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

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, EDGED AND FOUR! Just past the first slip and the keeper. That area has been really annoying for both sides in this Test as on so many occasions, the ball has just not carried all the way through. Just around off, nibbling away from the batter on a length. Aiden Markram tries to punch this to the off side, but gets a thick healthy outside edge. However, luckily for him, the ball does not carry to the keeper, Alex Carey, and dips low between the first slip where Usman Khawaja is stationed, and the keeper. Carey dives to his right but does not lay any hand on it and the ball trickles behind to the boundary.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Hard length, outside off, jagging back in. Aiden Markram firmly punches this off the back foot. Hares back for the second as the ball trickles towards deep backward point.

DRINKS BREAK. Excellent hour for South Africa. With the conditions firmly in their favour, they have nearly made full use of the same. Their only complaint would be the gift offered by Ryan Rickelton, who threw his wicket away. The ball has barely swung and the fact that it took 11 overs for the experienced 4-man legendary attack to string a maiden shows the positivity from the batters. It is damage control for Cummins now, as he has kept an in-out field. After leaking 39 in the first 7 overs, the Aussies have managed to peg back the scoring a bit, conceding only 12 in the last 6. We have seen an instance or two of the ball staying low, but apart from that, these are perfect batting conditions and Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder are laying down a wonderful platform for a famous win. It will be interesting to see the body language of the Aussies if they continue to struggle for wickets. Meanwhile, Sam Konstas is on the park at the moment, for Josh Hazlewood. 

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, On the stumps, full and flat, 92 kph, Wiaan Mulder gets right behind the line to defend it out.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Gives some revolutions to the ball now, does Lyon, full and outside off. Aiden Markram works this gently past mid on for a single.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Flat and quick, on a length, spinning into the batter. Punched by Markram back to the bowler.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Pulls the length back, drifting onto the pads, Aiden Markram hangs back and tucks it to backward square leg.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, FIFTY UP FOR SOUTH AFRICA! In just 12.2 overs! Slower through the air, full and on off, Wiaan Mulder leans on it and eases it out to the cover region for a quick single.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Nice and full. tossed up around off, Wiaan Mulder defends it on the front foot.

True to its nature, Day 3 has turned out to be a brilliant day for batting at Lord's. As per the on-air broadcasters, the false shot percentage today has been recorded as 13 percent so far, as compared to 25 on Day 1 and 23 on Day 2. We have to remember that for a majority part of the day today, the Aussie tail has batted and still the False Shot percentage is low. It's a sign that conditions have eased out significantly. The South African batters have indeed spotted it and accordingly taken advantage of the conditions, having scored runs at over 4.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Length, outside off, dabbed late by Markram to the gully region.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Length ball, on the pads. Wiaan Mulder misses to tuck it across and the ball rolls off the thigh pad to the square leg region. They get a leg bye.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Whoa, had to really hurry there! Full from Cummins, around off. Aiden Markram drives this wide of mid off and sets off for a single straightaway. A clean work there from Nathan Lyon as he swiftly moves to his left, picks the ball and releases it instantly at the bowling end. The skates are on for Markram as Lyon misses to score a direct hit. The batter drags the bat to get home.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Goes fuller, does Patrick, aiming the off peg. Aiden Markram presses forward and solidly defends it out.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Much closer to the stumps, nagging length. Aiden Markram responds again with that backfoot block.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Back of a length, just around off. Aiden Markram gets on the back foot and punches this straight back to the bowler.

Cummins from this end now? Indeed. 2-0-11-0 so far for the skipper.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Shortish on off, Wiaan Mulder eases it back to the bowler. And finally, Australia have their first maiden of the 4th innings, in the 11th over.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, On a length, around off, punched off the back foot to mid-wicket.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, BEAUTY! How, has that missed the off stump? Touch full and spins sharply back into the batter from around off. Wiaan Mulder gets forward to play a casual on drive, with the spin, but plays this over the wrong line. The ball goes close to the inside edge and passes scaringly past the off stump.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Drags the length back now, does Lyon, on middle. Wiaan Mulder steers this to the square leg region.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Tossed up, fuller and just around off. Wiaan Mulder leans on with a huge stride to block it.

Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Starts off with a length ball, does 'Garry', on off, and staying a tad low. Wiaan Mulder rocks back and stabs it back to the bowler.

Nathan Lyon is warming up. Suspect he will come from Hazlewood's end, who has bowled 5 overs in this spell. In fact, he is on from this end. So Cummins might switch ends in the next over. Lyon bowled with figures of 8-3-12-0 in the first innings. Did not threaten the batters but did not bowl loose balls. Cummins will expect same type of control for now. If Australia need wickets, they first need to slow down the run rate.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Full and just outside off, Aiden Markram exhibits a solid front foot defense.

Josh Hazlewood to Wiaan Mulder, A bit too straight, Mulder works this through square leg for a single.

Josh Hazlewood to Wiaan Mulder, On a length, outside off, Wiaan Mulder watches the ball closely and pushes it towards point.

Josh Hazlewood to Wiaan Mulder, Full on off, Wiaan Mulder defends it off the front foot to short cover.

Josh Hazlewood to Wiaan Mulder, Length ball that seams in and stays a touch low, Wiaan Mulder does well to defend it.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Length ball on middle, Aiden Markram plays the flick along the ground to deep square leg for a single.

Worth giving Lyon the ball right now? Not yet. Lyon is someone who likes bounce. With the ball relatively new, he may not get turn, but can generate extra bounce to trouble the batters. For now, Hazlewood continues.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Back of a length, outside off, Mulder lets it through.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, On a length, around off, pushed towards mid on.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, FOUR! SMOKED! Terrific shot from Wiaan Mulder but not the best piece of fielding by Travis Head. A short ball, barely rises to chest height, Mulder picks the length in a trice and pulls it all along the ground through square leg. Head starts to run to his right but at the time of putting in a dive, does not put the dive and the ball meets the fence. 237 more needed.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Overpitched on off, Wiaan Mulder eases the drive to short cover.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Full on middle, Wiaan Mulder now defends it off the front foot to mid on.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Back of a length, on middle, Wiaan Mulder blocks it off the back foot to mid on.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Full and straight, 135 kph, Aiden defends. Believe it or not, this is the most frugal over of the run chase.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, On a length, outside off, Markram opens the face of his bat and guides it behind point. Nathan Lyon jogs across to his left at the sweeper cover boundary to keep the batters to a couple.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Full, outside off, Aiden Markram gets a long way forward to defend the ball towards cover.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Length ball swinging in a touch, on middle and off, Aiden Markram is almost undone by the movement as he somehow gets an inside edge on it, and the ball crashes into his pads before going into the ground.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Length ball on off, Aiden Markram blocks it off the front foot, to the left of short cover.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, A touch fuller, Aiden Markram didn't expect it to be that full and hence he didn't commit on the front foot and ends up defending it off the crease. 

Interesting. Steve Smith has got the helmet on at second slip. But for that, the ball has to take the outside edge first.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, FOUR! Another fine stroke! On a length, outside off, Wiaan Mulder stands tall and upright and punches this past a diving point, to his right, for his third boundary! This stand is racing along at 30 (29)!

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Fuller, outside off, Mulder comes forward to defend but the ball pitches and then moves away off the seam, to beat the outside edge.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, A bit too straight, Wiaan Mulder leans and clips it through square leg. The immediate call is for two and the batters run extremely well to make it. This has been a fabulous start by South Africa on all accounts. Not only have they lost just the solitary wicket, they are going at 5 an over. Not even a single maiden!

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Good length again, on off, Wiaan Mulder uncomfortably defends it off the crease. That ball straightened a bit after pitching, and hence Wiaan Mulder was uncomfortable defending it.

Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Good length, seaming into the right hander, on middle and off, Wiaan Mulder defends it into the leg side.

Bowling change. With the ball not swinging and Starc leaking runs, Pat Cummins brings himself on to exert some control.