Rabada stars, but SA batters stumble

London — Kagiso Rabada had just taken the wicket of Pat Cummins, with a snorter, that was angled in at the Australian captain, and then held its line to knock back his off-stump. As he strode towards his fielding position in front of the Compton Stand — at the Nursery End of the storied venue — spectators there, the majority of whom were clad in SA colours stood and applauded.

The crowd — a sell-out according to the ICC, though there were a few empty seats — overwhelmingly backed SA.

“It felt like a home game,” said Rabada. The reaction to the two anthems at the start of play clearly indicated the team that had the most support here — whether that be from the enormous SA expat community in the English capital or just locals wanting to get on Australian nerves (this is an Ashes year after all) — was for Temba Bavuma’s team.

Given how the day unfolded, the SA captain’s correct call at the toss earned his side an important advantage. A lot of that was wiped out by Australia’s relentless efforts in the last hour and 45 minutes of the day, in which there were no freebies on offer leaving the Proteas stumbling on 43/4 at stumps.

They still trail the defending champions by 169 runs but given how Australia bowled, it was probably best that SA got the first opportunity with the ball, and thankfully Rabada delivered.

Under grey skies — and with the floodlights operating — Rabada and Marco Jansen had ideal conditions to exploit against an Australian featuring a makeshift opener in Marnus Labuschagne and makeshift — albeit lately a successful — No 3 in Cameron Green.

Rabada claimed Green and Usman Khawaja’s wicket in his fourth over — David Bedingham and Aiden Markram providing two excellent slip catches in the process. That opening spell settled the nerves of Rabada’s teammates, giving them a foothold in a match that head coach Shukri Conrad had described as the most important of their lives.

The South Africans were excellent in that session with the only disappointment being Lungi Ngidi’s two four over spells in which he conceded 45 runs and failed to build on the pressure Rabada was creating.

Australia’s performance later showed just how costly Ngidi’s innocuous performance may prove to be.

The Proteas were in the ascendancy at lunch with Australia on 67/4, but poor use of the decision review system, along with a lack of precision from Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder, allowed Steve Smith and Beau Webster to drag Australia back into the contest.

Their partnership of 79 and the rate at which Australia batted at in the middle session — 4.73 runs an over — was concerning. Markram — bowling an over to allow Mulder to switch ends — was a huge bonus breakthrough, with Smith swinging hard at a delivery looped outside his off-stump, that was edged to a juggling Jansen at slip.

Smith’s 66, and Webster’s fortuitous 72 may yet turn out to be vital in the outcome. Rabada picked three wickets after tea — including Webster’s, which should have come three hours earlier — as Australia lost 5/22 in 6.4 overs to be bowled out for 212.

Rabada’s 5/51, was his second five-for at Lord’s but rather than have his name stencilled below his 5/52 against England here three years ago, it will go up on the “Neutral’s board” which is also in the away team’s dressing room, and includes records for the 1912 Australia-SA Test, the 2010 match between Australia and Pakistan, and this WTC final.

“It means a lot to me to play for SA, it always has. I’m just happy I could do a job out there,” Rabada said.

With 332 Test wickets, Rabada now sits fourth on the all time wickets list for SA, moving past Allan Donald’s 330 on Wednesday.

“Records are awesome. It means a lot to go past Allan Donald but that is secondary, the primary thing for us, is this game,” he said. 

It may take Rabada to also do something special with the bat too after Australia’s excellent finish to what was a compelling opening day. But after the troubles he’s had in the build-up to this match, you wouldn’t be surprised if he did.