For the second day in a row, 14 wickets fell as bowlers from Australia and South Africa tore batting units to shreds. Australia have their noses in front but anything could happen. Here’s the report from Ali Martin who just gets it! That’ll do for me. Haver fun tomorrow ya’ll! And what about Ngidi? He was dross yesterday but was devilish today. It was his spell of nine overs on the trot that turned this match. Here’s what he had to say on Sky: It’s in the balance right now. Two wickets in hand. If we can knock those over and maybe chase 225, people are going to get their monies worth. I guess that’s what a Test Championship final should bring. A lot of guys have put their hands up. It’s been really exciting and tough cricket out there. We were very disappointed not to get to Australia’s total. We were up against a world-class attack. Every mistake you make is a chance to them and I give credit where credit’s due. They bowled well. When we started bowling we realised there was enough in the wicket to bring it closer. Finding a bit of rhythm was all I was looking to do. If you told me this is the position we’d be in at the end of the day, I’d definitely have taken it. Here’s Mitchell Starc talking to TMS: You bowl good balls, good spells, and you’ll be rewarded with a few loose shots over the two days but we’ve seen some quality bowling. There’s still enough in the wicket. In England when it’s overcast, the ball seems to do a bit more. Everyone is quick to jump on the batters but you’ve got to notice the good bowling from both sides. [On Pat Cummins passing 300 Test wickets] He does it time and time again. He led from the front before he was captain and now as captain as well. The quality and skills he has in his pocket - I’m thrilled for him to get a bagful. To go past 300 is a special effort. Carl Lewis, one of South Africa’s most experienced journalists, has this to say on X: Annoyed by how the last session went but considering where the Proteas stood after the 1st innings - I think they would’ve taken this situation at stumps. Well done to the team - showed character which is becoming a thing under Conrad. Any batter keen to be hero? Michael Meagher reports that “WinViz has this at 50-50?!?” That can’t be right. I’d have it at 60-40 for the Aussies. A remarkable, breathless, undulating, absorbing day of Test cricket comes to an end with Starc (16) and Lyon (1) not out after 40 overs bowled in the innings. This has been nothing short of brilliant. I’ve loved/hated every second of it. I’ve been gripped from the moment Bavuma launched Starc for four with a lofted cover drive and I’m gripped now, in the fading light of Lord’s. Australia in control you’d say. They maybe already have enough but it’s a game thanks to Ngid’s magic spell of 3-35 from nine overs that included the wickets of Smith, Webster and Cummins, who himself was excellent with the ball, snagging 6-28 and moving beyond 300 Test scalps. Except for big scores, this match has everything. It’ll likely be over tomorrow. Whatever happens it won’t be boring. I’m off to the pressers. Back in a bit with some post match reflections and comments from the players. Jansen couldn’t hold on in the final over of the day! After six edges fell short this session, the cordon moves up. Mulder finds Starc’s edge but the lanky Jansen can’t hold on. In a game of fine margins, how costly will that be? 39th over: Australia 138-8 (Starc 14, Lyon 1) A messy over from Rabada that included three no-balls and a couple of sprays wide of the off stump. But it also included the important wicket of Carey. One more to go in the day. Rabada with the breakthrough! Oh how South Africa needed that. What a knock from Carey. Has there ever been a more important score of 43 by an Australian? I’ll park that for another day. He’s taken the lead past 200 and helped turn the tide. But Rabada can’t be kept out of the contest and that wicket has given the Saffas a lift. Full and straight from the big pacer, he got it to jag from round the wicket, beating Carey’s drive. The Aussie keeper reviewed but DRS said it was clipping the top of leg. 38th over: Australia 137-7 (Carey 41, Starc 13) Isn’t momentum a funny thing? It was with South Africa this morning, then Australia had it, then it was with South Africa again and now it’s with Australia. What a day of Test cricket. Starc gets a single to take the lead to 200 and then Carey sweeps hard for his fifth boundary. 15 minutes left. Is there time for one more twist? 37th over: Australia 124-7 (Carey 35, Starc 12) Australia’s fans, who have been quiet for the past few hours, find their voice as Carey drives Rabada down the ground to bring up the 50 partnership. Earlier in the over Starc edged to the keeper but the diving Verreynne couldn’t quite reach it with a forward five. That’s five edges that have fallen short behind the stumps this session. Worth standing a little closer, eh lads? 36th over: Australia 118-7 (Carey 30, Starc 12) Excellent from this pair. Their partnership is up to 45 and the lead is crawling towards 200 which I think would be plenty. Maharaj isn’t penetrating and three milked singles come a little too easy for the left handed batters. 35th over: Australia 115-7 (Carey 29, Starc 10) Aggressive running from the Aussies. They’ve stepped on the accelerator and are now scoring pretty freely. Rabada is hammering a good length. Could he mix things up with a bounce or yorker? Carey and Starc are nudging and nurdling singles off four balls with two leg-byes down to fine leg adding to the tally. A couple of nervy runs had the fielders interested. Direct hits could have been interesting. Six off that over and the lead inches up to 189. A change of pace now as Maharaj joins the fun. 34th over: Australia 109-7 (Carey 27, Starc 8) More counter punching from Carey who gets stuck lbw against Jansen, but an inside edge on review saves him. He follows that up by spanking a back-foot lash for four through the covers, drives down the ground for three and also collects a single to rotate the strike. Starc runs through for a single himself in an over that also included a no-ball. Suddenly the partnership is worth 36, the lead is up to 183 and Australia have scored at more than four an over from the last 10. Bavuma consults the advice of Markram. They need a play here. 33rd over: Australia 98-7 (Carey 19, Starc 6) Carey is taking back control. Rabada strays just a fraction short and a fraction wide and the Aussie keeper pounces on it with a stiff cut that beats the diving Maharaj in the deep. Starc is playing the support role to perfection, rotating the strike. Carey is beaten on the outside edge, but there’s not question that things have flattened a little since drinks. The lead is now up to 172. South Africa need to break this partnership. 