Australia Bowled Out for 212, South Africa 43/4 at Lord’s in WTC Final Day 1

The first day of the 2025 World Test Championship Final at Lord’s saw a gripping contest between South Africa and Australia, with 14 wickets falling on a bowler-friendly pitch. South Africa, opting to bowl first, were instrumental in dismissing Australia for 212 runs, led by Kagiso Rabada's five-wicket haul which elevated him to fourth on South Africa's all-time wicket list. Australia's innings was bolstered by Beau Webster's resilient 72 and Steve Smith's 66, as Rabada and Marco Jansen relentlessly pressured the batting lineup. In response, South Africa faced early setbacks, losing four wickets for 43 runs by stumps due to a fierce Australian pace attack spearheaded by Mitchell Starc, who set a new record for the most wickets in ICC tournament finals. Starc's early strikes, including a first-over wicket, dismantled the Proteas' top order, leaving Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham as the unbeaten batsmen at stumps. The day was marked by intense bowling performances on both sides, setting the stage for a closely fought battle in the days ahead.