Day 3 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 between South Africa and Australia at Lord's is poised to be a decisive one, with the match intriguingly balanced after two days of compelling cricket. South Africa started strong, needing only one more wicket to dismiss Australia.

Australia, after a shaky start to their second innings, managed to extend their lead to 218 runs by the end of Day 2, finishing on 144 for 8. Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon were at the crease, tasked with adding crucial runs to put Australia in a commanding position. The defending champions aimed to push their total beyond 250, or even close to 300, to gain a psychological edge heading into South Africa's final innings.

South Africa's primary goal on Day 3 was to quickly wrap up the Australian innings and then display a determined batting performance to chase down the target. A successful chase would secure their first ICC trophy since 1998.

The first two days of the Final witnessed a staggering 28 wickets falling, highlighting the challenging conditions for batsmen. Pat Cummins' exceptional spell of 6 for 28 in South Africa's first innings was instrumental in Australia gaining a 74-run lead. South Africa's batting lineup struggled against the pace and guile of the Australian bowlers.

However, the South African bowlers responded strongly in Australia's second innings, reducing them to 73 for 7 at one stage. Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi led the charge, while Wiaan Mulder also contributed with a key wicket. A resilient 61-run partnership between Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc for the eighth wicket rescued Australia from further collapse.

Cummins attributed the match's rapid pace to a combination of a tricky pitch and disciplined bowling from both sides. He noted the importance of bowling well on Day 3. His counterpart, Temba Bavuma, played aggressively, exemplified by a six off Cummins, but South Africa's lower-order batting woes hurt their chances of minimizing the first-innings deficit.

The conditions at Lord's have favored fast bowlers, with movement off the seam and bounce troubling the batsmen. This has created a compelling battle between Australia's potent pace attack and South Africa's talented, yet thus far underperforming, batting lineup.

Experts believe that Day 3 will be pivotal. While the pitch is expected to be at its most docile, the target could still prove daunting for South Africa if they fail to improve upon their first-innings performance. The performance of South Africa's top order, particularly Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram against Starc and Hazlewood, will be crucial. Cummins' form as first change bowler adds another layer of difficulty for the Proteas.

The South African chase will determine which country takes home the WTC mace.