AUS vs SA Highlights, WTC Final 2025: South Africa 43/4 at stumps on Day 1, trail Australia by 169 runs

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Floated fuller and just outside off, Temba Bavuma leans to drive through covers, but gets a thick outside edge and the ball rolls behind to the deep third region. Three taken.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Oh, this one stays low on a good length, on middle. Well negotiated by Bavuma as he tucks this across to short mid-wicket.

Change of bats for Temba Bavuma.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, A slip in place and a short mid on, just beside the strip as well. Length ball on the stumps. Aiden Markram turns this to deep square leg for an easy single.

How costly will that dropped catch prove? South Africa themselves dropped two catches and are chasing nearly 100 more than what they would have got initially. It is a good attitude shown by Bavuma, almost like a T20 game, where you don't let the bowlers settle despite losing a wicket. Yes, he played a couple of rash shots but those shots have actually put the bowlers off their lengths and got Cummins thinking.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Back of a length, outside off, from around the wicket, Bavuma pushes it towards cover. Eventful over.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, On a good length, outside off, Temba Bavuma waits for the ball to arrive and dabs it behind point. Plenty of time to return for the second.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, On a length, around off, Aiden Markram watches it closely and pushes the ball behind point for a single.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Full and on off, Temba Bavuma drives it off the front foot, it is more of a check drive. The ball goes along the ground to deep extra cover. Single taken.

Problems for Steve Smith. He has immediately called for the physio. He is in immense pain and by the looks of it, could have dislocated his finger. And he is WALKING OFF. Talking about SA-Aus contests, one of the best fielders dropped the catch of the opposition captain in the 1999 World Cup and the response was, 'You have dropped the World Cup, mate.' Will Bavuma now say the same to Smith? Sam Konstas comes in as the substitute for Smith.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Edged and dropped! The problems for the slip cordon continue. Many of the balls have landed short of the slip cordon and because of which, the slip fielders are standing a foot ahead. But that is what results in a drop catch now as the edge flew very quickly to Steve Smith who barely had time to react. The key point worth noting here, is the bounce. That one reared off a length, as Mitchell Starc angled this one in from round the wicket, on middle. Temba Bavuma was in no position to play that and ended up trying to fend it, getting an outside edge that flew to first slip, who was standing just 14 meters ahead of the normal standing position. Smith catches it, but the ball rebounds off his chest and drops down as Smith cannot take it on the rebound.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, From round the wicket, full and well outside off, Aiden Markram goes for a booming square drive as he takes the bottom hand of his bat. The ball takes the outer part of his bat, and flies wide of deep point, who runs to his left and cuts it off near the boundary. Single taken.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Shortish, around off, Bavuma stays back to block.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Outside off, much fuller, watchfully defended.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Ooohh... thrown up wide outside off, Temba Bavuma looks to hit the cover of the ball through cover but ends up dragging it, JUST past the stumps. Markram takes off for the single but Bavuma is ball watching and is late by the time he realizes where the ball had gone. Sends his partner back.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Another flighted delivery, on off. Temba Bavuma again prods forward and blocks it under his eyes.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Tossed up on off, Temba Bavuma lunges forward and defends it off the front foot.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Short, quick and just outside off, Aiden Markram cuts it off the back foot, wide of backward point. Usman Khawaja at backward point puts on the chase and cuts it off two-three yards inside the boundary line. Batters complete three runs.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Whoa, my word! Is this a reminder to the Aussies of how Sam Konstas treated Jasprit Bumrah at the MCG? A length ball, outside off, it is just his second ball but Bavuma goes hard at this one and carves it over cover. He miscues it, but luckily for him, has enough on it to clear the infield. Two runs taken as the fielders mop it up.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, On a length, outside off, defended towards point.

Skipper Temba Bavuma walks in next at number 4, replacing Wiaan Mulder.

