The opening day of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 between Australia and South Africa at Lord's was a dramatic affair, with momentum swinging between the two sides. Australia ultimately seized control by the end of the day, but not before South Africa's bowlers, led by Kagiso Rabada, had put them under immense pressure.
Winning the toss, South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma elected to bowl first, a decision that immediately bore fruit. Rabada's fiery opening spell saw him dismiss Usman Khawaja for a duck and Cameron Green in quick succession, leaving Australia reeling at 16/2. Marco Jansen further compounded the Aussies' woes by removing Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, leaving them struggling at 67/4 by lunch.
Amidst the early collapse, Steve Smith emerged as the mainstay of the Australian innings. Displaying his trademark resilience and composure, Smith weathered the storm and began to rebuild the innings. He reached his half-century off 76 deliveries, clipping Rabada through the leg side for a boundary. In the process, Smith etched his name in the record books, surpassing Warren Bardsley to become the highest run-scorer among overseas players in Tests at Lord's. He also broke a 99-year-old record for the most runs by a non-English batter at Lord's. Furthermore, Smith became the first player to score 200 runs in the summit clash of the WTC.
Smith found a valuable ally in Beau Webster, and together they forged a 79-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Webster, playing in only his fourth Test, contributed a valuable 72, providing crucial support to Smith. However, just as Australia looked to be gaining the upper hand, Aiden Markram struck a crucial blow, dismissing Smith for 66 with a catch at slip by Jansen. This triggered a collapse, with Australia losing their last five wickets for just 20 runs to be bundled out for 212 in 56.4 overs. Rabada finished with a brilliant five-wicket haul, while Jansen took three.
Despite Rabada's heroics, Australia refused to let South Africa off the hook. Mitchell Starc spearheaded a ferocious fightback with the ball, dismissing Aiden Markram in the very first over of South Africa's innings. Starc then removed Ryan Rickelton, leaving South Africa struggling at 19/2. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood joined the party, picking up a wicket each to leave South Africa reeling at 43/4 at stumps, trailing by 169 runs. Starc's two wickets also helped him achieve a massive record, as he now has the most wickets in ICC finals across formats, surpassing Mohammed Shami.
The Australian pace trio's performance ensured that the defending champions wrestled back control of the match by the end of the day. The South African innings was marked by a top-order meltdown, with only Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham remaining unbeaten at the close of play. With the ball seaming and swinging under overcast skies, the opening day at Lord's belonged to the bowlers. Australia's Mitchell Starc led the recovery, supported by Cummins and Hazlewood.
The stage is now set for a thrilling Day 2, with South Africa needing to rebuild their innings and Australia looking to press home their advantage.
