Steve Smith is ruing a missed opportunity with the bat but insists Australia have rebounded into a promising position after a late surge of wickets put South Africa on the ropes at Lord’s.
Smith hit a fluent 66 on the first day of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 but lost concentration when facing part-time spinner Aiden Markram and edged him to slip.
Australia were then bowled out for 212, Beau Webster top-scoring with 72, after losing their final five wickets for just 20 runs after tea.
But the defending champions roared back in the final session.
Mitchell Starc set the tone by clean bowling Markram in the first over before a run was on the board.
He should have had a second wicket when Wiaan Mulder edged behind, only for Alex Carey to spill the chance, but did not have to wait long for it to arrive as Ryan Rickelton edged to Usman Khawaja.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood then joined the party, each snaring a late wicket to leave South Africa 43 for four – 169 runs in arrears – and the game finely poised.
“I think we are in a good spot, we had a few missed opportunities with the bat to try and get a bigger total,” Smith said.
“The wicket offered something all day but we are in a pretty good position, 169 in front and they’re four wickets down.
“Hopefully it does a bit in the morning like it did today. It could have been a better day but we’re in a decent position.
“I felt good out there, I felt in a nice place. I love batting here at Lord’s and I enjoyed my time out there while I was out there. I left a few in the shed unfortunately.
“It felt quite tricky, it felt like wicket was doing enough all day. It was two-paced, at times it was slow and then at others it zinged through.
“When I got out, I felt like the ball was softer but the wicket still offered something and hopefully tomorrow is the same.”
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl – Smith also added Australia would have batted had they won the toss – under cloudy skies.
Australia fell to 67 for four when Travis Head departed for 11, before Smith and Beau Webster put on 79 for the fifth wicket.
In the process, Smith became the most prolific overseas batter in the rich history of Lord’s, though his latest innings at the home of cricket was brought to an end by an unlikely source in Markram – which did not go down well.
“Don’t nick the part-time off-spinner down the slope,” he joked when asked what he had learned going into the second innings. “I am still tyring to fathom how I did that.
“I think the pitch will take more spin as we go on, it is quite dry and the seam might go down as the game goes on.”
Australia regrouped between innings and the former captain admits their sparkling finish is testament to the experience of the bowling group.
“With the ball, we just said the aim was to keep it simple,” he added.
“Hit the top of the stumps and make them play. There was a bit on offer, a little bit of variable bounce and a bit of sideways movement so the message was to keep it simple and hit the top of the stumps.
“Ideally we now finish them off and come out with a bit of a lead.”
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