World Test Championship 2025 Final
Crucial 53 runs partnership between Alex Carey and Starc has given Aussies an upper hand.
2025.06.13
Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi turn the heat back on Australia
Day 2 of the World Test Championship 2025 Final only intensified the already exciting match, which is living up to the hype of being a high-stakes drama. Similar to Day 1, 14 wickets were lost in another bowler-dominated day at Lord’s as South Africa fought back with ferocious spells from Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. However, Australia regained some control with a tough comeback from Alex Carey.
Pat Cummins creates a beautiful spell to establish the mood.
With South Africa behind five runs in their opening innings, Australia returned to the match, and captain Pat Cummins quickly established his dominance. Following Temba Bavuma’s crucial breakthrough, which appeared to be the innings’ mainstay, Cummins aggressively and precisely swept through the lower order. After lunch, he bowled out the Proteas for just 138 thanks to a 4-wicket burst, giving Australia a comfortable 74-run advantage.
Both tailenders and well-set players were eliminated by the right-arm’s rapid mixed seam movement and deft angles. The lower tier from South Africa put up less of a fight, and the Australians easily won.
Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada throw the heat back on Australia.
However, the Proteas were far from finished. Rabada stormed back into the match after Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne got off to a cautious start. Labuschagne and Khawaja put up 28 runs in a sluggish but reliable opening partnership. He drastically changed the course of events by dismissing Cameron Green and Khawaja in the same over.
After appearing unmotivated during the first innings, Ngidi quickly regained his stride. After successfully dismissing Steve Smith, a crucial player, he proceeded to remove Cummins’ scalp. Australia fell from 28/0 to 73/7 in an instant, and South Africa was well back in the game.
Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey offer late pushback.
Carey, the wicketkeeper-batter, displayed remarkable poise under duress during the collapse. Carey built a crucial 61-run partnership with Mitchell Starc, unfazed by the wickets falling around him. He used a combination of prudence and counterpunch throughout his knock, taking measured chances to make sure Australia’s advantage surpassed 200 runs.
Starc also performed admirably, enduring a few nerve-racking moments, such as a vital missed catch in the day’s last over. Rabada and Marco Jansen combined for eight oversteps in the innings, which added to South Africa’s annoyance in addition to wasted opportunities and disciplinary problems.
The Test is precariously balanced, with Australia leading by little over 200 and with a few wickets remaining. Batting is difficult since the pitch still has seam and bounce. Day 3 might potentially determine the outcome of the WTC title, as both teams have had their moments.
@Charith Rajapaksha
