The 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final burst into life with a riveting opening day at Lord’s, where 14 wickets fell and bowlers from both sides took center stage. While South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada delivered a fiery five-wicket masterclass, it was Australia who wrestled control by stumps, reducing the Proteas to 43 for 4 in reply to their own 212 all out.

Rabada was the standout in the first innings, finishing with 5 for 56 to etch his name onto the Lord’s Honours Board for a second time , a rare feat for a visiting bowler. With pace, precision, and unrelenting aggression, the South African spearhead tore through the Australian lower order after tea, claiming his 17th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

“I could see blood in his eyes,” teammate Marco Jansen said after play. “When KG gets into that rhythm, he’s unstoppable.”

Yet despite Rabada’s heroics, South Africa ended the day in trouble, trailing by 169 runs. Australia’s trio of fast bowlers — Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood — wasted no time making inroads into the Proteas’ top order under heavy skies and in bowler-friendly conditions.

Starc struck with the very first over, removing Aiden Markram for a duck. He returned to dismiss Ryan Rickelton, while Cummins bowled Wiaan Mulder with a textbook delivery. Hazlewood then cleaned up Tristan Stubbs, leaving the Proteas reeling at 43 for 4 at the close. Temba Bavuma (4*) and David Bedingham (8*) will resume on day two, tasked with launching a much-needed fightback.

Earlier in the day, South Africa won the toss and bowled first on a green Lord’s surface. Rabada struck early to remove Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green cheaply, while Jansen and Aiden Markram added further breakthroughs to leave Australia struggling at 67 for 4 by lunch.

Steve Smith (66) and debutant Beau Webster (72) mounted a vital recovery, putting on a 91-run partnership that swung momentum temporarily in Australia’s favor. Smith, whose 76-ball half-century cemented his status as the most prolific overseas batter in Lord’s history, fell to part-time off-spinner Markram, caught after an ill-judged heave. Webster battled valiantly, surviving two close lbw appeals from Jansen early on, but eventually fell to Rabada’s relentless assault.

“It was tough work out there,” Webster said. “But to post something on the board and grab four wickets before stumps, we’re pretty happy. There was plenty in it for the bowlers, and we made it count.”

The collapse after tea , where Australia lost their last five wickets for just 20 runs, momentarily shifted the spotlight to South Africa. But Australia’s pace attack roared back with vengeance, turning a competitive first innings total into a stronghold.

“This is what champion teams do,” said South African coach Shukri Conrad. “They came out all guns blazing. But it’s not over — we’ve been in tough spots before. Tomorrow’s first session is massive.”

As day two dawns, South Africa will look to their lower middle order — including Kyle Verreynne, Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj — to steady the innings and claw back into contention. Australia, meanwhile, will aim to press their advantage and move closer to claiming the World Test Championship crown.

Score Summary at Stumps, Day 1:

Australia 1st Innings: 212 all out (Webster 72, Smith 66; Rabada 5-56, Jansen 3-49)
South Africa 1st Innings: 43/4 (Starc 2-9, Cummins 1-12, Hazlewood 1-15)

[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]