32nd over: Australia 91-7 (Carey 14, Starc 5) Consolidation; that’s the name of the game for Australia. It’s been more than seven overs since a wicket and given what came before, that feels like an age. Jansen is pounding away at Starc. He beats him, finds an edge, gets him to poke towards midwicket, but can’t get him out. 31st over: Australia 90-7 (Carey 14, Starc 5) Rabada replaces Ngidi who immediately skips off the ground for a rest after that nine over spell. Out of the frying pan etc. But Carey is up for it and tickles a back of a length ball to the fine leg boundary for four. This partnership has crept to 17. Not massive, but in the context of the game mighty important. Lead is now 164. 30th over: Australia 84-7 (Carey 8, StaRC 5) Jansen replaces Mulder and delivers a maiden to Starc. The Aussie batters have done well to take the sting out of things since drinks. They’re still in control of this game I’d say. Their lead is healthy and this pair can bat. 29th over: Australia 84-7 (Carey 8, Starc 5) That’s nine overs on the bounce for Ngidi, a burly bowler who has had to field questions around his fitness throughout his career. Her finds Carey’s outside edge but it once again lands short. Is that the third time that’s happened? Carey then charges out his crease and slogs before getting a single. Starc gets one himself and the lead trickles upward. Gary Naylor and Colum Fordham are loving this, spealing for all the romantics. Here’s Gary: “Hi Dan. I’m in Stratford Upon Avon for, I kid you not, a Radiohead/Hamlet mash-up. Catching up on the OBO, I’m reminded of something I say often about Test cricket and Ol’ Shakey. “The more I see, the less I understand.” What an utterable joy to have both in my life. And to be certain that it will always be that way.” And here’s Colum: “Hi Daniel, No one imagined the under-estimated Lungi Ngidi would turn out to be one of South Africa’s lethal weapons, alongside the formidable Rabada. Though low-scoring, this match is showing how wonderful the test format can be, toing froing between and even within sessions. Wtf WTC! Pardon my abbreviations.” 28th over: Australia 82-7 (Carey 7, Starc 4) Every run is so crucial for Australia. Starc whips three through midwicket as Mulder goes searching for his stumps. Carey twice gets thwacked on the pads but the extra lift that Mulder is extracting means there’s no danger of lbw. Australia’s lead is now 156. Reminder that South Africa only managed 138 in their first innings. Here’s Jeremy Boyce: Hi Daniel. Yep it’s all happening there, SA bowlers doing their bit to turn this round. But given that Aussie are in deep doo-doo at 73 - 7, let’s not forget that their 212 in the first innings is now looking pretty useful. And they’re 153 ahead. There should be some runs in the tail (?) so SA might be chasing somewhere around 170 - 180 ? Each innings is realising fewer runs than the previous one, it will take some true SA grit and determination in their 2nd innings to get the result. Anyway, great stuff, 5 days in 3 days, , couldn’t they play 4 innings or something ? 27th over: Australia 78-7 (Carey 6, Starc 1) Ngidi has just bowled eight overs on the bounce. I’m not sure he’s bowled eight overs in a row in his life. It’s another good set that’s full and at the stumps. Carey drives down the ground for two with a fine looking on drive. On Ngidi, I owe him an apology (with some ketchup) as Nick Parish reminds me: Great to see South Africa making a match of it. I can’t help but recall your 15th over words about Ngidi, though: “just isn’t the man…could toil for a week and not take a wicket…”. What condiment would you like to accompany your ceremonial word-eating? 26th over: Australia 74-7 (Carey 3, Starc 0) That’ll be drinks. And frankly we could all do with a breather. Another probing set from Mulder who has played his part again with the ball. What an insane passage of play. Australia were cruising at 44-2. Then Labuschagne nicked off. Then Smith was trapped lbw. Then Ngidi cosplayed as Stuart Broad on the tear and suddenly the Aussies are reeling at 74-7. 30 runs for five wickets. South Africa have risen from the dead like a burned Protea on the slopes of Table Mountain. Hyperbolic? Over the top? This is what this game has done to me. “Pat Cummins’ captaincy is way too defensive. Ben Stokes would have declared by now and have South Africa reeling at 8-3..” Honestly, nothing would surprise me, William Lane. 25th over: Australia 73-7 (Carey 2, Starc 0) If you told me yesterday that Lungi Ngidi would be the man who’d haul South Africa back in the contest, I’d have called you crazy. Well, consider me humbled because the big unit has exploded since bagging Smith’s wicket. He;s now 3-29 from seven and has the ball moving around corners and exploding off the deck. Wonderful bowling. Just incredible scenes. Australia need to get a grip of things. They’re letting this thing slip from their grasp. NGIDI KNOCKS OVER CUMMINS! South Africa have three wickets in as many overs. Cummins figured he’d fight fire with fire. He spanked Ngidi for a four through covers and then struck another two through the same region. Ngidi went fuller and beat the Aussie skipper for pace, crashing his stumps and collecting another scalp in a remarkable spell that has turned this Test. “Is this Ngidi’s Stuart Broad moment?” That’s from Andy Flintoff (no, not that one). This really feels like one of those spells. 