WTC Final 2025 | The Lungi Ngidi show: From sidekick to showman

There is nothing more frustrating for a fast bowler than to go wicketless on a surface where you are supposed to thrive. The surface at Lord's for the WTC final between South Africa and Australia has been a seamer's delight. There has been sideways movement on offer and variable bounce as well, allowing the quicker men to have a ball out there. However, Lungi Ngidi appeared to be frustrated and not without reason.

 

On a pitch where the fast men from both sides caused mayhem, Ngidi didn't pick a single wicket in the first innings. What's worse is that he also conceded 45 off the eight overs he bowled. It meant that he neither gave his captain the breakthroughs needed nor the control required in such a marquee clash. If Ngidi had found his radar on the first day, Australia may not have gotten to 212, given the sensational spells bowled by Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. In fact, at the post-match press conference after day one, Rabada had remarked that his side should have gotten Australia within 160 or so.

 

The fact that Ngidi didn't inspire confidence was evident from the skipper's decision to introduce the medium pace of Wiaan Mulder ahead of his specialist fast bowler. It was after 12 overs into the Australian second innings that Ngidi was given the ball. The situation was ideal, given that Rabada had struck twice in the 10th over to remove Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in succession. Would Ngidi have gotten to bowl then if Australia had gotten a better start? We'll never know. His first couple of overs once again appeared to lack penetration, with either the length or line wrong on most occasions.

 

The best thing about a sport like Test cricket is that you always have the opportunity to make a comeback if you have the mental strength. If you don't back down and keep pushing, a turnaround isn't far away. Ngidi, though, needed a leap of faith moment to get himself into the 'mood'. Off his 18th delivery in the second innings, Ngidf finally hit the ideal line and length required for this Lord's surface. It didn't fetch him a wicket, but Marnus Labuschagne was in all sorts of trouble as he edged one, only to fall just short of second slip.

 

Australia's latest opener didn't have too much luck thereafter as he nicked one through to Kyle Verreynne off Marco Jansen. It was the second time in the game that the left-arm seamer had taken out Labuschagne, that too in identical fashion. South Africa were buzzing, so were their fans decked up at Lord's, and this was a moment that was there to be seized. Bavuma could have brought back his premier bowler in Rabada straightaway, but the skipper chose to persist with Ngidi for just a bit more. After four harmless deliveries off his next over, Ngidi then produced a corker to take out the big fish in Steve Smith.

 

Bowlers cherish the moment when they get Smith in Tests because it is as coveted a prize as they come. More so when you have not taken a wicket all game till that point like Ngidi. It was the perfect ball, angling in on middle and off, straightening ever so slightly and beating Smith's shuffle on the outside edge, to strike him on the back pad. Only thing that could have saved the Australian was the impact, which is why it wasn't given on-field. Ngidi pleaded, and Bavuma decided to punt with the review. Arguably, it was more due to the significance of the batter than due to the confidence in his bowler's appeal. Fast bowlers are, of course, emotional to the core.

 

As it turned out, the review was a masterstroke as ball tracking showed three reds, sending Smith on his bike, much to the veteran's surprise. It was a massive moment in the game, given the 36-year-old's penchant for bailing Australia out from crisis on tricky pitches. His wicket fuelled South Africa's hopes, but importantly, it just got Ngidi ticking. Back in 2018, when he first burst into the scene, the 29-year-old made waves for his genuine pace and ability to rush batters with extra bounce. Recurring injuries have taken a toll on his speed, but Ngidi showed on the second day at Lord's what he is capable of.

 

Beau Webster was treated first ball with a sharp nip-backer that he almost chopped onto the sticks. Next over, another Ngidi nip-backer barely bounced off the pitch and snuck past the inside edge. Ngidi eventually had his man with a scrambled seam delivery that jagged in just a touch to trap Webster LBW. Just like that, both of Australia's first innings heroes were sent packing by Ngidi. If Australia had expected a threat only from Rabada and Jansen, this was a rude awakening. A third scalp followed for Ngidi, who had the fidgety Pat Cummins castled after the Australian captain tried to initiate a counter-attack.

 

Ngidi was at his potent best, hitting the hard length and moving the ball both ways with variable bounce to boot. The pace may not have been in the high 140s as it once was in his initial years, but ask the Australian batters if they enjoyed facing him on the second day. Another poor showing would not only have hurt his Test future but, significantly, could have seen South Africa drifting further away in the WTC final. Instead, Ngidi's inspired spell turned the game on its head, and his buzzing energy was something all the other South African players fed on.

 

If Rabada's five-fer on the first day was box office stuff, Ngidi's burst was no less on day two. For a change, the sidekick took on the mantle of playing the star act, and Ngidi dazzled like he had been doing it all his career. Before the final, the selection headache was to pick between him and Dane Paterson, and most people felt that the latter was the more credible option. After all, Paterson had a lot more experience in English conditions and was coming off a sensational domestic season, too.

 

Instead, South Africa and Bavuma punted on Ngidi. The decision drew a lot of criticism on day one, and there could have been even more on day two if things had continued to go sour for the Proteas. Ngidi, though, put that chatter to bed, at least for the time being. With 99 (and counting) wickets in his 20th Test match at an average of 23 and a strike-rate of 44, it must also be said that Ngidi does cop unwanted criticism at times. People tend to mix up formats, and he has been underwhelming in the shorter formats recently. However, in Test cricket, Ngidi has done his job, even if it hasn't consistently grabbed the headlines.

 

If South Africa manage to get to the WTC title from here, Ngidi's burst in the second innings would find its place in the country's cricketing folklore. And make no mistake, he would be a big part of the headline.

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