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India Today
11-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
WTC final: Australia fight back with pace on 14-wicket Day 1 after Rabada special
Test cricket reminded us once again why one should never judge a pitch before both teams have batted on it. After Australia were bundled out for just 212 on Day 1 of the World Test Championship 2025 final, questions were raised over their batting performance. Kagiso Rabada starred for South Africa with a fiery five-wicket haul. However, Australia struck back in style, giving South Africa a taste of their own medicine with a spirited bowling display on Wednesday, 11 a lively Lord's surface that offered something throughout the day — from an overcast morning to a bright evening — fast bowlers dominated proceedings as 14 wickets fell on the opening day of the high-stakes final. | WTC final SA vs AUS Day 1 Highlights |South Africa were left reeling at 43 for 4 at Stumps after Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood tore through their top order. Temba Bavuma (3*) and David Bedingham (8*) were at the crease, trying to steady the innings after a relentless assault from Australia's pace trio. South Africa trailed Australia by 169 runs, and it might take a couple of heroic efforts from the Proteas batters to get close to the total, let alone take a strikes!South Africa's woes continue and #WiannMulder's promotion up the order backfires as #PatCummins cleans him up, all ends up!LIVE NOW #WTCFinal | #SAvAUS, Day 1, watch LIVE on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 11, 2025advertisementThe conditions were not suited for free-flowing stroke play, and Ryan Rickelton's dismissal was a clear example. Early in his innings, Rickelton confidently drove Starc down the ground when the Dukes ball was still as the lacquer wore off, the ball began to swing more. In the ninth over, Rickelton attempted a similar drive to the one that had earlier fetched him a boundary. This time, though, the older ball swung away, took the outside edge, and flew to the slip the Kookaburra or SG balls, the Dukes ball tends to swing more as it ages, making it one of the most challenging for batters to BATTING EFFORT FROM THE PROTEAS?It was arguably a timid effort with the bat from South Africa who batted 22 overs for 43 runs. In fact, the day ended with Beddingham, who walked in at No. 6, hitting two boundaries to lift an otherwise snail-paced Africa appeared to shut shop as early as the ninth over after losing Rickelton and Aiden Markram South Africa were facing a world-class and all-conquering bowling attack, but none of the top-order batters, especially captain Bavuma and No. 3 Wiaan Mulder, showed the urgency in the middle. Even singles didn't come by as South Africa kept finding the fielders, visibly rattled after a terrific opening burst from Mitchell think that batting conditions would improve as the overhead conditions cleared, but that certainly wasn't the case. And I suppose the only reason I'd say maybe Australia edged it—maybe an 80% call—is because of the lack of intent from the South African batting unit," former Australia opener Matthew Hayden told JioHostar after the day's play."That really started with Temba Bavuma."When you think about his performance as captain, it's not just about field placements or bowling changes—it's also about leading from the front as a batting captain, showing vigour and intent. Of course, you're up against three world-class fast bowlers in conditions that suit them, but what Australia would have relished is the deflated tone in that South African innings," he (3 off 37) and Mulder (6 off 44) added six runs for their third-wicket partnership that lasted 40 balls before Cummins removed the latter and piled up the pressure on the Hazlewood joined the pary late, getting the big wicket of Tristan Stubbs to swung the momentum in favour of Australia at the end of the day's was certainly not a day for batters at Lord's, as two high-quality bowling attacks traded punches and turned the opening day into a gripping COLLAPSE AFTER SMITH, WEBSTER FIFTIESAustralia were jolted early by Kagiso Rabada after they were sent into bat on Day 1. You May Also Like
Daily Maverick
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Proteas batting under the microscope as Australia appear stronger in that department
South Africa's batsmen look like no match for their Australian counterparts on paper, but a deeper look reveals it's closer than it initially appears. South Africa's and Australia's bowlers are fairly evenly matched, so the battle for the World Test Championship (WTC) mace is likely to come down to whose batters perform best. On the face of it, Australia's batters are far superior. The Proteas are in the process of a hit-out against Zimbabwe in a warm-up match in Arundel in Sussex in preparation for the WTC final. All of the batters got a chance to be out in the middle and face a red leather ball for the first time since their New Year's Test at Newlands. Three batters passed 50 before retiring — Ryan Rickelton (62), Temba Bavuma (58) and Tristan Stubbs (58). The only batters to be dismissed were Aiden Markram (13) and Wiaan Mulder (26) as the team posted 313 with nine players padding and facing up. 'It was a nice opportunity for the batters to get out there,' said Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince. 'I'm sure some of the batters would have liked to stay out there a bit longer, but we're keeping an eye on the weather… We're taking this for what it is, it's preparation.' Bavuma and Rickelton scored their runs in quick time with strike rates of more than 65, while Stubbs faced more than double the number of balls to score his runs. 