24th over: Australia 66-6 (Carey 1, Cummins 0) Outstanding from Mulder who had Head on toast. The left tried to counter with a drive but the wobble seam did him, nipping back off the deck and bowling him off the pad. Australia are falling apart thanks to some sensational bowling from South Africa’s change bowlers. WHAT IS HAPPENING! It’s chaos! It’s madness! South Africa are roaring back from the brink! Mulder, who has been electric all over to Head, gets one to jag into the lefty from round the wicket and bowls him via his front pad. Oh my goodness. They couldn’t, could they? LUNGI NGIDI IS TURNING THIS MATCH ON ITS HEAD!! He’s a totally different bowler than the one we saw yesterday. Scratch that, he’s a totally different bowler than he was half an hour ago. Now he’s jagging and zipping and nipping it around. A full ball brings Webster forward, seams towards the right hander, beats the forward defence and finds the pad. Webster reviews but more in hope. Three reds and he’s gone. What are we seeing out there?! 23rd over: Australia 64-5 (Head 8, Carey 0) 22nd over: Australia 58-4 (Head 7, Webster 4) Mulder replaces Jansen. The fourth seamer has a job to do here. He has to keep things tight until Rabada is ready to let rip again. He does his job, conceding just one run to Webster down to fine leg. He then thwacks Head’s front pad with a late in-swinger, but it was moving too much. Anyone wondering why Test cricket has descended into a wicket-fest? It’s John Simms’ fault, as he explains: It’s not the batters or the bowlers. I keep coming back to my desk in muggy New Jersey for an update, and another wicket has fallen. Yesterday I spent the afternoon watching the Phillies play their local brand of American cricket at Citizen’s Bank Park - 42,000+ brightly clad exuberant fans, couple of homers and some RBI’s, and all over in 3 hours; Headingley it is not! But as a neutral, I’d rather be at Lord’s today. 21st over: Australia 57-4 (Head 7, Webster 3) It’s dark and gloomy and the mostly South African crowd is buzzing right now. Ngidi has found a spring in his step and he’s targeting Webster’s stumps. Twice he comes close to breaching his defence before spraying some width outside off. Webster lashes at it but there’s a man out in the deep. Just one run. A time for a breath. Gary Revenson, a proud Saffa in the Compton Stand, gives us an update at ground level: “There’s a tremble of hope building here at Lord’s for the far behind South Africans. The bowlers are flying and the pressure they exerting is palpable. We’ve got ourselves a game here!” 20th over: Australia 54-4 (Head 6, Webster 1) Jansen continues. Head glances him fine for four. That wasn’t a great way to end a testing over. Forget Australia’s second innings score. They lead by 128. What will they be happy defending from here? I think 200 should be plenty. They’ll want a lot more than that. Any club captains looking for some ringers? Ian Sergeant has a solution: “With this game not likely to trouble day 4 for very long – how many last minute changes to club team sheets will be needed on Saturday as the hordes of SAF and AUS supporters suddenly find themselves free on Saturday afternoon????” My guess is that all fans – whether celebrating or drowning their sorrows – will be pretty useless on Saturday morning. 19th over: Australia 48-4 (Head 1, Webster 0) Maybe South Africa’s batters aren’t so bad after all? Or maybe both bowling attacks are supreme. Or maybe modern batters from all countries have forgotten how to face a moving red ball. There are big questions that can be answered down the road. Right now, thanks to Ngidi’s dismissal of Smith, and the wicket of Labuschagne the over before, we have a game on our hands here. Excellent from Ngidi who has now justified his divisive selection. I CAN’T SPAKE!!! Honestly, I can’t believe Ngidi has just bagged the wicket of Smith. It’s a fullish, straightish ball that Smith has played around and it’s thumped into his pads. The umpire said ‘not-out’ but they reviewed. Was it too high? Was it hitting him outside the line? No and no! Three reds and Smith is gone. My goodness, things are happening folks and they’re happening fast! 18th over: Australia 44-3 (Smith 10, Head 0) Labuschagne looked crestfallen as he nicked Jansen behind. He threw his head back and shut his eyes the moment his wayward drive was tickled to the keeper. Head is in. The lights are on. The clouds have settled over London. Things are getting spicy! I’m not saying South Africa have a hope here. But I’m also not, not saying it. Loose from Marnus and he’s gone! Oh, what’s he done!? A very full, very wide ball from Jansen tempts Labuschagne into a drive but his feet don’t move and he loses his shape as he goes searching for it. A thin edge is well held by a diving Verreynne who had to move forward to grab it. South Africa’s bowlers and fielders are doing their bit. Can we start to believe in a contest? 17th over: Australia 43-2 (Labuschagne 22, Smith 9) Better from Ngidi who finally finds some purchase off the deck. His last ball jagged just a touch and connected with the edge of Labuschagne’s prodding bat. It fell short of the slip, but that was something at least. Earlier a single each for both batters kept the scoreboard ticking along while Jansen needed some attention for an injured finger. Oooh, trouble here for Jansen. Fielding in the gully, he shot after a steer from Labuschagne off Ngidi and tumbled as he attempted to gather the ball. He landed awkwardly and onto his left hand. There’s a chance he’s dislocated something. A thumb? A finger? It’s his bowling hand and the physio is on having a look. He’s not going off the field. Seems like he’s OK. 16th over: Australia 41-2 (Labuschagne 21, Smith 8) Finally a bit of oomph from a South African not named Rabada. Jansen hammers in a bouncer that comfortably clears Labuschagne, but it at least shows the batters that they can’t settle on the front foot to a good length. Marnus then tucks a single off his middle stump towards backward square leg. A good set from Jansen. South Africa need pressure from the other end as well. 15th over: Australia 40-2 (Labuschagne 20, Smith 8) Ngidi just isn’t the man. He’s delivering floaty medium pacers that Smith and Labuschagne are bunting and steering and guiding without any fuss. I’ll eat my words if he bags a wicket but the way he’’s bowling he could toil for a week and not remove one of these Aussies. There’s just two runs off that set, but Australia are in control. It’s South Africa who need to make a play. 14th over: Australia 38-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 7) Jansen from round the wicket to the right handers gets one to nip back on Smith who inside edges to fine leg for a single. The ball before beat Australia’s main man from a good length. Labuschagne tries to drive one through the covers but doesn’t catch hold of it. Just the one off that set. 13th over: Australia 35-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 6) Pretty tame from Ngidi without the requisite control. Both fidgety batters have no problem rotating the strike. Smith gets two singles, Labuschagne gets one for himself before clipping a couple through midwicket. The teams are back out and gloomy clouds have gathered overhead. Is there a path back from the brink for South Africa? Lungi Ngidi, who was poor yesterday, has the ball. A big session (aren’t they all?) is about to commence. 