South Africa is set to begin their chase with confidence in their fourth innings during the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s. Batter David Bedingham expressed the team’s belief in overcoming any target Australia poses, especially after their steady progress on what has been a challenging pitch.
June 13 could mark a significant milestone in South Africa’s cricket history. Temba Bavuma’s side stands a chance to capture their first ICC title since 1998. It’s no secret they’ve faltered in past crucial matches, with memories still fresh from last year’s T20 World Cup final.
The task ahead undoubtedly presents challenges. For two days running, the Lord’s pitch has seen a total of 14 wickets fall daily, favouring fast bowlers. Australia’s Pat Cummins joined the 300-wicket club with a match-defining 6 for 28, as South Africa struggled against his pace.
Bedingham, who led South Africa’s batting with a patient 45 off 111 balls, acknowledged Cummins’ performance but stressed the team’s eagerness to seize the win. “It’s just an amazing chance, and we are all very, very excited about the opportunity to win,” he shared post-match. “Could go either way, but us as a team we are very, very excited, and there’s a lot of belief in the dressing room.”
The South African seamers made full use of the overcast conditions in the afternoon, leaving Australia at a precarious 73 for 7. However, recoveries by Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc revived the innings. Reflecting on the day, Bedingham noted the bowlers’ performance as crucial to their pursuit of victory. “When they started batting in their third innings, we would’ve definitely taken 220 for 8. So we are very confident; there’s a massive belief in this team.”
Although Australia would have preferred a few more runs, Cummins pointed out the difficulty of batting remains. “The trend of the game is the runs are coming down. It’s still pretty difficult out there, so it’s set up pretty well for a day-three finish, you’d imagine, tomorrow,” he remarked. Despite setbacks amongst Australia’s top order, Cummins remains optimistic, looking to push the lead beyond 200 and set aggressive fields to bowl out South Africa.
In a match where collapses have been common, some might argue the final’s reputation is sullied. However, Cummins praised the pitch for maintaining a fair contest between bat and ball. “I think it’s pretty close to 50-50. It’s a pretty good Test match,” he commented, appreciating the unique challenge each Test presents.
