🏏ICC WTC Finals: Aus vs SA at Lords, 11 - 15 June 25 - Day 4🏏 - Page 8

Aayush: Mitch Starc seems to be bowling at his peak speed in recent years. Mitch Starc getting the new ball to curve at that speed will be a nightmare for the batters to face.

Originally posted by: Rosyme

Prizi,

I did not get the ipl 2025 participants badge. Did you get?

For the 10th time in Test cricket history, the No.1 batter (as per the batting order) from both sides were dismissed for ducks in their respective first innings of the match - Usman Khawaja and Aiden Markram being the ones in this case.

Six of these 10 instances feature Australia, including each of the last four, and Mitchell Starc struck in the first over in three of them.

It’s the first such instance in 561 Tests in England.

Hazlewood gets a wicket. Stubbs out 💔

Another trophy loading for aus

Webster: Had a bit of luck no doubt in the first 20-30 balls. Felt they came really hard at us. Managed to get through that period and got a total on the board. I've played a little bit over here in County cricket, different level obviously. With Rabada and Jansen coming in here, it was very tough. Just stuck to my gameplan which has worked for me the last 3-4 years. I'd be angry if I went away from it. Obviously some minor adjustments here and there with the conditions and the slope. There's plenty there (in the pitch). We saw in the last session the ball is still nibbling around. Starcy had it on a string. The ball nipping up the slope is the tricky one. The delivery that bowled Stubbsy obviously nipped up the slope. When it's doing that it's tricky for the batter. Our bowling attack's been so strong over a number of years. We know if we don't get it done with the bat, the big guys can certainly get it done with the ball.

🏏ICC WTC Finals: Aus vs SA at Lords 11 - 15 June 25 at 3:00 PM IST🏏 - Day 2

What a day - we have had 78.4 overs and 14 wickets, and some glorious batting in between courtesy Steve Smith and later Beau Webster. The WTC final has definitely lived up to all the hype on Day 1, but it will likely be Australia the happier side as they go back to their dressing rooms. They were bowled out for 212, courtesy Kagiso Rabada's magnificent five-for, but their bowlers have removed four South African batters, without the scoreboard reaching 50. Starc struck twice, then Cummins and Hazlewood got one each. South Africa have looked stuck, and need to find a way to move on. Bavuma and Bedingham will have plenty to do today.

After Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl, South Africa would have been overjoyed with the first session, getting four wickets. Then Smith and Webster added 79 runs and when Smith fell trying to attack Markram, Webster - who rode his luck early on - found his groove and moved the scoreboard along with Alex Carey. However, South Africa were quick to wrap Australia's tail up after Carey missed a reverse sweep. But, then it was all about the famed Australian pace attack. South Africa have it all to do at Lord's today. Be sure to join us!

Day 2 Good morning and welcome to Lord's for day two of the WTC final. We saw 14 wickets fall on day one with five of them going to Kagiso Rabada but Australia's big three fought back late in the day to put South Africa under real pressure. Can they fight their way out of trouble this morning?

"If the bittersweet feeling at the end of the first day was hard to swallow for South Africa, their fans are already were getting jabs from the Aussie fans an hour before start on Day 2. Overheard this exchange on the escalator at St John's Wood tube. The Aussie fan, a middle-aged woman, politely slung this barb at the rival camp who were all smiles on sunny Thursday: "You"ll be crying by the end of the day"

The South African response: "as long as it is by end of the day and not by lunch."