As South Africa’s batters struggled to deal with the pace of Australia on Day 2 of the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, former Proteas skipper Dr Ali Bacher had no hesitation in admitting that the men from Down Under are the better side.

“Even if South Africa win the final by any chance, I will say Australia are the best team,” Bacher, who played 12 Tests for the Proteas, captaining the team to four successive  Test wins against Australia in 1970, told mid-day over the phone from Johannesburg on Thursday.

Having been put into bat first, Australia were bowled out for 212 — a score that felt below par at the time.