Australia suffered a major setback on Day Three of the ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s, as star batter Steve Smith sustained a compound dislocation in his right little finger.
The incident occurred in the 20th over when Smith, fielding at wide first slip with a helmet, attempted to catch an edge from South Africa captain Temba Bavuma off Mitchell Starc’s bowling.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t react in time and missed the chance, injuring his finger in the process.
Immediate Exit and Replacement with a Young Substitute
Smith, who was positioned just 14 metres from the stumps, immediately left the field after the injury. Teenage opener Sam Konstas replaced him as a substitute fielder, but a few overs later, Konstas also needed medical assistance.
As a result, left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann came in as the second substitute for Australia.
Cricket Australia Confirms Dislocation and Hospital Visit
Cricket Australia (CA) later confirmed that Smith had suffered a compound dislocation in his right little finger. “He was assessed by the Australian team medical staff at the ground and then taken to a hospital for an X-ray and further treatment,” CA said in a statement.
Smith did not return to the field during the post-tea session.
Smith’s injury raises serious concerns for Australia’s upcoming Test tour of the West Indies, which begins in just ten days. With his participation now in doubt, the Australian team will need to consider alternate plans.
The only consolation for the team is that Smith had already completed his batting duties, scoring 66 and 13 in the match.
Australia Set 282-Run Target for South Africa
Australia set South Africa a tough target of 282 runs, following a second innings total of 207. The effort was bolstered by Mitchell Starc’s gritty 58 and a crucial 59-run partnership with Josh Hazlewood for the final wicket.
Their late resistance added valuable runs to the scoreboard.
In reply, South Africa reached 94/2 in 24 overs, with Aiden Markram holding firm on 49 off 66 balls. They still need 188 more runs to win.
However, the visitors were hit by a setback as captain Temba Bavuma appeared to tweak his hamstring just before the tea break. He walked off at 11 not out and will undergo further assessment to determine his ability to continue.
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