12th over: Australia 32-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 4) Jansen returns for one last salvo before the tea break and causes some strife for Labuschagne. The right-hander is hopping around, leaving extravagantly and driving with a leading edge towards the covers. But he survives a maiden and reaches the safety of the end of the session. Australia are in command with a 106 run lead. South Africa only managed 136 in their first innings so you feel this game is likely done as it is. But you just never know. Rabada and Jansen will get a breather and should be fresh to return for a spell at Smith and Marnus. They’ll need, I don’t know, at least five wickets before the close to seriously have a shot at the most remarkable upset. This game is hurtling along and truly anything can happen. I’m off for a cuppa. Back in a bit 11th over: Australia 32-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 4) Wow, what an over from Rabada. Just as he did in the first dig he bagged the pair of Khawaja and Green. But Smith is there and the great man is on four already having driven his second ball down the ground for a boundary. I’m not yet saying it’s game on, but we’re flirting with the concept at least. Gervase Greene reckons he knows why this match has been so one-sided. Got to say, I think he’s spot on: Afternoon Dan, Gervase Greene from Sydney here, travelling through Slovenia (where there’s a strong consensus in favour of the WTC). The unfortunate aspect of your countrymen’s batting is that the two real hopes of the side - Bavuma and Markram - have amassed “only” about 3,000 career runs each. Each is better than that, imo, but that’s the reality. Measure that against the opposition - ageing though some are - and it’s difficult to avoid the obvious. Hope not, despite my nationality, but there it is. Green has a pair! For the second innings in a row, Rabada has dismissed both Khawaja and Green in the same over. Fullish ball, around a fourth stump, Green prodded with hard hands and edged to third slip. Mulder did the business. They check for a no-ball but it’s clean. Well then… Right on cue! Rabada, from round the wicket into Khawaja, gets one to hold its line and finds the edge of Khawaja who has a little nibble away from his body. That’s excellent from South Africa’s pace supremo who is just a class above his mates. Khawaja was looking set. He’ll be fuming at that prod away from his body. 10th over: Australia 28-0 (Labuschagne 16, Khawaja 6) Wiaan Mulder is into the attack. That might seem like an innocuous thing, but it’s not. Look, he’s a handy seamer. A more than capable back-up, but when you consider Pat Cummins was Australia’s first change bowler then you start to get a sense of why this match has unfolded as it has. Mulder is operating around 135 km/h. Khawaja and Labuschagne have no problem picking him off for singles off their hips. It’s too easy for the Aussies who comfortably add three to the total and appear as if they’re batting against village trundlers. Rabada has to somehow win this on his own I feel. 9th over: Australia 24-0 (Labuschagne 15, Khawaja 4) Rabada sends down a jaffa but can’t found the edge of Labuschagne who holds his shape as he plays down the wrong line. That was a beauty, but Marnus survives. Khawaja ticks along with a single worked to backward square leg as Australia’s lead climbs to 98. 8th over: Australia 23-0 (Labuschagne 14, Khawaja 3) Jansen over pitches and Labuschagne leans into a glorious drive, creaming that through the covers for four. Bavuma sends a man back in the deep on the leg side. South Africa look so flat out there. Sure the pitch has become a road but where’s the spark? Where’s the grit? Where’s the fight? One way traffic at the minute. 7th over: Australia 20-0 (Labuschagne 10, Khawaja 4) South Africa look flat. They’ve already lost a slip and already have two men out on the boundary. You’d swear they’ve just given up. Sure it’s a flat deck but where is that so-called Protea fire? Labuschagne keeps things ticking with a single and Khawaja is untroubled by Rabada from round the wicket. Have they given up? 6th over: Australia 18-0 (Labuschagne 9, Khawaja 3) That’s a good set from the lanky Jansen. Banging a tricky length and causing some strife for the lefty Khawaja. There was enough for a review for a caught behind but replays showed the attempted pull never made contact with the ball. A couple was tickled off the pads by Khawaja before he played and missed at one around the fifth stump. Probing, but not yet penetrating. They’ve reviewed for a caught behind. Khawaja on the pull to Jansen. Was there a feather? Nope. Not even close. Bad to worse for South Africa who burn a review. 5th over: Australia 15-0 (Labuschagne 8, Khawaja 1) More no-balls from South Africa. That won’t help. Marnus collects a single after edging just short of the keeper. Rabada is toiling away but a drag down is clattered by Khawaja on the pull. Rickelton does well at midwicket to prevent the boundary. Tim Ellis on X is reminded of a similarly one-sided affair: This match reminds me of Lords 2005 when Eng skittled Aus for 190 got blown away for 155and ..they were never in the match after that. Shame. Horrible when the game feels dead after a day and a bit.... 4th over: Australia 12-0 (Labuschagne 7, Khawaja 1) Khawaja is off the mark and avoids a pair with a leading edge through the covers worth one. Janse then sends down a four deliveries that Labuschagne lets go until the right hander clips a single down to fine leg. A no-ball adds one to the tally. Early days of course, but this just feels like it’s game over already. 