Daijiworld Media Network- London
London, Jun 13: In a thrilling see-saw contest unfolding at Lord’s, Australian skipper Pat Cummins not only etched his name in cricketing history by claiming his 300th Test wicket, but also helped his side grab a crucial edge over South Africa on Day 2 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final.
Australia ended the second day at 144/8, stretching their overall lead to 218 runs, thanks largely to a resilient 61-run partnership between Alex Carey (43) and Mitchell Starc (16)* for the eighth wicket. But despite the advantage, Cummins believes the match remains on a knife’s edge.
“After two days, it’s pretty close to 50-50,” Cummins said post-match. “It’s a good Test match. Some blokes have got themselves in and looked comfortable out there, but a lot of other guys haven’t.”
The match has been a bowlers' duel so far, with 28 wickets tumbling in just two days. Cummins led from the front, wreaking havoc with figures of 6/28, as South Africa were skittled out for 138, conceding a 74-run first-innings lead to the Aussies.
Cummins became just the eighth Australian bowler to breach the 300-wicket milestone in Tests, reaching the mark with a remarkable average of 22.08.
“There’s not too many on that list. It’s something I’ve always thought about. It’s a pretty good sign of durability and longevity,” Cummins said with a smile.
Despite the momentum, Cummins cautioned that the job is far from done. “The pitch is doing plenty. Both teams have bowled really well—there haven’t been many freebies. It’s still pretty difficult out there.”
On the other side, South African batter David Bedingham, who top-scored for his side with 45, acknowledged the difficulty of batting under such conditions.
“It’s a fairly tricky pitch, but when you’ve got six quality seamers on it, it obviously makes things tougher.”
Bedingham, however, exuded quiet confidence about South Africa’s chances. The Proteas, eyeing their first ICC title in 28 years, are determined not to let this opportunity slip.
“It’s an amazing chance and we’re excited about the opportunity to win. It could go either way, but there’s a lot of belief in the camp,” he said.
With both teams relying heavily on their bowling attacks and the pitch offering enough assistance, Day 3 is set up for a cracking contest, one that could decide the fate of this WTC Final.
Stay tuned as the battle for the Test mace intensifies at the Home of Cricket.