WTC Final 2025, Day 1 Review: Rabada claims five-wicket haul, but Australia quicks steal show on hectic Day 1

South African pacers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen bowled with great control. Rabada struck through in the eighth over, removing Khawaja and Cameron Green for outside edges caught in the slips.

The opening day of the World Test Championship Final 2025 (WTC) between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London proved to be a bowler’s dream. South African skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Australia opened with Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, but scoring proved difficult early on, with the first run coming on the 22nd delivery.

Labuschagne was bowled by Jansen in the next over, leaving Australia at 18/3.

Steve Smith and Travis Head tried to steady the innings, but Jansen struck again, dismissing Head in the penultimate over before lunch. Australia went into the interval at 67-4, with Smith undefeated on 26.

In the second session, Beau Webster joined Smith at the crease. Webster took his time settling in, while Smith demonstrated his experience. Smith scored his 18th Test fifty in England, surpassing legends Viv Richards and Allan Border, who both had 17. He also became the most prolific overseas batsman at Lord’s, hitting 591 runs.

Smith’s innings, however, came to an end at 66 as Jansen made a wonderful tumbling catch off part-timer Aiden Markram. Australia reached tea at 190 for 5, with Webster scoring his second Test fifty.

Following tea, Australia quickly lost momentum. Alex Carey lost to Keshav Maharaj while attempting a calculated reverse sweep. Rabada returned to dismiss Pat Cummins before taking his fifth wicket, Mitchell Starc, to surpass Allan Donald’s total of 332 Test wickets. Webster also left for 72. Australia fell to 212 all out, losing five wickets for 20 runs in 35 deliveries. Rabada finished with five wickets in the WTC Final.

After Rabada’s special, Australia pacers wreaked havoc at Lord’s

In response, Australia’s bowlers came out firing. Starc made an immediate impact, dismantling Aiden Markram’s stumps in the very first over. Starc struck again soon after, getting Ryan Rickelton to edge to Khawaja at first slip. Cummins joined the action by removing Wiaan Mulder, leaving South Africa struggling at 25/3.

The skipper Bavuma had a cautious start, taking 31 balls to get off the mark. Josh Hazlewood cleaned up Tristan Stubbs just before stumps to end a dominant day for the bowlers. At stumps, South Africa were 43 for 4, trailing by 169 runs. A total of 14 wickets fell in 78.4 overs at Lord’s on Day 1.