WTC final: Smith, Rabada shine as wickets tumble
New Delhi, June 12 -- It has been a summer of lows for Kagiso Rabada. The South African spearhead quietly flew home from the Indian Premier League before it emerged that he had been suspended for a month for the use of recreational drug, which was recently revealed as cocaine. Recreational drug use is seen in the world of sport as worse than doping. The fast bowler apologised, but his involvement in Gujarat Titans' campaign was marginal.
On Wednesday, a chastised, and well-rested Rabada was ready after South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma chose to bowl in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at Lord's. On a spicy pitch where the ball swung and seamed through the day, he was a handful every time he pitched it right. Evidence of his effect was figures of 5/51 as WTC champions Australia were dismissed for 212.
South Africa were in serious trouble as they were reduced to 43/4 at stumps, 169 runs behind. The 14 wickets tumbling in the day pointed to a bowler-dominated Test that is likely to be a truncated affair. That would be a let down considering the near full-house that attended on the opening day.
It was doubly pleasant for the SA fast bowler as his name was linked with Allan Donald. Although Dale Steyn (439), Shaun Pollock (421) and Makhaya Ntini (390) are the top three Proteas wicket-takers, Donald (330) holds a special place as the first great fast bowler of South Africa's post-Apartheid era. Donald played 72 Tests, and Rabada (332), playing his 71st Test, with his 4th wicket passed the haul of 'White Lightning'.
Wiaan Mulder bowled 11 economical overs to play his part as a genuine all-rounder, but it was left-arm Marco Jansen who complemented Rabada by claiming 3/49.
For Australia, Don Bradman is a gift that keeps on giving. Any association with his name lifts performances. In the here and now, the Aussie batting still runs on the twitchy shoulders of Steve Smith. Promoting Marcus Labuschagne to open, and slotting Cameron Green at No.3 more on his form in the English County, didn't pay off.
At 67/4 Australia were tottering and it was once again Smith, at 36, still the flagbearer of Australia's somewhat unsettled batting line-up, who bailed them out. Smith's 66 (112b, 162 min, 10x4) took him to a tally of 591 Test runs, the most by a visiting batter at the home of cricket. Although fellow Aussie Warren Bardsley held the previous record of 575 (7 innings), it will be going past Bradman's tally (551 in 8 innings) - Garry Sobers made 571 runs at Lord's - that will find more prominent mention. Smith himself was furious with himself. He had guided the fightback, raising 73 runs for the fifth wicket with top-scorer Beau Webster (72 - 92b, 139min, 11x4) before the greed to cash in on Aiden Markram's tossed up and wide ball. An intended cover drive flew to the slip cordon where Jansen juggled before completing the catch on the third attempt.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey (23) was set but a needless reverse-sweep to Keshav Maharaj saw him beaten and bowled.
If Australia have struggled to find quality batters at the top of the order, South Africa have been losing them one after another to T20 leagues. Not that a really top line-up would have fared better against the Aussie pace trio of skipper Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Rhythm is everything for Starc, and he got the length, swing and pace to trouble Markram. The SA opener survived the first time, but paid for not being decisive the second time, inside-edging the brilliant inswinger on to the stumps. Starc almost got No.3 Mulder soon after, but keeper Alex Carey let a straightforward nick slip through the glove, grassing it off the chest. Mulder didn't get away though, making six runs off 43 balls before Cummins knocked off the off-peg. Starc had removed the other opener, Ryan Rickleton, in between, chasing a wide delivery to be caught in the slip cordon.
The Aussie pacers challenging the stumps also saw Hazlewood bowl Tristan Stubbs before Bavuma and David Bedingham saw through to the stumps....
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