WTC Final: Australia’s lead surge to 100 despite Rabada’s double strikes at tea

London, June 12 Despite Kagiso Rabada striking twice, Australia managed to take their lead past 100 after reaching 32/2 in 12 overs at tea on day two of the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord’s on Thursday.

Australia first took a 74-run lead thanks to Pat Cummins' brilliance, who picked 6-28 in his 18.1 overs, thus getting into the Lord’s honours board and also reached the milestone of 300 Test wickets. Cummins further became the first fast-bowling captain since 1982 to take a five-wicket haul at Lord's.

At the close of second session, Australia’s lead stands at 106 runs and with Steve Smith (four not out) and Marnus Labuschagne (16 not out) at the crease, the current mace holders will be primed to make tons of runs and push the game out of South Africa’s reach.

Australia had a good start to their second innings, with Labuschagne taking a four each off Rabada and Marco Jansen. But just like in the first innings, Rabada made a double strike – squaring up Usman Khawaja with a superb round-the-wicket delivery, and took his edge to the keeper, as the batter fell for six off 23 balls.

One brought two for Rabada again as Cameron Green hung his bat outside the off-stump on his second delivery, and thick edged was caught by third slip to dismiss him for a duck, as the pacer took out both men in a single over for the second time in the ongoing title clash. With Smith and Labuschagne around, Australia will breathe easy and look to have a definitive edge in a game which is currently on a knife’s edge.

Previously, after a promising first session, where 78 runs came despite the loss of skipper Temba Bavuma, it looked like South Africa could narrow the deficit more in the post-lunch session. But Cummins asked tough questions, to which the Proteas had no answers, as he ran through the rest of batting line-up in a sensational fashion.

He also found good support from his fellow pacers Mitchell Starc (2-41) and Josh Hazlewood (1-27). Cummins struck by having Kyle Verreynne trapped lbw, despite the duo crashing into each other. Replays showed that Verreynne got very far across, with the ball just clipping the top of off-stump. One brought two for Cummins as Jansen made a tame push back to the bowler, giving him a simple catch off his own bowling.

Cummins got his fifer when he got away movement, and found the faintest of edges of David Bedingham’s bat and was easily caught behind by the keeper, as the batter was dismissed for 45. Shortly after Keshav Maharaj was run-out in the pursuit of a tight second run, Cummins completed his six-for when Rabada picked out a diving deep mid-wicket, as South Africa lost their last five wickets for 18 runs in 37 balls, giving Australia a crucial lead in their quest to retain the WTC mace.

Brief Scores: Australia 212 and 32/2 in 12 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 16 not out; Kagiso Rabada 2-15) lead South Africa 138 in 57.1 overs (David Bedingham 45, Temba Bavuma 36; Pat Cummins 6-28, Mitchell Starc 2-41) by 106 runs

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