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South Africa’s Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham revived their team in the WTC Final vs Australia with a crucial 64-run partnership after a top-order collapse.
Temba Bavuma looked set on 36 before being dismissed by Pat Cummins (Picture credit: AP)
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham revived their team in the WTC Final against Australia at the Lord’s on Thursday, after a top-order collapse on Day 1 of the summit clash.
Bavuma and Bedingham came together on Wednesday with South Africa struggling at 30/4 after star Australia pacer Mitchell Starc triggered a slump.
Bavuma, who was dismissed for 36 by counterpart Pat Cummins and Bedingham shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 64 runs in the face of a probing bowling attack by Australia’s pacers.
At lunch on Day 2, South Africa were 121/5, still 91 runs behind Australia. The former had dismissed Australia on Day 1 for only 212 after Bavuma won the toss, with pacer Kagiso Rabada taking 5/51.
Given the strength of both sides’ pace attacks, the key question was always likely to be which team could put enough runs on the scoreboard.
Bavuma, having taken 37 deliveries for his overnight 3*, changed gears on Thursday as he hit a brilliant lofted cover-drive off Starc for a boundary.
Bedingham, 8* at the start of play, followed suit by driving the star Australian pacer’s inswinger through mid-on for a boundary.
Bavuma was given out LBW for 17 to Josh Hazlewood, but a review revealed that he had nicked the deluvery and Kiwi umpire Chris Gaffaney reversed his decision.
Bavuma continued to attack, launching Hazlewood over cover before a textbook cover-driven four off Starc brought up a half-century stand.
There were even louder cheers from the Protea fans at the Lord’s when Bavuma pulled Cummins for a soaring six.
But the Australian skipper had his revenge when Bavuma’s checked drive off a seaming ball was caught at cover by a diving Marnus Labuschagne.
Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon then slowed South Africa’s scoring rate before Bedingham ended the session with two boundaries in three deliveries off allrounder Beau Webster.
(With AFP Inputs)
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