Day 2 of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 between Australia (AUS) and South Africa (SA) at Lord’s continued to be a bowler’s den. After finishing Day 1 on 43/4, trailing by 169 runs, South Africa resumed their innings with Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham at the crease.
The pair cautiously navigated the morning session, with Bavuma surviving a close LBW call off Josh Hazlewood, successfully overturned on review. The duo added 44 runs in 13 overs, and Bavuma brought up a vital 64-run stand with Bedingham, narrowing the deficit to 118. However, Pat Cummins provided the much-needed breakthrough for Australia, dismissing Bavuma for 36 with a sharp catch from Marnus Labuschagne and at lunch, South Africa reached 121/5.
Cummins unleashed a devastating spell post-lunch against the Proteas. He struck twice in a single over, removing Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen, reducing South Africa to 126/7. The collapse continued as the Proteas lost five wickets for just 12 runs in 35 balls.
The Australian captain completed his six-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 4.1-1-4-4 in his post-lunch innings and claimed his 300th Test wicket. As a result, Australia bowled out South Africa and secured a first-innings lead of 74 runs.
Australia collapse in second innings as South Africa fight back
Australia’s second innings began briskly, with the lead crossing 100 in no time. But Kagiso Rabada hit them back, removing Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in the same over, and Australia went into tea at 32/2. After the break, the wickets continued to tumble. Labuschagne was dismissed for 22 by Jansen, while Lungi Ngidi sent back Steve Smith (13) and Beau Webster in quick succession. Wiaan Mulder bowled a beauty to knock over Travis Head, and Ngidi followed up by castling Cummins, leaving Australia in trouble at 74/7.
Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey offered some resistance, calmly stitching together a valuable 50-run partnership for the eighth wicket and extending the lead beyond 200. Just before stumps, Rabada returned to dismiss Carey for a well-made 43, though he appeared to stretch his groin in the process. Nathan Lyon survived a scare late in the day as an edge fell short of the slip. At stumps on Day 2, Australia were 144/8, leading South Africa by 218 runs, with Starc (16*) and Lyon (1*) at the crease.
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