3rd over: Australia 9-0 (Labuschagne 7, Khawaja 0) Rabada is finding some shape away from the right-handed Labuschagne. Not that he’s playing it. He’s back and across and leaving without any fuss. A no-ball at the start of the over means it’s not a maiden, but no runs off the bat from that set. South Africa need the Aussies playing at more deliveries. Here’s a good question from Andrew Miles concerning team selections: I was thinking about the nature of the WTC, and the final being the culmination of a 2 year cycle, and what this should mean about the players who play in the final. For example, should a team be allowed to include a player in the final XI if they played no part in any of the games that led them to qualify? Maybe there should be an automatically selected squad of 15 based on the players who played most in all of the tests played during the WTC cycle, and the teams are only allowed to be selected from that? It’s probably an insane idea, but maybe your other readers could come up with some more. Well, go on readers. What do you reckon? 2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Labuschagne 7, Khawaja 0) Just a leg-bye off that Jansen over. His left arm zippers found some nice carry, but Khawaja was watchful throughout. Plenty of time to bat here, and with a flat deck underfoot, there’s no need to rush things. Guy Hornsby has some love for Temba, who could do with positive vibes at the minute: Morning to all at Lords and following in this place. I may not have any real skin in the game for the winner – though I’m sure many of my Australian friends would not feel the same were England playing today! – but I would like to add my name to the Temba Bavuma fan club please. I say this as I am smarting from him just being well and truly Marnused in the field, but he is such a likeable and humble guy, and a dogged and determined cricketer who’s flourished as captain in this attractive South African side. What other modern captains have a much better average leading the team than they did before? I know Virat did, and MS Dhoni, and before them Imran Khan and Inzamam, but it’s a rare thing. His interview with Donald MacRae was brilliant, as was the recent podcast with Ali Mitchell. I was hoping he could get an innings-anchoring ton, but we’ll have to wait until the second innings, when this may be all but done. While you chew on that, Marco Jansen is getting ready to let rip from the Pavilion end. 1st over: Australia 6-0 (Labuschagne 7, Khawaja 0) Australia are up and running. Marnus clips a fine looking flick from Rabada for four and also picks up a two past gully. He keeps the strike with another flick for one down to fine leg. Pitch looks good. Marnus looks good. Australia look good. This could get messy for the South Africans who need early strikes and they need them now. Thanks Geoff. I was in a great mood this morning when I was in the Edrich Stand watching Bavuma and Bedingham show some fight. Now, not so much. South Africa simply folded but take nothing away from Pat Cummins who was magnificent. He now has five-wicket hauls as skipper, tied with Richie Benaud and three behind Imran Khan on that list. He really is something. So, is that game over already? South Africa are 74 runs behind and Australia have the best batting conditions ahead of them. This could get messy for the Saffas. “Four before lunch,” says Rob Freeman, a Proteas die-hard. At least, is what I’d say if the underdogs have any hope here. KG has the ball. Marnus is up first. Let’s get stuck in! All sorts of trouble for South Africa. They might have suppressed Australia’s batting in the first innings, but their own batting is certainly the weaker on paper, so they needed to make that advantage count. Conceding 74 is a big deficit, and Australia now have an afternoon of bright sunshine to bat in. Can Rabada go back to the well, after watching a deflating performance from his teammates? That’s it for me. We’ve found Daniel Gallan, and he’s found some degree of equanimity, so it’s over to him from here. What a catch. The field is set for the short ball. Rabada takes it on. Gets a good piece to deep midwicket. Webster on the rope can’t spot it at first, shuffles his feet a few times, then runs forward a few paces, and a bit to the side, before diving forward to take it just above the ground. That is 300 Test wickets for Pat Cummins, with 6 for 28. It’s also a prediction masterclass from our Andy Roberts, who is now trying to mine his fortune by predicting that Essendon will win the flag this year. Dream on, Andy, it’s not 1993 any more. 57th over: South Africa 138-9: Rabada 1, Ngidi 0 Lungi Ngidi blocks his first ball, but he’s rarely out there for long. Oh, South Africa. Starc comes on, to go full pace from both ends, and Maharaj immediately puts Rabada onto strike with a block and dash. Thanks. Rabada gets away again by driving his first run square. But they try too much a couple of balls later, Maharaj flicking off his pads behind square, taking the first and attempting a second. Head’s chase and throw is good, and Carey has time to settle an awkward bounce before flicking off the bails just in time. 56th over: South Africa 135-8: Maharaj 5, Rabada 0 So it’s down to Kagiso Rabada with bat as well as ball. Left-hander, loves a clout. And we’re straight to a bouncer field. Only two slips, with a short leg and a couple out leg side for the hook, plus a deep third. Cover point, mid off, mid on in the notional ring. Cummins goes short right away, up into the breadbasket, then hits Rabada on the shoulder as he bails out of an attempted duck. Gives the thumbs up to Cummins after a polite enquiry as to his health, only for the bowler to do the same thing again. This one bounces up to hit the grille, so as the over ends, here comes the physio. Got him in the jaw, by the looks. The resistance ends. Just a classic bit of fast bowling, Cummins with a tight line to the stumps, getting some nibble, drawing the forward defensive shot, and with it the nick to the keeper. Bedingham has faced 111 balls, though it has felt like 311 today. Now the vigil is over. Cummins has five in the innings, and 299 in his career. 