Australia vs South Africa: Thrilling Opening Day in World Test Championship Final

**Category: Sports**

The World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa kicked off on June 11, 2025, at Lord's in London, with an action-packed first day that saw bowlers dominate the proceedings. In the match, Australia managed to post a total of 212 runs, thanks to significant contributions from Webster (72) and Smith (66). South African bowler Kagiso Rabada excelled with 5 wickets for 51 runs, while Australia's fast bowlers, led by Mitchell Starc, took control by dismissing four South African batsmen for just 43 runs at stumps.

Australia's strong performance was marked by Webster's impressive batting, which helped stabilize the innings after early wickets. However, Rabada's skillful bowling restricted Australia's total. In response, South Africa struggled against Australia's formidable bowling attack, trailing by 169 runs at the end of Day 1.

Historically, Australia holds a significant head-to-head advantage in Test matches against South Africa, having won 54 out of 101 matches. However, South Africa has shown resilience in recent years, winning two out of their last five encounters.

This match is crucial as it determines the champion of the third edition of the World Test Championship. Australia's dominance in Test cricket and their strong record at Lord's make them favorites, but South Africa's recent form and victory over England in their last Test at Lord's suggest they are not to be underestimated.