Kagiso Rabada urges Proteas batters to combat Australia's pace trio on Lord's pitch

    Kagiso Rabada became the Proteas' fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests but had no time to celebrate as his team undid the paceman's good work against Australia on the first day of the WTC final at Lord's.

    Kagiso Rabada close-up Kagiso Rabada close-up

    Rabada set the tone after his captain Temba Bavuma had won the toss and opted to bowl in overcast conditions, South Africa's premier strike-bowler eventually finished with figures of 5-51 n 15.4 overs as Australia were bowled out for 212 to give the Proteas the advantage.

    Australia's own pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins then did some serious damage as the Proteas limped to stumps on 43-4 in 22 overs, still trailing by 169 runs.

    Rabada said after the day's play: "The ball was nipping quite a bit and at times moving off the slope quite a lot. But I still felt like batters could get in.

    "If you just bowled well and got more balls in the right area for a long period of time, then that's when you could create chances.

    "They didn't miss their lengths and they bowled really well. So, we're going to have to combat that tomorrow."

    Rabada's 17th five-wicket haul in his 71st Test took his tally up to 332 scalps in his career, going ahead of Alan Donald's 330-wicket mark.

    Only Dale Steyn (439), Shaun Pollock (421) and Makhaya Ntini (390) are above Rabada in the list, with the landmark was even more special after the paceman was banned for a month recently after admitting to cocaine use.

    "Yeah, obviously it wasn't my best moment, as I've alluded to," Rabada said. "Now, life moves on. I think every game that I play for South Africa, I try to do my best, so I didn't try to give any more or any less effort than I usually do in all the games that I play for South Africa, so that's all I tried to do today.

    "I guess to be named in that list of bowlers is special. As a player growing up and representing South Africa, I've been inspired by those who've come before and seen what they've done on the big stage.

    "As a kid, I was inspired to want to do the same thing. So I guess to be listed in that list of names is something special and long may it continue."