WTC Final: Timid or outclassed? South Africa’s batting on Day 1 sparks debate
Pundits have questioned South Africa’s intent with the bat after they squandered an early advantage on Day 1 of the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s. Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden was critical of Temba Bavuma after South Africa slumped to 43 for 4 at stumps on Wednesday in London, having bowled out Australia for just 212 earlier in the day. South Africa took 22 overs to reach 43 in the final session, during which Australia’s pacers, led by Mitchell Starc, dominated proceedings. Starc claimed two wickets, while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with one apiece to dismantle South Africa’s top order. Kagiso Rabada had earlier put South Africa in a strong position with a five-wicket haul, but the batters failed to capitalise and drive home the advantage. Speaking to JioHostar after a dramatic 14-wicket opening day at Lord’s, Hayden blamed Bavuma for a lack of intent following the Proteas’ early setbacks. Bavuma remained unbeaten on 3 off 37 balls, but South Africa struggled to score freely in the evening session. “Who would have thought that in the final session there would be nine wickets? It’s almost gone against the grain. As you can see, it’s an absolutely beautiful day. In fact, half the day was completely covered with cloud, and the other half was the polar opposite—clear and sunny,” Hayden remarked. David Bedingham, who came in at No. 6, struck two boundaries in the final over and remained not out on 8. LACK OF INTENT: HAYDEN South Africa lost opener Aiden Markram in the very first over of their innings. Ryan Rickelton, who showed early intent, was dismissed by Starc in the ninth over. Batting was challenging throughout Day 1. While Australia’s top order was dismantled under overcast skies, the ball continued to move even after the sun emerged in the afternoon. South Africa’s No. 3, Wiaan Mulder, showed little intent to rotate the strike or apply pressure, scoring just 6 off 44 deliveries before Cummins bowled a beauty to knock over his stumps. Hazlewood then removed Tristan Stubbs (2), giving Australia the upper hand at the close. “You’d think that batting conditions would improve as the overhead conditions cleared, but that certainly wasn’t the case. And I suppose the only reason I’d say maybe Australia edged it—maybe an 80% call—is because of the lack of intent from the South African batting unit. That really started with Temba Bavuma,” Hayden added. “When you think about his performance as captain, it’s not just about field placements or bowling changes—it’s also about leading from the front as a batting captain, showing vigour and intent. Of course, you’re up against three world-class fast bowlers in conditions that suit them, but what Australia would have relished is the deflated tone in that South African innings,” he said. DALE STEYN AGREES Meanwhile, former South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn agreed with Hayden, arguing that the Proteas’ batters lacked proactivity, allowing Australia’s pace trio—Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood—to bowl without any real pressure. “Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you look at the standout performer so far – Steve Smith – and he’s always looked to score. The commentators have been saying it, and I’ve been listening closely: defend straight, and score square of the wicket. Now, the Australians bowl extremely well – that’s their strength. They make life easy for themselves. “But if you just stand there, you’re allowing the best bowlers in the world to dictate terms. They’ll bowl the ball exactly where they want to, and nine times out of ten, they’re going to get you out. So South Africa need to find a way – whether that means coming down the track a little, going deeper in the crease, or moving laterally – something akin to what Smith did in his innings,” he explained. Australia had been in trouble at 67 for 4 after the first session, but Steve Smith and Beau Webster rescued the defending champions with a 79-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Smith took on the South African attack, striking 10 boundaries in his 112-ball 66, while Webster added a fluent 72 off 92 balls, including 11 fours. However, Australia’s last five wickets fell for just 30 runs. EMULATING SMITH WASN’T EASY: BANGAR Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, however, offered a different perspective, defending the South African batters. He argued that attacking one’s way out of pressure wasn’t feasible given the conditions and the quality of the opposition. He also pointed out that it was unrealistic to expect South Africa to emulate Smith, citing the significant disparity in class. “Talking about Steve Smith – and this goes to your question – how do the South Africans replicate that kind of batting? Scoring square of the wicket is easy to suggest, but when you factor in the pitch and conditions, it’s not that straightforward. “There’s a significant gap in skill sets, and one must acknowledge that. We’re speaking about a batsman who has scored in excess of 10,000 Test runs – someone who can adapt seamlessly to changing conditions and field placements. To possess that sort of confidence in your own game and make necessary adjustments on the fly – that doesn’t come instantly. “If South Africa are to try something different, I would suggest adopting a slightly more positive mindset. When you do that, your footwork starts to become more purposeful, you get into better positions, and you’re more in control of your shots. You can either score proactively or defend with more intent,” he added. “But yes, Steven Smith is a different calibre of batsman – truly a class apart. When the conditions got tough, he put pressure back on the bowlers. And mind you, some bowlers, like Ngidi, had an off day today – he leaked quite a few runs. That’s not something you’d see from the Australian pace trio, who are relentless and give nothing away.” Australia’s famed trio of pacers gave nothing away in the final session, making use of the…
