Watch Travis Head Gets Out: The Man of the Match of the 2023 ICC WTC Final and the 2023 World Cup final, Travis Head, was dismissed for a cheap score of only 11 runs in Australia’s first innings of the 2025 ICC WTC Final as South Africa bossed the opening session of what promises to be a thrilling contest at Lord’s this week.
Australia and South Africa kicked off the 2025 WTC Final on Wednesday at the historic Lord’s, with the Protea skipper Temba Bavuma electing to field first under overcast conditions after winning the toss.
As expected, both teams had packed themselves with three genuine, wicket-taking pacers and one pace-bowling all-rounder along with a lone spinner. The Lord’s surface, famous for its slope, offered a healthy amount of seam movement to the South African pacers in the first session, and they utilised it to great effect.
The Protea seamers vindicated Bavuma’s decision to bowl first by taking four wickets in the first session while conceding 67 runs. Kagiso Rabada dismissed Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in his opening spell, while Marco Jansen got rid of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head in his second spell.
Australia were put in a fragile situation when their top three had gone with only 46 runs on the board. Their two best batsmen, Steve Smith and Head, were in the middle now.
Head, as he usually does, looked to counterattack. He wafted at the first delivery he faced and missed, but soon ferociously cut Jansen for a four. He took singles and doubles and was 11 off 12 balls and then was dismissed by Jansen, but the credit for Head’s wicket goes to wicket-keeper Verreynne, who took a jaw-dropping one-handed catch while moving to the leg side.
Head looked to flick a delivery from Jansen that was on the leg stump and angled down the leg side. However, Head got a faint edge on it. Verreynne, who was already standing in a good position to take deliveries down the leg side, moved quickly and followed the ball before putting in a dive with his right hand outstretched. He managed to grab the ball and complete the catch.
The South Africans, knowing the importance of the wicket of the dangerous Travis Head, celebrated jubilantly. The wicket of Head comfortably made this session South Africa’s and put Australia on the back foot, now leaving Smith to do the heavy duty to carry Australia to a formidable first innings total.
Video: Travis Head Gets Out To Stunning One-Handed Catch From Kyle Verreynne In ICC WTC Final
At lunch on day 1 of the SA vs AUS WTC Final, Australia are 67/4.
Teams:
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
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