55th over: South Africa 135-7: Bedingham 45, Maharaj 5 Normally you’d expect the set batter to up the ante here, but Bedingham knows that Maharaj will always attack, so he’s willing to let that be the dynamic. Tucks a single against Lyon, and Maharaj wallops four over cover. 54th over: South Africa 130-7: Bedingham 44, Maharaj 1 If there’s a player who loves a whack, it’s Maharaj. Goes after a big drive against Cummins, but it’s stopped in the covers. “Wow!” Jeremy Boyce is excited. “People often talk about the pressure of captaincy and how it can affect a player’s level. Doesn’t seem to bother Captain Cummins, does it? Ball, bat, field and tactics, five day, one day, he’s a complete package. At 32 he’s still got plenty of future, especially if he can do a Jimmy.” I suspect he’ll give away captaincy by 2027 at the latest, but he could play on after that. 53rd over: South Africa 129-7: Bedingham 43, Maharaj 1 Scrambled single as Bedingham hares off, Maharaj has another collision, this time with the keeper, trying to make his ground at the striker’s end. Maharaj opens his scoring with one to the off side, Bedingham flicks another square. That’s seven runs from Lyon in seven overs. Andy Roberts (not that one) wrote this before the last two wickets, but he might be bang on with 140 now. “Love that you are calling this, I’ve been a fan since listening to your The Greatest Season That Was 1993 podcast. I’m enjoying SA showing a bit of fight watching and following the OBO in Far North Queensland; I feel it was needed as I still reckon the odds are against the Saffas cracking 140 as a total. Great to see them making a contest of it, but I’m not sure how much resistance the rest of the batting order will provide if the Aussie cartel are on. Aussies for the win before lunch on day 4 for mine.” 52nd over: South Africa 126-7: Bedingham 41, Maharaj 0 So there was a no-ball from that over, and two wickets. South Africa in trouble, 86 runs behind. Oh, calamity. South Africa needed Jansen to stick with Bedingham. Instead he lasts three balls, stretches forward way too early, and pops back a catch. Cummins has four. That is out! Australia review, as Cummins gets one to strike pad in line with leg stump. And to add injury to insult, the bowler absolutely flattens the batter who is heading off for a run. Never quite seen that one before. Cummins goes up in a huge appeal, turning the umpire and running backwards, as many bowlers do. Verreyne is called by Bedingham for a leg bye, and responds, but is ball-watching big time as the ball goes to backward square leg. Because he’s not looking, he runs straight into Cummins’ back and poleaxes himself. The two get up as the ball is thrown back in, and the Australians would be within their rights to knock off the bails at the non-striker’s end – the collision was the batter’s fault. But they don’t. No matter. Umpire says not out but the review says it wasn’t sliding enough to miss leg stump. Three reds. 51st over: South Africa 125-5: Bedingham 41, Verreyne 13 Lyon from the Nursery End, landing his length nicely in this first over. Verreyne with a funny little flat-bat whomp down to mid on for one. 50th over: South Africa 123-5: Bedingham 40, Verreyne 12 So that’s a 10-minute delay of the start of the second session. Cummins resumes after the longer break, and gives up a couple of singles. We’re back on! Rob Marriott has searched the Laws for me, thanks Rob. “To clarify, Law 37 explicitly says that you can only be out Obstructing the Field ‘while the ball is in play.’ And Law 20 states that the ball is dead ‘whether played or not it becomes trapped between the bat and person of a batter or between items of his/her clothing or equipment.’ And, of course, that the decision on this is up to the umpire alone. So, no controversy. I don’t think many of the Australian players took it particularly seriously anyway!” They didn’t, that’s true. The dead ball bit was the line I remembered, but then I thought, what if a batter runs over and grabs a loose ball and damages it in some way, shouldn’t the bowling team have recourse? That might be a disciplinary matter rather than a dismissal, then. Hello to David Reynolds, who emailed in. “As an Englishman, if I only cared about events in which my team were finalists, I would not care about very much. So I do not care at all that England are not in it - it is actually very pleasant watching a Test match as a neutral. And I have no problem with the format, which, as you say, cannot and should not be more orderly than what it is encapsulating. My only quibble remains the same - its very existence devalues Test cricket by suggesting that an added layer of competition is necessary in order to give Test cricket meaning, when, in fact, any Test match is a beautiful thing whether or not there is a table to be contributed towards or a final to be qualified for. Having said that, I am glad of it this week because this a terrific contest.” Yes, I have a similar view instinctively: I’ve always hated the framing of ‘dead rubber’ and that sort of thing, because you’re still playing for your country. A century is still a century, a wicket is a wicket. But I have been converted somewhat by the fact that there is, undoubtedly, more interest in some contests than there would otherwise have been, based on what the ramifications are, and not just interest from the competing teams’ supporters, but more broadly. Each Test still matters, but I think you can add context without implying devaluation. I regret to inform that the hovercraft has arrived. There’s no visible rain from where I’m sitting, but perhaps it’s that delightfully light English variety, the meringue of rain. So a pretty decent session for South Africa all up. They lost Bavuma, whose wicket is important, but they managed to keep the damage to that, and added 78 runs. It’ll still take a significant partnership from the current pair to build towards a lead, but that’s a chance. Gloomy and grey here at the lunch break. 