Australia's bowling coach, Daniel Vettori, has emphasized the importance of an early breakthrough on Day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa at Lord's. With South Africa needing just 69 runs to win with eight wickets in hand, Vettori believes that a single wicket could shift the momentum and bring Australia back into the contest.

Speaking at the press conference after Day 3, Vettori acknowledged the pressure on his team but expressed confidence in their ability to rise to the challenge. He highlighted the resilience and composure shown by South Africa's Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma, whose unbroken 143-run partnership has put their team on the brink of victory. Markram's century and Bavuma's half-century have been instrumental in South Africa's chase of the 282-run target.

Vettori stated that the team's focus is solely on taking one wicket at a time. He believes that getting a new batsman to the crease early could disrupt the rhythm of the South African innings and create opportunities for further breakthroughs. He stressed that there is no point in getting ahead of themselves. The plan is to get one wicket and see what happens from there.

Vettori also conceded that the conditions on Day 3 were conducive to batting, with the wicket becoming more benign and offering less assistance to the bowlers. He acknowledged that Markram and Bavuma were exceptional in navigating the tricky situation and putting pressure back on the Australian bowlers.

Despite the daunting task ahead, Vettori drew inspiration from Australia's past comebacks, including the Edgbaston Ashes Test and the 2023 World Cup match against Afghanistan. He highlighted the team's fighting spirit and their ability to perform under pressure. He remains hopeful that the Australian bowlers can find the right areas and create opportunities to dismiss the remaining South African batsmen.

The Australian team's strategy revolves around maintaining tight lines and lengths and capitalizing on any mistakes made by the South African batsmen. The key will be to build pressure and create chances, and then convert those chances into wickets.

Vettori also provided an update on Steve Smith, who dislocated his finger while attempting a catch. Smith was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment, and the severity of his injury is still being assessed.

With South Africa needing just 69 runs to win, the final day of the WTC Final promises to be a tense and exciting affair. Australia will need to produce a brilliant bowling performance to turn the tide and prevent South Africa from claiming their first major international trophy since 1998. The hopes of the Australian side rest on the shoulders of their experienced bowling attack, led by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, to deliver an early breakthrough and spark a potential collapse.