Mitchell Starc cleans up Tristan Stubbs for 8 with a jaffa on Day 4 of SA vs AUS 2025 WTC Final [Watch]
Australian speedster Mitchell Starc brought a bit of life into their side on Day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at the Lord's Cricket Ground. The left-arm speedster cleaned up Tristan Stubbs for 8 by hitting the top of the off-stump at a crucial juncture of the game.
The dismissal came in the second over of Mitchell Starc's spell as he went round the wicket and bowled a length delivery. The veteran bowler drew Stubbs forward as he completely missed it and it merely trimmed the bails. The ball before that saw Stubbs survive a caught-behind chance as Australia went for the review and were unsuccessful.
Watch the video below:
Stubbs had also been cleaned up for a single-figure score by Josh Hazlewood in the first innings on day one.
Mitchell Starc had taken the first two wickets to fall on Day 4 of WTC 2025
Meanwhile, the New South Welshman had given Australia the first two breakthroughs on Day 4 of the WTC final, dismissing Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder, thereby breaking important partnerships. However, the Baggy Greens weren't able to find a breakthrough for the rest of the day as Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma ground the opposition to dust.
Markram and Bavuma stitched together an unbroken partnership of 143, bringing the target down to 69 in pursuit of 282. The former finished his innings on 136, bouncing back from a duck in the first innings. Although Australian captain Pat Cummins dismissed Bavuma for 66 early on Day 4, Markram stood rock solid and put on crucial partnerships with Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham before falling to Josh Hazlewood. By the time the Proteas T20 captain departed, they needed only six runs.
Keeper-batter Kyle Verreynne hit the winning runs and secured a convincing five-wicket victory. It is also the first ICC title for South Africa since they won the Knockout Trophy in 1998.