Mitchell Starc to Wiaan Mulder, OUT! CAUGHT! That is a soft dismissal and out of nowhere, Australia get a wicket. Cummins did get Starc back on for a wicket but this is certainly not one of his wicket-taking deliveries. Not quite sure how are batters affected by delays but this is one of those occasions. There was a long gap between the third and fourth deliveries as Mulder was getting the sightscreen adjusted with Starc changing his angle to round the wicket. Maybe, that little break affected his concentration. A genuine half volley, outside off, Mulder leans and looks to drive on the up. Now, the only justification for Mulder, for not keeping that down could be that the ball came really slow off the surface. Hence, he was not in total control and ended up chipping it straight to Marnus Labuschagne at cover. Mulder just stands there in disappointment, or more in shock. The ball was there to drive, the shot was played, but it was about playing a second early or late. It is not his mistake when you look at the replays but when you look at it live, it is a very soft dismissal. The 61-run stand is broken and Mulder trudges off for 27. South Africa are 70/2 and need another 212 runs.

The spin twins in action, near the boundary. Not too long ago, Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann were bowling in tandem in the Isles of Sri Lanka. Right now, Kuhnemann is involved in a long chat with Lyon outside the boundary, probably discussing what is the best way to get the batters commit a mistake.

Mitchell Starc to Wiaan Mulder, Full and just outside off, Wiaan Mulder plays the off drive off the front foot, straight to mid off.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, On a length on leg, Aiden Markram works it behind square towards deep fine leg for a single.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, Full and on middle, Aiden Markram flicks it to mid on. Mitchell Starc looking for the magic ball, possibly. But that one didn't swing.

Mitchell Starc has been brought back on. 3-0-20-1 so far.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Quicker and darted in, nudged towards short mid-wicket.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Flatter, around off, Mulder punches it straight back. Lyon dives to his right and collides with Markram. Immediately apologizes to the non-striker.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Short and quick outside off, 92 kph, Wiaan Mulder stays back and punches it towards cover.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, From over the wicket, tossed up delivery on off, Aiden Markram hangs back as he punches this down the ground to long on for a single.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Short and turning in a bit, on middle, Aiden Markram makes some room as he moves away and punches it off the back foot through covers. Two runs taken.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, From round the wicket, a touch short, off break on middle, Aiden Markram works it off the back foot to short mid-wicket.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, On a length, outside off, tucked through mid-wicket for a run.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Fuller in length now, defended solidly.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, A short ball, around off, punched towards mid on.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Too straight, clipped through mid-wicket for a couple. Markram moves to 31 (40).

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, That stayed low! On a length, outside off, Markram looks to play that from the back foot but the ball shoots low and lands nearly a foot in front of the keeper. Did not miss the off stump by much.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Nearly a soft dismissal! On a length, on the middle stump line, Aiden Markram flicks it uppishly and it nearly carries to the fielder at short mid-wicket! The slip cordon has less density now with just two men manning that area.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Bowled from a wider angle from around the stumps. Landed on a length, outside off, this is steered off the back foot to square leg.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Around the stumps now. Slides the ball across the batter, on a length. Wiaan Mulder rocks back and knocks it onto the surface.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Slows it up through the air, on middle. Mulder defends this full ball.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, FOUR! Right out of the coach's manual! Too full and outside off, Wiaan Mulder leans on it and creams the cover drive for a boundary.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, A bit too full, floated on middle, Aiden Markram pushes this down to long on for a single. This brings the 50-run stand between Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Length, on off, punched off the back foot to short cover by Aiden.

Tough situations call for a shift in mindset. Usman Khawaja is standing nearly 2 yards AHEAD of the keeper, Alex Carey, at first slip. Now, usually in cricket, the first slip stands behind the keeper and the second slip stands ahead of that first slip. So it will be a bit unusual for Carey to have someone in front of his peripheral vision. The problem for Australia is, plenty of edges have landed short of the slip cordon in the past 2 days and as far as this innings is concerned, an edge itself is a rarity.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Skids through the deck, on a length, at off. Wiaan Mulder blocks it solidly off the front foot.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Fuller and on the stumps, Wiaan Mulder flicks this towards Sam Konstas at mid-wicket.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Good length, at the stumps, Aiden Markram knocks this wide of mid on for a single.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Nagging length, outside off, punched to the off side.