South Africa fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen took two wickets each to reduce Australia to 67-4 on the first morning of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Wednesday.
Defending champions Australia were in desperate trouble in overcast conditions in London at 16-2 after losing Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in a single Rabada over.
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Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith led a mini-recovery before Jansen snuffed that out, removing opener Labuschagne and the dangerous Travis Head.
Former captain Smith, who has an impressive record at Lord’s, was 26 not out at the break.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma had opted to field in conditions that promised to favour his quicks after winning the toss and his decision paid early dividends.
Khawaja fell for a 20-ball duck in the seventh over, edging behind to David Bedingham at first slip.
Three balls later 12-1 became 16-2.
New batsman Green edged low to second slip, where Aiden Markram held a superb diving catch under the glare of the Lord’s floodlights.
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Rabada had now taken two wickets for four runs in four balls.
The 30-year-old, who has more than 300 Test wickets, is playing his first Test after serving a one-month ban for cocaine use earlier this year.
Australia have struggled to find a regular opening partner for Khawaja since David Warner’s retirement 17 months ago, with Labuschagne the latest batsman tried out.
The 30-year-old, without a Test century for nearly two years, battled hard for 56 balls.
But on 17 he was undone by a classic piece of fast bowling from towering left-armer Jansen.
Hit on the shoulder the previous ball when trying to duck a bouncer, Labuschagne pushed tentatively at a Jansen delivery from around the wicket and got a faint edge through to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, leaving Australia 46-3.
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They had been in similar trouble in the 2023 final against India across London at the Oval, only for Smith and Head to both score hundreds as they turned the match in Australia’s favour.
Head, however, could only manage 11 on Wednesday before he glanced Jansen, with Verreynne capping an excellent fielding display by South Africa as he held an excellent diving one-handed catch.
South Africa are aiming to win their first major trophy since lifting the ICC Knockout, a forerunner of the Champions Trophy, in 1998.
The top-ranked Australians, who beat India in the 2023 WTC final, have won multiple white-ball trophies.
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