The first day of the World Test Championship Final 2025 (WTC) match between Australia and South Africa became a bowler's paradise at the Lord's Cricket Ground, London. South African captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and decided to bowl first. Australia began with Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, but runs were hard to come by in the early going, with the first run arriving only on the 22nd ball. South African seamers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen bowled with great control. Rabada got the breakthrough in the seventh over, getting both Khawaja and Cameron Green caught behind off outside edges. Just the next over, Labuschagne too was out to Jansen, and Australia was reeling at 18/3. Steve Smith and Travis Head tried to steady the innings, but Jansen struck once again, out removing Head in the last over before lunch. Australia entered the lunch break on 67 for 4, with Smith remaining on 26. Beau Webster came in to bat after Smith in the second session. While Webster took his time to settle, Smith showed his experience. He reached his 18th Test fifty in England, going past legends Allan Border and Viv Richards, who had 17 each. Smith also became the highest run-scorer among overseas players at Lord’s with 591 runs. Also Read | Watch: Nitish Reddy Takes Stunning Flying Catch vs England Lions But Smith's innings was over at 66 when Jansen pulled off an amazing tumbling catch off part-time bowler Aiden Markram. Australia was 190 for 5 at tea, with Webster reaching his second Test fifty. Following tea, Australia lost steam rapidly. Alex Carey was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj on a planned reverse sweep. Rabada came back to get Pat Cummins and subsequently took his fifth wicket by getting rid of Mitchell Starc, joining Allan Donald with 332 Test wickets. Webster also got out for 72. Australia were reduced to 212 all out, losing five wickets for 20 runs in the course of 35 balls. Rabada achieved a five-wicket haul during the WTC Final. Aussie pacers dominated the action at Lord's Australia's bowlers responded in kind. Starc had an instant effect, destroying Aiden Markram's stumps in the first over. Starc again before long got Ryan Rickelton to edge to Khawaja at first slip. Cummins chipped in with the wickets of Wiaan Mulder, leaving South Africa reeling at 25/3. The skipper Bavuma had a slow beginning, scoring off 31 balls. Josh Hazlewood dismissed Tristan Stubbs just before stumps to close out a dominant day for the bowlers. South Africa were 43 for 4 at stumps, and behind by 169 runs. 14 wickets were dismissed in 78.4 overs at Lord's on Day 1.