New Delhi. Fast bowlers dominated the first day of the WTC Final 2025 between Australia and South Africa. A total of 14 wickets fell on the first day at Lord’s.
Australia were invited to bat first and excellent bowling by Kagiso Rabada (5 wickets) and Marco Jansen (3 wickets) restricted Australia to 212 runs in the first innings.
In reply, South Africa lost four wickets for 43 runs at stumps on the first day. Mitchell Starc took two wickets while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood took one wicket each.
For the first time in 145 years
A strange record was made on the first day of the WTC Final 2025. For the first time in 145 years, the openers of both the teams were out without opening their account in the first innings. Remember that the first Test was played between England and Australia at The Oval in England in 1880.
The WTC final became the first match in 561 Tests in England where the number one batsmen of both the teams were dismissed without opening their account. Australia’s Usman Khawaja and South Africa’s Aiden Markram both took strike in the first innings and were dismissed without opening their account. This became the first incident in 145 years.
By the way, this is the 10th time in Test history that the openers of both teams returned to the pavilion without opening their account.
Strong performance from Rabada
Let us tell you that Kagiso Rabada performed brilliantly for South Africa and took 5 wickets. He took five wickets for 51 runs in his bowling spell of 15.4 overs. During this, Kagiso Rabada registered his name in the pages of South African history.
Rabada became the fourth South African player to take the most wickets in Test format. 30-year-old Rabada took 322 wickets in 71 Tests
He surpassed Allan Donald (330 wickets).
Highest wicket-taker for South Africa in Test cricket
439 – Dale Steyn
421 – Shaun Pollock
390 – Makhaya Ntini
332 – Kagiso Rabada
330 – Allen Donald
309 – Morne Morkel
