Australia’s batting order was severely damaged by Rabada and Marco Jansen, who left the country at a vulnerable 63/4 at lunchtime.
After that, Australia rallied and controlled the second session, losing Steve Smith by one wicket.
Following tea, pacer Rabada had a wild time, grabbing three of the final four wickets after Keshav Maharaj had dismissed Alex Carey.
Australia lost for 211 as Jansen and Rabada shared eight wickets between them.
Rabada’s Fiery Spell Wrecks Australia: A 5-Wicket Masterclass in England
South Africa’s pace ace Kagiso Rabada once again proved why he’s one of the most feared fast bowlers in world cricket. With a lethal mix of accuracy, bounce, and late seam movement, Rabada dismantled Australia’s batting line-up, claiming 5 wickets for 51 runs in a thrilling Test battle.
Early Pressure and Precision
Rabada started his spell after lunch with discipline and fire, bowling three consecutive maiden overs and building immense pressure. He almost had Beau Webster early, only for the chance to slip through South Africa’s fingers.
He didn’t have to wait long to make an impact. In the seventh over, he got Usman Khawaja to edge one that bounced sharply and unevenly, drawing first blood for South Africa.
Soon after, Rabada delivered another beauty — a fuller ball that seamed away late — to get Cameron Green caught behind. Australia was under the pump.
Smith & Webster Steady, But Rabada Keeps Pushing
Despite a small revival led by Steve Smith and Beau Webster, Rabada continued to test the batters. One of the major moments came when South Africa wasted a review for LBW against Webster. Replays clearly showed that the ball had clipped the bat before hitting the pad — a close call, but not Rabada’s day that time.
Rabada’s Triple Blow Ends Australia’s Resistance
With Australia looking to push beyond 190, South Africa turned to spin and got Alex Carey, reducing the visitors to 192/6. But Rabada wasn’t done yet.
He came back roaring, delivering a double breakthrough by removing Pat Cummins with a terrific ball that ended the skipper’s brief stay, and then sending back the well-set Beau Webster, who had just struck him for two boundaries. The dismissal was classic Rabada — a hard-length delivery outside off that lured Webster into a loose shot with no foot movement.
Rabada’s final strike came in the form of Mitchell Starc, bringing an emphatic end to Australia’s resistance.
Khawaja: A Familiar Victim
Rabada’s mastery over Usman Khawaja continued in this match. He bowled 18 dot balls in a row before finally dismissing Khawaja with the 19th — a 20-ball duck for the Aussie opener.
This marked the 6th time Rabada has dismissed Khawaja in Tests. Over 15 innings, Khawaja has scored just 154 runs off 338 balls, averaging 25.66 with a strike rate of 45.66 in this head-to-head.