Regretting his fortunes despite a five-wicket performance in the WTC final, Rabada expresses disappointment.
Day one at the World Test Championship final saw a thrilling battle between South Africa and Australia at Lord's. Kagiso Rabada, with a mind-blowing performance, sent five Aussie batters back to the pavilion, snagging 5-51 to jump ahead of Allan Donald in fourth place on South Africa's all-time wicket-taking list.
However, with a hint of regret, Rabada might have wondered about the one that slipped away. Beau Webster found himself on eight runs when a delivery from Rabada hit his pad, but surprisingly, umpire Richard Illingworth dismissed the lbw appeal, and South Africa decided not to challenge the decision. Replays showed that the ball would have hit middle stump, an unfortunate miss for Rabada and South Africa.
Webster went on to pile up a respectable score of 72, being caught after navigating through South Africa's bowling attack. Fans on Twitter couldn't help but notice the close call on the lbw decision and bemoan the missed opportunity.
The Australian camp wasn't disappointed either, with skipper Steve Smith expressing his surprise over South Africa's decision not to review the call. Smith noted that it seemed a clear-cut lbw decision to him from his vantage point at the non-striker's end.
Despite the close call, Rabada delivered a stellar performance in his return to the international stage, following his one-month suspension for recreational drug use. The charismatic paceman remained philosophical about the incident, acknowledging it wasn't his finest moment but embracing life's ups and downs.
The 30-year-old represented South Africa's new-found spirit, having received valuable tips from former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, including game strategies, field placings, and tips on coping with the cloud cover.
As for the current standings, with Australia left-arm quick Mitchell Starc bagging 2-10 in seven overs, the defending champions seemed to be in a strong position at the close. The contest appears to be evenly matched, and fans can expect an exciting few days ahead as the World Test Championship final unfolds.
With star batsman Smith contributing 66 runs, helping Webster amass 79 for the fifth wicket, AUSTRALIA ended the day on 212 all out. In response, SOUTH AFRICA find themselves in trouble as they stutter to 43-4, facing a considerable deficit of 169 runs.
Stay tuned for updates on this nail-biting encounter between the two powerhouses of cricket. It's anyone's game at the moment, and we can't wait to see how it pans out!
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Fans and the Australian camp expressed surprise over South Africa's decision not to challenge the lbw decision against Beau Webster, as replays suggested it would have hit middle stump. Despite this close call, Kagiso Rabada, after receiving advice from former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, delivered an impressive performance in his return to the international stage.
