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Australia ahead after Cummins, Rabada and Ngidi dominate pulsating second day
For two hours in the middle of day two, Australia had one hand on the WTC mace after taking a 74-run first-innings lead at Lord’s. For the next two, South Africa did their utmost to prise their fingers from it, and for the one after that, Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc fought them off with a 61-run eighth-wicket partnership. As things stand, Australia still have a few fingers on the mace after a gripping day of Test cricket.
It was, once again, a day for bowlers. Fourteen wickets fell on day two, the same number as the first day, for a total of 28 wickets in six sessions.
Pat Cummins stole the early headlines when he became the first visiting captain to take a five for at Lord’s and then went on to pluck his 300th Tet wicket. Then it was over to Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who had Australia 44 for 3 before Lungi Ngidi, back in the Test side after ten months and coming off a poor first innings, redeemed himself with three wickets in a nine-over spell that broke Australia open.
Where things stand at the end of the day is that South Africa will already have to pull off the fourth-highest sucessfyl chase at Lord’s, and do it against Australia’s unrelenting attack. That means it’s probably still advantage Australia after a breathless seven-and-half-hours in a final that has hit fast-forward.
South Africa resumed the day on 43 for 4, 169 runs behind Australia’s 212, and on a go-slow. Temba Bavuma had laboured his way to 3 off 37 overnight as South Africa’s innings ground yo a halt. but he showed more initiative on the second morning. He struck two glorious lofted drives in Mitchell Starc’s second over of the day and looked to be finding his touch. Bavuma was on 17 before he was given out lbw off a Josh Hazlewood delivery that nipped in and struck his back pad, and he reluctantly reviewed. To everyone’s disbelief including Bavuma’s, Snicko showed an inside-edge. Bavuma went on to drive Hazlewood and Starc over the covers and pull Cummins into the stands for six in what looked like an increasingly authoritative stay at the crease.
His partnership with David Bedingham grew to 64 and it took a moment of magic in the field to separate them. Bavuma drove Cummins in the air and to the right of Marnus Labuschagne, who dived full length at cover and pouched it with both hands.
Bavuma’s dismissal sent South Africa back into their shell. Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne scored 17 nervy runs in the next 52 balls and both looked vulnerable: Bedingham was drawn into a false stroke by Hazlewood and Verreynne was on 1 when he edged Beau Webster just short of Smith at second slip. But the moment of controversy came when Bedingham edged Webster onto the flap of his pad. Alex Carey moved towards him in an attempt to take a catch and the ball bobbled into and then out of Bedingham’s pad flap. At that moment, Bedingham reached for the ball and dropped it close to his foot. Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith began appealing for obstructing the field, and there was some excitement before it was decided the ball was dead. Bedingham responded by hitting the next ball, a half-volley, for four and South Africa went to lunch on 121 for 5, 91 runs behind.
More drama ensued after the break when Cummins hit Verreynne on the pad as he shuffled across, and the ball deflected to fine leg. Verreynne attempted a run, Cummins turned to appeal, and the pair collided, by which point a throw had come in and there was also the chance of a run-out. Cummins asked for a review on the lbw and replays suggested the ball would have gone on to hit leg stump. Three balls later, Jansen handed Cummins a simple return catch, and at 126 for 7, South Africa were in disarray.
Cummins completed his five-for when he had Bedingham caught behind off a thin edge three overs later and then got his 300th when Rabada nailed a pull to Webster at deep square. Cummins finished with 6 for 28 in a final analysis that included six maiden overs out of 18.1 and barely a bad ball. Crucially, he gave Australia an important lead that could still have a decisive say on this game.
The same could be said of South Africa’s collapse. They lost 5 for 12 in 35 balls; Australia had lost 5 for 20 at around the same time on day one.
South Africa came out looking flat as Labuschagne took Rabada’s opening over for seven. Rabada and Jansen bowled three no-balls in the first four overs, but started to find their rhythm when Rabada hit Labuschagne on the pad in his third over and then induced an outside edge.
In the next over, Jansen thought he had Khawaja caught behind and Bavuma burned a review to see daylight between bat and ball. It took until the 11th over for things to start happening for South Africa. For the second time in the match, Rabada struck twice in an over, against the same two batters. Khawaja was caught behind poking outside off and Cameron Green edged to third slip. Smith sought to restore order with a straight drive that went for four. Australia went to tea on 32 for 2, 106 ahead.
As was the case on day one, the evening session could only be described with one word: mayhem. Jansen bowled a marathon spell either side of the break and was into his eighth over when he offered Labuschagne a full one that was just short of driving length, and he nicked off.
Khawaja, Labuschagne and Green had collectively scored 49 runs in this match, the worst return by an Australian top three since 1890.
