A great many ills ail South African cricket but there is one area in which the nation is in rude health. The form and fortunes of the side may have fluctuated since their re-admittance to the Test game in 1992 but found always within the undulating terrain have been fast bowling riches, diamonds of seam and swing quarried out of the earth. Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock were followed by Makhaya Ntini, who carried the side through to Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, the trio tessellating with complementary skills in the last South African Test team to conquer the world.
If another coronation is to come this weekend then a sparkling showing by the latest jewel in the South African crown will have had a major part to play. These can not have been straightforward weeks for Kagiso Rabada, dealing first with the speculation that filled a sudden and initially unexplained absence from the Indian Premier League and then the repairing of relationships required by the disclosure of a positive test for a recreational drug.
Ban served in time to take the field for this World Test Championship final at Lord’s, the great Rabada let his bowling do the talking. After re-arranging Mitchell Starc’s furniture to complete a wonderful 5-51, there was no grand gesture or overzealous celebration, no nod at the noise that had surrounded him; a quiet character at heart was content to take his teammates’ embrace and gently lift the ball towards the pavilion having moved past Donald’s tally for outright fourth on the list of South African Test wicket-takers and helped dismiss Australia for 212.
The problem for the Proteas is that their final foes are just as resource-rich. Come the close, the defending champions were already on top, 22 almost faultless overs delivered largely by Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ripping through the South African top order, exposing the stark dichotomy between their seam strength and relative batting weakness. There was nothing loose on which to latch; Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder all fell cheaply trying to force the pace before Tristan Stubbs let one slip through the gate. It took Temba Bavuma 31 balls to escape the straitjacket and get off the mark – plenty of graft will be required to erase an overnight deficit of 169, which looks large at this juncture if Australia continue in such style.
South Africa will surely have felt a perhaps necessary first-innings lead was within reach after Rabada’s brilliant burst. It had been a strange Australian innings brought crashing down by two separate collapses. While half-centuries from Steve Smith and Beau Webster lifted Australia from a shaky start through an afternoon session of relative calm, a morning of 69/4 dealt irrevocable damage before Rabada returned to clean up the tail in a remarkable post-tea period of five wickets for 30 runs.
Among a competitive field, Rabada is perhaps the purest pace bowler South Africa has ever produced, an immaculate action and complete toolbox taking him to record after record. He is durable, too, in part because of the economy of his approach, smooth speed generated without undue contortion or stressing of the sinews. In Marco Jansen, he has found a fine foil, the left-armer adding venom and variety alongside his new-ball partner.
Bright sunshine rather than slate skies had been expected to greet the two teams at Lord’s this week but on a mizzly morning, the qualities that have helped the Proteas make an unlikely run to this showpiece left the defending champions firmly on the back foot. A gloom still engulfed Lord’s as Bavuma won a good toss, the moisture clearing but the floodlights very much on for the opening session.
Australia were soon trudging in the mire. Their recent predilection has been for a dasher at the top of the order to go with the doughtier Khawaja, David Warner replaced latterly by youngster Sam Konstas and, in a conditions-specific move in Sri Lanka, Travis Head. Marnus Labuschagne, however, shares his partner’s preference to soak up pressure rather than transfer it, the new-look opening duo preparing to be patient with heavy clouds cloaking the ground.
Khawaja was extracted after 20 scoreless balls, pouched safely by David Bedingham at first slip having been squared up by Rabada, who soon struck again. Labuschagne’s elevation to open in turn saw Cameron Green pushed up to three – which also proved the ball that dismissed him as Aiden Markram’s sharp snag at second slip made sure of another strike in the over. Labuschagne crawled only to 17 before he, too, feathered an edge through off Jansen.
When Head – match winner against India two years ago – fell cheaply to the lanky left-armer thanks to an outstanding catch down the leg-side from Kyle Verreynne, South Africa were cock-a-hoop. They might have made more of their early ascendancy, too, Smith surviving a tight review prior to the interval before Beau Webster escaped an LBW thanks to a phantom inside-edge, the umpire and South Africa seeing ghosts even with the Australian stone dead in front.
Smith appeared to be making serene progress towards another Lord’s century yet fell in unlikely fashion to the part-time tweaking of Aiden Markram for 66. After his reprieve, the giant Webster played with confidence and composure but beyond the colossus Australia crumbled, Alex Carey cleaned up reverse sweeping a full ball from Keshav Maharaj and captain Pat Cummins done for by a peach from Rabada.
Webster had flashed outside off stump with impudence throughout his knock but was caught in the cordon for 72 before Jansen and Rabada ensured the tail would not wag. It may not be long, though, before their bowling boots are strapped back on again.
