ISLAMABAD (PEN) : South Africa remain optimistic about their chances in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, despite facing a daunting run chase against Australia at Lord’s. With two days of intense cricket behind them and 28 wickets already fallen, both teams have struggled with the bat on a difficult surface dominated by seamers.
Australia closed day two with a *218-run lead* and just two wickets remaining in their second innings, placing the Proteas under pressure heading into the third day.
Bedingham: “A lot of belief in the dressing room”
South African batter *David Bedingham, who top-scored with 45 in his side’s first-innings total of **138*, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to chase down whatever target Australia sets.
“I think it’s just an amazing chance. And I think we’re all very, very excited about the opportunity to win,” Bedingham said after Thursday’s play.
“Like I said, it could go either way, but I think us as a team are very, very excited and there’s a lot of belief in the dressing room.”
Testing Conditions at Lord’s
The pitch at Lord’s has proven tricky, with fast bowlers from both sides exploiting seam movement and bounce. Bedingham noted that the pitch seemed to have eased slightly as the match progressed.
“I think when you have six quality seamers on a tricky pitch, it obviously makes batting tough. But I think the way the game’s going, I think the wicket has slowed down a bit. The nicks aren’t carrying,” he explained.
“So I think in the fourth innings, they’ll maybe come a bit straighter, and hopefully we can get those runs.”
Australia’s Attack “Gave Us No Bad Balls”
Australia’s bowling attack, spearheaded by *Pat Cummins*, who took six wickets on day two, has kept relentless pressure on the Proteas lineup.
“Personally, I don’t think the Australians gave us any bad balls. That’s why they’re the best in the world,” Bedingham admitted.
“The main thing is just to 100% commit if you are defending or attacking. I think as soon as you get caught in two minds against this attack, you get found out.”
Historical Perspective: Can South Africa Pull It Off?
Chasing big targets at Lord’s has historically been rare. England’s highest successful fourth-innings chase at the venue was *342 against West Indies in 1984. Notably, **277 was chased down by England against New Zealand in 2022, while **218*—Australia’s current lead—is the fourth-highest successful chase at the ground.
With the pitch expected to continue slowing down and South Africa’s batting depth set to be tested, the final remains delicately poised.