'Most of the guys got a nice stint out there in the middle,' Prince said. 'Some were a little bit more fluent than others, but we have some days left for all of the guys to find their rhythm. 'Batting can be that way sometimes where not everyone has the same rhythm. 'The main outcome is that everybody had a chance and could spend some time in the middle.' A closer look The South African batters' techniques will be under the microscope when they face Australia next week. Rickelton is the only Proteas batter in the World Test Championship squad with a batting average more than 40 (41.06). His last innings, which was a wonderfully constructed 259 against Pakistan in South Africa's last Test match, is a big reason it isn't below 40 as he had a stuttering start to his international red-ball career. Meanwhile, every batter in Australia's top six — barring the vacant opening spot — has a Test average in excess of 40 with star batter Steve Smith leading the way with a world-beating 56.74 average. While Smith has an outstanding record around the world, his overall average and those of the rest of the top six are inflated by their records in their home country, Australia. Smith's average would still exceed 50 even if he played every match of his career away from home, as he's one of the best Test batters to have played the game, but his overall average would be much lower if you remove the nearly 60 runs per innings he scores at home. Marnus Labuschagne, for example, averages nearly 56 in Australia but only 35 once he leaves Aussie shores. It's not unusual to be better suited to your home conditions, nearly every player averages more at home than away, but South Africa don't have the same luxury of scoring a similar volume of runs at home because of how tricky the conditions often are. Proteas batters aren't able to compensate to the same extent at home for poor away records. A tough outing Batting in Test cricket in South Africa is one of the hardest tasks in the sport, even if you're from the country. While Australia offers additional heightened bounce and speed off the wicket for bowlers, South African decks do the same with the inclusion of lateral movement, both off the deck and through the air — depending on the venue. High individual scores and team scores are rare in the republic. Over the past 10 years, besides South Africa, England are the only side to have scored over 400 more than once in the country. Statistically, 39.5% of matches in South Africa are likely to see a score in excess of 400 in any innings of a Test match (17 of the 43 matches that have been hosted in the country across the last 10 years). However, 67% of matches in Australia have seen a score in excess of 400 in any innings in a Test match in the same time period (35 of the 52 matches).
IOL News
04-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
Proteas impress with the bat in warm-up ahead of WTC final
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma scored a solid 58 against Zimbabwe on Wednesday, Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix It is safe to say that South Africa ticked their boxes on Day Two at the Arundel Castle Cricket Ground on Wednesday, with captain Temba Bavuma, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs showing promising signs ahead of next week's World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's. Having lost the opening day of the warm-up match against Zimbabwe to rain on Tuesday, South Africa won the toss on Wednesday and sent Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton in to open the batting. Batting first was always in the plans of coach Shukri Conrad, who emphasised after the rained-out opening day that the priority was to give the batters time in the middle while allowing the bowlers to rest. A clash of two giants awaits at Lord's in a week 🇿🇦🇦🇺 Who will get their hands on the coveted trophy 🏆#WTC25 | #SSCricket — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 4, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Markram lasted only 5.3 overs, facing 15 deliveries before he was undone by Alex Falao (1/76). Wiaan Mulder (26) was next in and shared a 65-run partnership, with Rickelton before falling to Tanaka Chivanga (1/54). Captain Bavuma then came in at No 4, and the runs started to flow. The 35-year-old joined Rickelton in the middle, and the pair continued their excellent home summer form, in which both scored two centuries. Rickelton reached a composed half-century before retiring not out on 62, while Bavuma matched the milestone and also retired on 58. Between them, they struck 22 fours. Tristan Stubbs, who also enjoyed a prolific domestic season with two centuries, played a more measured knock. His 58 came off 120 balls and included only four fours and a six. David Bedingham (23* retired), Tony de Zorzi (28* retired) and Kyle Verreynne (9*) all spent time in the middle as South Africa declared their first innings on 312/3. With just under an hour left in the day, Bavuma gave the Duke ball to his frontline bowlers, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. The new-ball pair took time to find rhythm, but Rabada eventually struck, removing Brian Bennett — a wicket that likely brought relief to the fast bowler, who remains under scrutiny following a recent drug ban. Though only a warm-up, attention was on Rabada's ability to hit his stride early, as he has done throughout his Test career. He bowled four overs, finishing with 1/18, while Jansen ended on 0/13. Lungi Ngidi (0/4) and Keshav Maharaj (0/4) followed, conceding just eight runs between them. At stumps, South Africa led Zimbabwe by 279 runs.
