By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Australia captain Pat Cummins dismantled South Africa on the second day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lords.
Proteas were bowled out for 138 in reply to Australia’s first-innings 212 on the second day with Cummins finishing with final figures of 6-28 as he went to 300 career Test wickets.
South Africa had resumed on Thursday at 43-4, battling to put enough runs on the board.
South Africa lost their last five wickets for just 12 runs, with a comedy run out not helping their cause, as Cummins ripped through the lower order on his way to a 14th five-wicket haul in 68 Tests and first at Lord’s.
Only captain Temba Bavuma (36) and David Bedingham (45) offered meaningful resistance during a fifth-wicket stand of 64.
But Cummins had his revenge when Bavuma’s checked drive was brilliantly caught at cover by a diving Marnus Labuschagne.
In the last over before lunch, Bedingham struck two fours in three balls off all-rounder Beau webster to take South Africa to 121-5.
But wickets tumbled early in the second session, with Cummins taking claiming two scalps in an over.
He had Kyle Verreynne lbw for 13 and three balls later held a simple return catch as Marco Jansen fell for a duck, with the Proteas now reduced 126-7.
Cummins then had Bedingham caught behind to end a 111-ball innings before Keshav Maharaj was needlessly run out and Kagiso Rabada (1) brilliantly caught by Webster on the deep square leg boundary playing a rasping hook shot.
“It’s great, and I’ve got some family here which is nice,” Cummins told the host broadcast at the innings break.”They were batting pretty well so happy we’ve got a decent lead this first innings.
“It’s way more than I could have asked for. For any fast bowler 300 is a big number, means you’ve battled a few injuries and niggles, got through it and played well in different conditions.”
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (capt), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.