WTC Final: Australia fight back to end Day 2 on 144/8, extending lead to 218 runs against South Africa

LONDON: After an impactful innings from wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey, Australia fight back and end Day 2 on 144/8, extending their lead to 218 runs in the World Test Championship Finals, against South Africa at Lord’s in London on Thursday.

Mitchell Starc, 16, and Nathan Lyon, 1, remained not out at the end of the third session of Day 2. Kagiso Rabada ended Alex Carey’s resistance innings of 43 in the second last over of the day and became the fifth leading wicket-taker for South Africa across all formats.

Australia started their third session on Marnus Labuschagne 16 (48) and Steven Smith 4(2). After a decent outing in the middle, Labuschagne was removed by Marco Jansen for 22 off 64 balls, including two fours, after edging a ball to the wicketkeeper. Travis Head joined Smith in the middle.

In the 19th over, Lungi Ngidi gave a massive moment in the game as he removed Steve Smith for 13 off 25 balls, including a four. The top scorer from Australia’s first innings, Beau Webster, joined Head in the middle.

Ngidi, in his following over, removed Webster by a brilliant inswinger which struck him on the pads, for nine, wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey joined Head in the middle.

Wiaan Mulder took his maiden wicket in the match by removing head in the 23th overs, SA bowlers put Proteas on top in the third session taking four wickets in 12 overs, Australia skipper Pat Cummins joined Carey in the middle.

Cummins tried to take on Ngidi after smashing him for a four, but he was cleaned up by the Proteas seamer for six. Mitchell Starc joined Carey in the middle. Australia brought up their 100 in the 34th over, Alex Carey 19 (32) and Mitchell Starc 6 (23).

The duo of Carey and Starc completed their 50-run stand for the eighth wicket in the 37th over after the wicketkeeper batter smashed a four towards long on off Kagiso Rabada.

In the following over, Rabada removed Carey for 43 off 50 balls, including five fours, at his dismissal. Australia took a lead of 208 runs, and Nathan Lyon joined Starc in the middle.

Earlier in the second session, after a ruthless bowling display that saw South Africa bowled out for just 138, Australia went into Tea at 32/2, holding a 106-run lead on Day 2.

Captain Pat Cummins was the star of the session, producing a spell for the ages as he claimed 6/28, the best bowling figures by a captain in Test history at Lord’s.

Cummins’s effort not only dismantled the Proteas’ lower order but also brought up his 300th Test wicket, making the moment even more special.
South Africa resumed the second session at 121/5, but the innings unravelled rapidly. Cummins struck early after Lunch, trapping Kyle Verreynne LBW for 13. He followed it up with a sharp return catch to dismiss Marco Jansen for a duck.

Cummins completed his five-wicket haul by removing the dogged David Bedingham, who top-scored for South Africa with a gritty 45 off 111 deliveries. The Proteas slumped to 135/8 at that point.

Keshav Maharaj was run out for 7, and the final wicket came fittingly from Cummins again, who dismissed Kagiso Rabada for 1 to close the innings at 138.

Other contributors with the ball for Australia included Mitchell Starc (2/41) and Josh Hazlewood (1/27).

In reply, the Australian second innings began cautiously but suffered early setbacks. Kagiso Rabada, who had claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings, struck twice again in the second. He removed Usman Khawaja for 6 and Cameron Green for a duck and finished the session with 2/15.

At Tea, Steve Smith, fresh off a vital fifty in the first innings and known for his stellar record at Lord’s, is unbeaten on 4 (2). He is with Marnus Labuschagne, who held firm on 16.

Earlier in the first session, David Bedingham’s solid innings powered South Africa to 121/5 at the end of the first session of Day 2, trailing behind 91 runs.

Bedingham 39* and wicketkeeper batter Kyle Verreynne 11 * remained not out on the crease at Lunch, exceeding their partnership on 27 for the sixth wicket.

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma and batter David Bedingham started off Day 2 steadily at 43/4, SA crossed 50 runs in the 24th over after Bavuma smashed fours in Mitchell Starc’s over. Bedingham scored his first boundary of Day 2 off Starc in the 27th over.

In the following over, the Proteas skipper survived as he was given OUT LBW off Josh Hazlewood’s inswing strike on the back pad, which he reviewed. There was a gap between bat and pad, but a spike on UltraEdge.

The duo of Bavuma and Bedingham completed their fifty-run partnership in the 34th over. After 35 SA, they were 87-4: Temba Bavuma 36(79) and David Bedingham 17 (45).

Australian skipper Pat Cummins removed South African skipper Temba Bavuma, courtesy of an outstanding catch from Marnus Labuschagne at cover, for 36 (84), including four fours and a six. Kyle Verreynne joined Bedingham in the middle.

SA completed 100 runs in the 45th over, Kyle Verreynne 3* (16) and David Bedingham 27* (84).

Brief score: Australia 212 all out & 144/8 ( Alex Carey 43, Marnus Labuschagne 22; Lungi Ngidi (3/35) vs South Africa 138 all out (David Bedingham 45, Temba Bavuma 36; Pat Cummins 6/28). (ANI)