The Star
04-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Ryan Rickelton aims high as Proteas take on Australia in WTC final
Having missed out on selection for South Africa's Test series against Australia three years ago, Ryan Rickelton will be keen to contribute significantly as he opens the batting for the Proteas against the old foe in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's, in London, starting next week. The 28-year-old now has 10 Tests under his belt since his debut in 2022, and seems to have firmly established his place at the top of the order. That's due in large part to the 259 he scored against Pakistan in the New Year's Test in Cape Town this year. In fact, Rickelton has two centuries in his last three Tests, and he will take on the Aussies with newfound confidence. "Bygones are bygones. It's in the past. I just have a really great opportunity to play against Australia in England in front of my family. They'll all be there, and my friends as well. So, what a cool week that'll be, and if I can contribute with the bat and put in a performance, that'll make it even sweeter,' Rickelton told "I've always watched Australia since I was a young boy, and they've been such a dominant force in world cricket for a long time. So, this is a dream come true for me.' Rickelton's performances of late have seen previous opener Tony de Zorzi shift down the order, and the responsibility of opening alongside Aiden Markram is massive. "I'm a bit nervous; it's a new opportunity for me. It was a new opportunity to open the batting in the New Year's Test, let alone the final against Australia. But, in saying that, I just want to bat, so if that's where I need to do my job, then hopefully I can prepare accordingly and try to set the game up for the team and dig in for a period of time. "With a new ball, generally it requires a bit of searching, which offers up some runs, so hopefully I can do myself justice and face a lengthy or a good sum of balls and back myself. If I face a few dozen deliveries, I'll be able to get some runs as well." @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport
IOL News
04-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
Ryan Rickelton aims high as Proteas take on Australia in WTC final
PRIMED FOR SUCCESS Ryan Rickelton aims to make a significant impact as South Africa's opener against Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord's, drawing confidence from his recent Test performances. Photo: AFP In fact, Rickelton has two centuries in his last three Tests, and he will take on the Aussies with newfound confidence. That's due in large part to the 259 he scored against Pakistan in the New Year's Test in Cape Town this year. The 28-year-old now has 10 Tests under his belt since his debut in 2022, and seems to have firmly established his place at the top of the order. Having missed out on selection for South Africa's Test series against Australia three years ago, Ryan Rickelton will be keen to contribute significantly as he opens the batting for the Proteas against the old foe in the World Test Championship ( WTC ) final at Lord's, in London, starting next week. Rickelton Reflects on Dream Opportunity to Face Australia in England "Bygones are bygones. It's in the past. I just have a really great opportunity to play against Australia in England in front of my family. They'll all be there, and my friends as well. So, what a cool week that'll be, and if I can contribute with the bat and put in a performance, that'll make it even sweeter,' Rickelton told "I've always watched Australia since I was a young boy, and they've been such a dominant force in world cricket for a long time. So, this is a dream come true for me.' Rickelton's performances of late have seen previous opener Tony de Zorzi shift down the order, and the responsibility of opening alongside Aiden Markram is massive. "I'm a bit nervous; it's a new opportunity for me. It was a new opportunity to open the batting in the New Year's Test, let alone the final against Australia. But, in saying that, I just want to bat, so if that's where I need to do my job, then hopefully I can prepare accordingly and try to set the game up for the team and dig in for a period of time. "With a new ball, generally it requires a bit of searching, which offers up some runs, so hopefully I can do myself justice and face a lengthy or a good sum of balls and back myself. If I face a few dozen deliveries, I'll be able to get some runs as well." @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport
