Australia’s defensive and conservative approach on Day 3 of the WTC Final saw them concede control to South Africa, who are now on the brink of victory. The match began with the Aussies gaining early control, but they lost it on Day 3 as a partnership from Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma shifted the momentum.
The Aussies also failed to pick up a single wicket in the final session on Day 3, and Bavuma, Markram stitched together a 143-run partnership. The Proteas now need 69 runs to win the match.
The first two days of the match saw 28 wickets fall at the Lord’s and Australia removed opener Ryan Rickelton on Friday, and also got the wicket of Wiaan Mulder. But after Mulder’s dismissal, the Aussies changed their tactics totally and waited for Bavuma or Markram to make a mistake.
Meanwhile, Aussie skipper Pat Cummins also pulled back fielders from catching positions and placed them in deep areas to stop boundaries.
Speaking after Day 3, former Australia cricket Matthew Hayden slammed Cummins and Co. for their conservative approach.
“You know, this defensive effort here from Australia, it was all about how they were going to take wickets and how they were going to do that early,” he said.
“You know, when they got through to Mulder, they got through Rickelton, and they had to put at that point pressure on Bavuma. They had to put those catching cover areas, had to be less defensive, more attacking. Can you imagine if those first couple of balls had been chipped up? South Africa now it’s three down. Australia got control of the match. So for me, that was a trick.
“The drifting of the nature of the game just allowed the rotation of strike, allowed that partnership to grow and build in confidence, and it just got away from the Australian bowling lineup. Yes, it’s flat conditions, but you must take 10 wickets to defend the World Test Championship. You must take the top three out of play,” he added.
Ex-South Africa cricketer Dale Steyn was also taken aback by Australia’s tactics, and criticised the fielding approach.
“Yeah, a little bit surprised, I think. You know, you have to adapt with the flow of the game, and obviously today, we’ve seen the ball has been keeping really low, it hasn’t really managed to make it to the slips, even from yesterday. And, you know, whenever we used to play, I would play a place like India, your short cover, short midwicket, it doesn’t matter. They’re as good as cordon slips in South Africa or Australia or something like that. So on days like this, when the ball is not travelling and it’s not making its way to the slips, you have to have those guys in those kinds of catching positions,” he said.
Day 4 will see Markram (102*) and Bavuma (65*) resume batting for the Proteas, and they need 69 runs to win.
