* off 12, Labuschagne- 0* off 5.
Jansen too starts off with a maiden. AUS- 0/0 after 2 overs. Marnus Labuschagne- 0* off 6, Usman Khawaja- 0* off 6.
Jansen with the new ball from the other end for South Africa.
From both Khawaja and Rabada. Six ball in the off stump and outside corridor and well played and left from the southpaw. Starts with a maiden does the Protean speedster.
The new opening pair of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne comes out. Kagiso Rabada takes the new ball for South Africa.
ICC Chair Jay Shah rings the customary bell before the start of the fixture.
Time for the national anthems, first the anthem of Australia followed by that of South Africa.
It is cloudy out here with a breeze blowing. Very slight chance of rain. It is a 63m hit to the leg side, and 67m for the other side. Longer straight boundaries. The clouds are intriguing this morning. It looks like a good pitch that will play evenly throughout. Day 2 would be a great day to bat. The captain will have a big decision to make. They tend to bowl first but batting first has historically been more successful. You need to get used to the Lord’s slope early and get your lines right early – move the ball towards the stumps. The nerves and adrenaline will be there, but players need to settle early.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wicketkeeper), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Happy to bat first. Looks like a good wicket with a few clouds, but that’s always the case in England. Prep wise it has been unreal, 15 guys working very hard for that title. (On the hectic schedule) You get used to it the more you are playing, we have had about 10 days prep and we are ready. Doesn’t feel like any extra pressure. We’ve been here before and we’ve won it. This week is all about enjoying the moment.
Will have a bowl first looking at the overhead conditions. Too late to change the team, we have selected the best combination. All 15 of us are confident. It is a massive final, it should be a spectacle out here.
South Africa have won the toss and elected to bowl first.
It could be a crucial toss with the captain winning the toss likely to bowl first under overseas conditions.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 final set to be played between South Africa and Australia.
