- June 13, 2025
Day one of the WTC final, Australia v South Africa, produced a plot twist that could fit into a Netflix thriller. For the majority of the day, it looked like South Africa were in control – negotiating the conditions, preserving wickets and edging closer. And then the collapse happened. Nine wickets in one session. Nine! That said, our Aussie bowlers deserve a bit of praise, but cricketing legends Matthew Hayden and Dale Steyn have pointed the finger elsewhere – the lack of intent from South Africa’s batting unit. Did SA gift the day to Australia on a silver platter? Let’s investigate!
Leading from the Back? Bavuma’s Quiet Start Raises Eyebrows
Matthew Hayden, a man who does not mince words, simply stated that South Africa did not have intent, and that was evident from the first ball of the game with captain Temba Bavuma. On a day when conditions were easing and the sun was out, it was a day for batters to cash in. Instead, what we saw was on the front foot hesitation, and an attack that looked far too defensive. Bavuma’s job was not just to set fields and rotate the bowlers; he was supposed to be leading the batting, showing grit, fight, and purpose, yet what he did was set a tempo that was tentative and asked for pressure.
Move or Be Mowed Down
Former Proteas pacer Dale Steyn knows a thing or two about getting into the heads of batters, and he didn’t hold back either. He complimented the Aussie bowlers, but he did emphasize something much more tactical regards to South Africa’s work with their feet – it doesn’t move! He concluded by saying, if you are going to stand at the same guard and not offer a different option, what do you expect – you are toast. Literally.
Steyn mentioned Steve Smith, who was, so far, the best batter of the match, and pointed out how he moved throughout the crease, coming down at the bowler, heading deep into his crease, angularising his position. It was not just surviving but counterattacking. That is what a top-order batter should do – make the bowler think, change their lines, confuse their rhythm. But South Africa? They just stood there and allowed the Aussies to bowl and dominate the conditions.
The Real Turning Point? That Final Session Collapse
A 120-run lead on the scoreboard is enough to claim Australia dominated the entire day. But cricket is about sessions, and by any measure, South Africa was edging the day until they lost their last three wickets in a brutal spell late in the day. So, what can we conclude about the shift in the game?
It wasn’t some sudden burst of magic from the Aussies (they were already bowling brilliantly). Instead, the change—or lack of it—was in South Africa’s mindset. Even as the wickets started to fall, there was no discernible change of gear. No desperation to counter-punch – it was like they were just hoping not to get out.
But that is not the way to win the WTC finals. That is the way to lose hold of a day that you have already won. And when Hayden says on the air that it is a “maybe an 80% call” that Australia has won the day, be assured that the lost 20% is South Africa’s blasted opportunity to dig in and start to fight back with grim determination.
Will South Africa regroup and come out fighting on day two? Or will they continue to play it safer and hope for the best? Please tell us in the comments.
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