Then came Ngidi. After three unspectacular overs post-tea, he went fullish and straight. Smith missed and was hit on the back pad and Bavuma was convinced to review again and was successful this time. Ngidi then hit Webster on the back pad with a ball that tailed in and the No. 6 reviewed unsuccessfully. In the next over, Wiaan Mulder beat Travis Head’s inside-edge and the ball ricocheted off his pads onto the stumps, and then came the delivery of the evening: Ngidi’s yorker to Cummins. It thudded into middle and off and Australia were 73 for 7.
But just as South Africa may have started to sniff something special, their momentum drained away. Carey and Starc put on 61 for the eighth wicket at a good clip – 4.31 runs an over – before Rabada had one last word on the day. He got the ball to move back into Carey from around the wicket and had him out lbw in an over peppered with no-balls. All told, Rabada bowled five on the day and six in the match and South Africa have overstepped 19 times.
They’ll worry about that as much as what could have been in the final over when Jansen dropped Starc at gully, off Mulder, off the third-last ball of the day. By then, South Africa had moved the fielders behind the bat closer in, as several balls had dropped short, and Jansen’s attempts to juggle were not as successful as they had been on the first day. Australia go into the third day with a lead of 218 runs and two wickets in hand.
Brief scores:
Australia 212 in 56.4 overs and 144 for 8 in 40 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 22, Alex Carey 43; Lungi Ngidi 3-35, Kagiso Rabada 3-44) lead South Africa 138 in 57.1 overs (David Bedingham 45, Temba Bavuma 3; , Pat Cummins 6-28, Mitchell Starc 2-41) by 218 runs
[Cricinfo]
All of Pakistan’s squad members from the T20 World Cup have been fined PKR 5 million (US$ 18,000 approx.) each by the PCB following their underwhelming campaign. Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament following the Super Eight stage, missing out on the semi-finals of an ICC men’s event for the fourth successive time – the first such instance in Pakistan’s history.
ESPNcricinfo has learnt that the fines are not for disciplinary reasons, but specifically for what the board deems poor performance at the event. They were imposed immediately following Pakistan’s match against India in the group stages, where a meek showing resulted in a 61-run defeat. They were further told the fines may end up being waived off if Pakistan reached the tournament semi-finals.
Pakistan did get to the second round, thus avoiding a third straight first-round exit, but ran into trouble in the Super Eight group after a washout against New Zealand was followed by defeat to England. New Zealand’s crushing win over Sri Lanka left them relying on other results and a huge victory over Sri Lanka to sneak into the last four. However, their winagainst Sri Lanka was much too narrow to prevent an early exit.
The PCB has come down hard on players in the past, though sanctions have generally been framed as disciplinary. ESPNcricinfo has learned there were no disciplinary issues within the team throughout the tournament, and the fines have been levied specifically for the quality of their on-field performances. That makes the sanctions handed out by the PCB particularly rare, and potentially unprecedented.
The current PCB administration, though, does have form for imposing punishments in the wake of disappointments at major tournaments. Five months earlier, following a narrow defeat to India in the Asia Cup final, the PCB had briefly suspended all No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued to players that would have allowed them to take part in T20 leagues through the winter. That suspension, though, was lifted soon after as some of the top players headed to Australia for the BBL.
While the fines will be imposed on all players, Pakistan did have players who enjoyed individual success at the tournament. Sahibzada Farhan broke the record for most runs at a T20 World Cup, and became the only player to score two hundreds at the same event.
[Cricinfo]
Latest News
Iran strikes Qatar and Saudi energy sites as US jets shot down by Kuwaiti ‘friendly fire’
New Iranian strikes have been reported on a major gas plant in Qatar and in Saudi Arabia, where an oil refinery fire is “under control”
The price of gas on international markets has risen sharply – at one point up 42%.
The US and Israel struck Iran on Saturday, killing the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Israeli military has launched new strikes on Tehran, but the US defense secretary says there will not be “endless war”.
In Kuwait, several US fighter planes have crashed, in what the US military says was “an apparent friendly fire incident” – one plane plummeting to the ground was caught on film.
Meanwhile, the US says a fourth member of its military was killed in Iran’s initial attacks. – it did not say where
The Lebanese health ministry says Israeli attacks in Beirut and southern Lebanon killed at least 31 people – Israel says it was responding to Hezbollah attacks
And in Cyprus, two drones heading for a UK base were intercepted, after an earlier attack on Sunday.
[BBC]
India and Canada’s prime ministers have agreed a number of accords, including a long-term deal to supply uranium to India
After talks in Delhi, Mark Carney said he and Narendra Modi had agreed to conclude an economic partnership agreement by the end of this year. The two leaders are attempting to reset ties that have been strained since 2023 when then PM Justin Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” linking India to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil
Under Carney, Canada has sought to rebuild engagement with India amid tariff pressure from its largest trading partner, the United States
On Monday, Modi and Carney also agreed to co-operate in areas like critical minerals, clean energy, space and higher education
[BBC]
PCB fines Pakistan players for underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign
Iran strikes Qatar and Saudi energy sites as US jets shot down by Kuwaiti ‘friendly fire’
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Allies of US in the Gulf bear brunt of Iran attacks
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