London, Jun 11: Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada picked two wickets each as South Africa reduced Australia to 67/4 in 23.2 overs at lunch on Day One of the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final at the iconic Lord’s here on Wednesday.

Right from the time South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl first under gloomy overcast skies, the fast bowlers justified that decision by bowling tight lines and lengths, as well as extracting great movement, which in turn got Jansen and Rabada scalps. Along with some great catching, it meant that the first session truly belonged to the Proteas.

With Steve Smith still at the crease through 26 not out and lots of batting to follow, Australia can hope to fight through the collapse and put pressure back on an excellent South Africa bowling line-up in the second session.

From the word go, Rabada and Jansen nailed their lengths from the word go to keep Australia on a tight leash. Rabada rattled Australia in the seventh over by getting Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in the span of four balls. He first came in from round the wicket to extract Khawaja’s edge and have him caught at first slip, as the batter fell for a 20-ball duck.

Rabada then got one to shape away from Green, and the edge was caught by a low-diving third slip, as the batter fell for four on his return to Tests after nearly a year. Lungi Ngidi, back in Test match action after 10 months, and Wiaan Mulder continued to be tight in their lines and lengths to keep Smith and Labuschagne on a tight leash.

Though Smith found some boundaries, South Africa continued to strike as Labuschagne poked at one from Jansen and nicked behind to the keeper. At the stroke of lunch, Jansen produced another huge moment by having Travis Head strangled down the leg to make it a really good session of Test cricket for South Africa.

Brief scores: Australia 67/4 in 23.2 overs (Steve Smith 26 not out, Marnus Labuschagne 17; Kagiso Rabada 2-9, Marco Jansen 2-27) against South Africa

(IANS)

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