49th over: South Africa 121-5: Bedingham 39, Verreyne 11 What has happened to David Bedingham? He’s been a church mouse all morning, then he picks off Webster for two runs square, before lacing two boundaries in three balls, one through mid on, the next through cover. Confident shots, and unlikely ones just before the break. Before the first of those boundaries, an odd little passage of play where the ball gets stuck in Bedingham’s pad flap, and he pulls it out and throws it on the ground. Carey is darting in to grab the ball, and a couple of the Australians make noises of enquiry to the umpire. Are they appealing for handled the ball? Seems unlikely. In any case, my recollection is that the ball becomes dead if lodged in the batter’s equipment, otherwise a keeper could pluck it out and claim a catch. So can a batter be dismissed handled the ball if the ball is dead? Mind you, handled the ball doesn’t exist anymore, it was rolled into obstructing the field, which should be possible even if the ball is dead, you would think. I’ll leave that to somebody who wants to spend their lunch break perusing the Laws. 48th over: South Africa 111-5: Bedingham 29, Verreyne 11 The short ball has had no menace for Australia today, as Hazlewood tries again and is pulled for one. That gets Verreyne on strike, and an awkward bounce gets him two runs as the ball dodges Cummins at mid on. 47th over: South Africa 108-5: Bedingham 28, Verreyne 9 Webster not quite nailing it in his second over, and Verreyne is able to work him around: two through cover, two through midwicket, a single past gully. There’s a no ball in there as well, and a Bedingham single. An untidy seven-run over before the break. 46th over: South Africa 101-5: Bedingham 27, Verreyne 4 Lunch is looming, and South Africa just want to get through. Verreyne gets an accidental single as Hazlewood draws the inside half of the bat, Bedingham blots the rest. 45th over: South Africa 100-5: Bedingham 27, Verreyne 3 It’s Webster time. The tall all-rounder looks, at a glance, from a distance, a bit like Josh Hazlewood, running into bowl with his long solid shape and buzzcut head, though the resemblance diminishes when the ball comes out. Not as fast, not as fierce, but he nearly gets the wicket! Some shap, some bounce given his heigh, and Verreyne edges but the ball dies in front of Smith at slip, who applauds the bowler. Three singles from the over, and the South Africans inch up to triple figures. 44th over: South Africa 97-5: Bedingham 26, Verreyne 1 Hazlewood to return, as Cummins keeps the tempo of rotating his fast bowlers with the Pav at their backs. They’ve all had a go from that end this morning. Bedingham continues his slow advance with a couple of runs through the covers. 43rd over: South Africa 95-5: Bedingham 24, Verreyne 1 Another runless over goes by for Lyon, who has now done that three times out of five today. This time it’s Verreyne doing the blocking. 42nd over: South Africa 95-5: Bedingham 24, Verreyne 1 There’s the first for Verreyne, pushing the ball straight, before five dots from Cummins to Bedingham, who has faced 68 balls this morning for 16 runs. 41st over: South Africa 94-5: Bedingham 24, Verreyne 0 Back to Lyon, then. Off breaks, with a skip and a short leg. Lyon 101. Getting some turn, hanging it outside the off stump so that it comes back in. Gets a bit short here and there, but Bedingham isn’t interested in trying anything. 40th over: South Africa 94-5: Bedingham 24, Verreyne 0 The SA keeper comes out, as Ali Martin next to me sings “I want to know, have you ever seen Verreyne…” We keep it classy at this joint. What a catch! Bad shot, the timing is all wrong. Bavuma strides forward and plays his drive at Cummins way too early, chips it up. Wide of Labuschagne at cover, to his right, but the former South African dives away and intercepts it mid-air. He’s struggling with the bat, but he is worth a lot in the field these days. 39th over: South Africa 93-4: Bavuma 36, Bedingham 24 This one is a maiden over, from Lyon to Bedingham, who is 24 from 60 balls. 38th over: South Africa 93-4: Bavuma 36, Bedingham 23 That single means Cummins is bowling to Bedingham, which means six dot balls. Ok, that wasn’t fair. Five dot balls, then a single. 37th over: South Africa 93-4: Bavuma 36, Bedingham 23 Time for a little off spin. Nathan Lyon brings his polished dome into the fray, from the Nursery End. The clouds are back, thick and soupy. He’s operating to a couple of right-handers. Nothing much to report, except Bedingham pushing another run down the ground. 36th over: South Africa 92-4: Bavuma 36, Bedingham 22 At last. Bedingham has been 17 going under, but a straight drive from Starc moves him to 21, at which point he receives a cake with a key on it. Another single thanks to a Cummins fumble at mid on. The partnership is 62. 35th over: South Africa 87-4: Bavuma 36, Bedingham 17 Up, up, and away! “No need to block out Cummins,” Bavuma tells his partner. Gets a ball that isn’t that short, but Bavuma is that short, so he’s in position for a pull shot and smokes it into the Grand Stand. The only scoring shot from the over. Drinks. 34th over: South Africa 81-4: Bavuma 30, Bedingham 17 Starc swings around to the Pavilion End to replace Hazlewood, but it works for Bavuma: another crisp drive through the covers for four! He’s enjoying himself now, up to 30. Gets off strike with a deflection from the pad, and Bedingham continues bedding in. 33rd over: South Africa 76-4: Bavuma 26, Bedingham 17 It’s all Bavuma at the moment, with Bedingham purely focused on survival. Fair enough, when facing Pat Cummins early in a spell. He ticks off another over. 32nd over: South Africa 76-4: Bavuma 26, Bedingham 17 Bavuma is growing in confidence, gliding a couple from Hazlewood, then leaning back and lofting him over cover for four. And the sun is out! Wherever Dan Gallan is, I hope he’s feeling better. 31st over: South Africa 69-4: Bavuma 19, Bedingham 17 Cummins works away, and Bedingham has gone into his shell, mistiming one and missing another as he defends the over after looking to work the first ball behind point. Matt Huxley emails in, which you can also do. “Hi Geoff, I know there’s agitation in some quarters for the WTC final to be played as a series, but I have to say the one-off nature of this game has really added to its electricity for me. It feels quite unusual to be watching a Test match knowing that there won’t be another chance for players in a subsequent game. Obviously you get this in series deciders, but by that point a narrative for the players has been established. Same goes for tournament cricket where the players will have been on a journey in the preceding days or weeks. Here it’s drop in cold and ride or die! It may not be the fairest way to judge quality, but the jeopardy is gripping.” That’s a fair observation. The tricky bit is in having players perform at a high standard if it has been months since their last Test, but in the modern environment we have to trust players to switch formats. The bowling quality has certainly been spot on from both teams, and any point of difference can make a match interesting. If the WTC final is supposed to be different, then it needs to be different. Ok, you’ve convinced me. 30th over: South Africa 69-4: Bavuma 19, Bedingham 17 Hazlewood continuing, Bavuma happy to see out the length deliveries, then picks off the short ball for a single. He’s up to 20, and doing a job. 29th over: South Africa 68-4: Bavuma 18, Bedingham 17 Cummins into the attack for the first time today, and he’s on the mark as usual. Bavuma pinches a run to point, Bedingham tries to play the rest out with a straight bat. 28th over: South Africa 67-4: Bavuma 17, Bedingham 17 Fortune favours the tentative! Hazlewood does his thing, getting the ball to cut down the bill, beating Bavuma’s forward push, and smashing the back pad in front of off stump. It is as stone dead as an lbw appeal can be, and umpire Gaffaney gives it. I don’t know why Bavuma reviews, because he has no confidence in doing so, but the soundwave picks up the tiniest little scratch of an inside edge, and he is saved. Later, there’s a leg bye to end the over. 27th over: South Africa 66-4: Bavuma 17, Bedingham 17 Starc going the short ball now, but Bedingham takes a run off his hip, and Bavuma hooks another. Then a lovely on drive from Bedingham! Places the full ball wide of mid on, and it zooms up the felt and into the corner pocket. Starc’s bouncer reply is wildly high, no need for evasive action. 26th over: South Africa 59-4: Bavuma 15, Bedingham 12 Another couple, this time to Bedingham, who punches Hazlewood off the back foot into the cover gap, returns for two, then works a single to deep midwicket. Deep midwicket? Yes, there’s a fielder there, and one at long leg. Hook shot plan? Cummins brings that man up now, for Bavuma, and moves Green to cover, then out of there into a second gully. Bavuma uses that gap for a single. “I loved the snakes and ladders analogy,” writes Rowan Sweeney, “but the entitlement of Cricket’s Mayfair and Park Lane wanting to crush the life out of the best thing to happen to Test cricket in the last decade (other than Mitchell Santner) makes me think of another board game, notorious for how boring it is...” Quite. Get Jay Shah a monocle. 25th over: South Africa 55-4: Bavuma 14, Bedingham 9 Aaaand smoked! Bavuma finally lays into one, after a very cautious innings yesterday. Through the covers for four. Then tucks up and drops a run to mid off, sprints and yells “Yep, yep, yep!” Positive batting. The team 50 comes up. Bedingham perplexingly reaches for a wide ball, looking to squeeze it into the turf, when he didn’t need to play, but gets a run from the next ball, tapped to mid off. Labuschagne there is the fielder they’re milking runs to: he’s a fierce pick-up-and-throw merchant if they get a call wrong. Round the wicket goes Starc, left arm, and Bavuma smokes him for four more! Through point this time, lofted but there’s a deep backward point, so no danger. And it beats that man on his square side. Ten from the over. 24th over: South Africa 45-4: Bavuma 5, Bedingham 8 Hazlewood now, from the Paviliion End, getting the ball to jag down the hill and tenderise Bedingham’s thigh pad. Nasty. Two slips, plus the extra lanky figure of Webster at gully, watching Hazlewood zip the ball past the outside edge. 23rd over: South Africa 45-4: Bavuma 5, Bedingham 8 Dangerous start from Starc! The ball swinging away from Bavuma, beats the outside edge of the right-hander’s bat as he drives. Pace, probing around the off stump some more, but the last ball of the over Bavuma gets a shot away, driven straight for two. Spare a thought for our colleague Daniel Gallan, of South Africa but now living in England, who was quite the shade of bilious green yesterday as Australia’s score mounted towards 200, which faded into a pinker hue of resignation as the South African wickets began to fall. He needs something that team today, if nobody else. As we forecast, kind of, heavy cloud cover has moved over Lord’s towards the start of play. After which, Andy Bull took that analysis a step further, looking at the feting and lionising of the ICC chairman and de facto BCCI boss, who was treated to some high-level fawning on the opening day. I’ve been interested lately in the place of the WTC, and of the final, in terms of how it’s perceived in the two major cricket powers who didn’t qualify for this match, and want to reshape the fixture’s immediate future on their own terms. Three seats down, Simon Burnton knew from the opening burst that he wanted to write about Kagiso Rabada, who passed Allan Donald on the South African top wicket-takers list yesterday while bagging five. Want a match report? Why not start with a match report. With my own two eyes, I saw Ali Martin hew this from the stone of words with his own two hands. Hello from London. The day dawns sunny here, though who knows which way it will turn – Lord’s atmospherics are often a game of snakes and ladders. So too can be Test cricket, as South Africa found yesterday: racing up the ladder of the Australian top order, sliding back thanks to Steve Smith, ascending again to bowl them out for 212, then having a serious slip of four wickets before stumps. They didn’t fall all the way back to the bottom, but they will if David Bedingham and the captain Temba Bavuma go quickly this morning. Rung by rung it will need to be for the South Africans, at 43 for 4.
Author: Daniel Gallan (later) and Geoff Lemon (earlier)