Crucial Session Watch | World Test Championship Final, day two

2 minute read

Ooh, it’s a crucial session coming up, isn’t it? It promises to be a great, great morning for fans of commentators saying, ‘it’s a crucial session coming up’.

Before the World Test Championship Final began, a lot of the selection intrigue centred on who exactly should get to stand at the other end and watch Usman Khawaja make a 30-ball duck. In the end, Australia went for Marnus Labuschagne – presumably on the basis that he’s been close to being dropped for a good long while now, so maybe opening would finally tip the balance.

You know how men’s and mice’s plans are wont to gang agley though, don’t you? You do. You’re always going on about it. In this case Marnus made 17, which at the time of writing makes him the most successful opener in this match. 

Kudos to him then for pre-emptively fleeing Klerksdorp and qualifying as an Australia cricketer so as to sidestep Mitchell Starc’s opening over. Smart decision-making is a hallmark of all the best opening batters and Aiden Markram would soon highlight the wisdom of that move by getting out six balls into South Africa’s innings. Starc does this so reliably, you wonder why Pat Cummins doesn’t bowl him in one-over spells.

It’s worth reminding yourself that Mitchell Starc really does have an awful lot going for him

After that, stumps continued to be regularly hit and runs were scored not a great deal more frequently. The game’s progressed significantly and South Africa are in a legit pickle.

Earlier this morning, Gideon Haigh made the point that there’s a sixth day available for this match, so maybe they could squeeze in a series after all.

Anyway, like we say… crucial session coming up.

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1. Neil Wagner sacrifices the opportunity to run in for a small fragment of the final session
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3. Hayden and Langer are offering their ‘insights’ on commentary during the World Test Championship final

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