WTC final, Lord's: 14 wickets fall on Day 1
What's the story
The first day of the World Test Championship final at Lord's was a riveting contest, with 14 wickets falling.
Kagiso Rabada starred with a five-wicket haul (5/51), while Marco Jansen supported him well with three wickets.
Steve Smith and Beau Webster scored half-centuries, but Australia could only manage to post 212 runs after Rabada's brilliance.
In response, South Africa are 43/4 at stumps. Mitchell Starc picked two wickets with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood bagging one scalp each.
Bowling blitz
AUS put SA under pressure
With a modest total on board, Australia turned to their lethal pace attack for redemption.
Starc made an immediate impact, dismissing Aiden Markram for a duck.
Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder tried to build a partnership but were met with relentless bowling from Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins.
Despite some close calls, including a dropped catch by Alex Carey off Mulder's outside edge, the Australian pacers kept up the pressure on South Africa's batting order.
Rickelton was the 2nd wicket to fall, scoring a 23-ball 16.
Wicket woes
More woes for SA as Australia pick wickets
Temba Bavuma survived a leg-before shout in Starc's over while Mulder continued to struggle against the Australian pacers.
His struggles finally ended when he was bowled by a Cummins delivery that nipped back in.
Cummins also found Bavuma's outside edge but the ball fell short of Usman Khawaja at first slip.
Stubbs was then bowled by Hazlewood late in the day, leaving South Africa reeling at 43/4 at stumps.
Bavuma (3* off 37) and David Bedingham (8* off 9) are at the crease.
Information
Summary of the Aussie bowlers
Starc bowled 7 overs which included three maidens. He has claimed 2/10. Hazlewood owns 1/10 from 7 overs (3 maidens). Cummins also bowled 7 overs and picked 1/14 (3 maidens). Spinner Nathan Lyon has bowled one over (0/1).
Batting breakdown
Australia lose their last 4 wickets for 36 runs
For SA, Rabada and Jansen were disciplined with their line and lengths, bowling three maidens on the trot.
Australia got off to a slow start as Rabada dismissed Khawaja for a duck.
Cameron Green also fell to Rabada after edging a full-ish ball, with a thick edge caught by Markram at second slip.
Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed by Jansen while Travis Head was caught down the leg side with Verreynne taking the catch.
Partnership progress
Smith and Webster's partnership the only positive for Australia
Steve Smith and Beau Webster steadied the ship for Australia with a 79-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Session 2 of Day 1 saw only one Aussie wicket fall in the form of Smith.
Webster and Carey they added a valiant partnership before SA hit back after tea.
Rabada led South Africa's pace attack claiming three more wickets to finish with a fifer.
For the Aussies, Webster (72) and Smith (66) played well to help their side recover.
Rabada
Rabada claims his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests
Rabada claimed 5/51 against Australia on Day 1. He has raced to 332 wickets from 71 matches (129 innings). He now owns 17 five-wicket hauls. Notably, he also has four 10-wicket match hauls.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Rabada now owns 35 scalps from 7 matches in England at 23.80. It's his 2nd five-wicket haul on English soil.
Meanwhile, 156 of Rabada's Test wickets have come across 3 editions in the World Test Championship at 21.88.
He claimed his 8th five-wicket haul in the tournament.
Vs AUS
Rabada completes 50 Test wickets against Australia
Rabada completed 50 wickets against Australia in Test cricket. Rabada attained this feat with his first wicket of the match. As mentioned, he dismissed Khawaja, who scored a 20-ball duck.
Rabada has now raced to 54 wickets from 19 innings at an average of 21.88 versus Australia. His tally includes 4 five-wicket hauls and a match haul of 10 wickets.
Smith
Smith makes his presence felt
Smith walked in when Australia were 16/2 in the first session. Australia headed to lunch at 63/4 with Smith unscathed on 26.
After lunch, the classy Smith dictated the show and helped Australia build.
However, Aiden Markram ended his stay (66).
Part-time spinner Markram tossed up ball that saw the latter's eyes lit up. Smith got forward to drive and derived an edge. Jansen at slip completed a fine catch in his 3rd attempt.
Numbers
Smith slams his 42nd half-century in Test cricket
Smith faced 112 balls for his knock of 66, smashing 10 fours. He has raced to 10,337 runs in Test cricket from 117 matches (205 innings) at 56.79. He registered his 42nd fifty (100s: 36).
As per ESPNcricinfo, in 13 matches versus South Africa (22 innings), Smith owns 920 runs at 46. He hammered his fifty fifty versus SA (100s: 2).
Do you know?
18th fifty-plus score in England
Smith slammed his 18th fifty-plus score on English soil. In 23 matches (43 innings), he owns 2,321 runs at 55.26. He hit his 10th fifty in addition to owning 8 tons. Notably, he has 591 runs at Lord's (100s: 2, 50s: 3) from 10 innings.
Knock
Beau Webster slams 72 against South Africa in WTC final
Webster came in when Australia were 67/4. He was part of a solid stand alongside Steve Smith as they added 79 runs for the fifth wicket before Smith was dismissed for 66 runs.
Webster added another 46 runs alongside Alex Carey. Webster helped Australia get past 200 before departing for 72.
Webster's 72 came from 92 balls. He hit 11 fours. In four matches for Australia (5 innings), Webster owns 222 runs at an impressive 55.50. He slammed his 2nd fifty and this is also his career-best score.