Dream chasers and dream quashers queue up on a see-sawing Day 2

Day 2: Dream Chasers and Dream Quashers

Pat Cummins spent nearly half an hour on the massage table inside the Australian dressing-room, watching the action unfold at Lord's. The Australian captain had just been dismissed as part of a rapid procession of wickets that had turned the Test on its head. The defending champions had lost 5/29 in the space of 7 overs and 45 minutes, with Cummins the last to fall to an inspired spell from Lungi Ngidi.

Against the run of play, Australia went from seemingly on top of South Africa to losing ground in dramatic fashion. It was manic, astonishing, and symptomatic of the rapidly changing overheads in London.

Australia resumed their second innings under dark skies with the floodlights on, following some rain earlier in the afternoon. By the time Cummins was dismissed, the sun was back out, shining brightly, and the floodlights were switched off. It had suddenly turned into a warm late afternoon, even if the Australian dressing room was feeling the chills. The turnaround in momentum was that rapid and outrageous, even if it was in keeping with the trends in the Test.

At the start of the third session, the Australian team balcony looked relaxed with players lounging around with smiles on their faces. Now, the balcony looked deserted. The happy faces had been replaced with furrowed brows, led by the captain, who didn't seem ready to budge from the massage table.

That optimism had now shifted to the South African team on the ground. Ngidi had fired them up with Wiaan Mulder taking the wicket of Travis Head. Australia were still ahead by less than 150 runs. With the rate at which wickets were falling and Kagiso Rabada fresh and ready to come back on, there seemed to be a chance for South Africa to commence their run-chase on the second evening itself, even as favourites. Despite being rolled over for 138 in their first innings.

Only for Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc to find a way of putting those hopes to rest, at least for now. Like the Australian low-order is wont to do, finding a way to claw their way back into a position of strength, even from a position of imminent danger. In a Test match played on fast forward, where runs have come at a premium, Carey somehow managed to produce an innings of massive significance, even while scoring at a strike-rate of 86 for his 43. And his partnership of 61 with Starc not only managed to take Australia to some level of safety, it also means that the South Africans will have to score the highest total in the match to pull off what many will consider a massive upset.

This is though the chance for Temba Bavuma and his team to genuinely dare to dream, after the captain had mentioned having fantasised about the potential moment of glory for months leading into this match. Having made their way to the WTC final on a road less travelled, as many South Africans believe, it is now a case of if not tomorrow, then never. There will in all likelihood be a World Test champion on Friday. Those in charge of the presentation ceremony seem convinced for sure. Some three hours after the close of play on Day 2, you could see the paraphernalia that comes with the ceremony, including the big "Champions" sign that the winning team will pose in front of, being wheeled into position for a day later.

Meanwhile, it only feels apt that in an era where batting averages and batting returns are diminishing, quite rapidly too, it's the ball that's dominating and dictating terms in what they're calling the ultimate Test. For, there's nothing really on this surface that would account for 28 wickets falling in the space of six sessions. Yes, the weather has played a part, and the thick clouds have made their presence felt. Yes, these are two outstanding pace attacks who often don't even need the level of assistance they have received at times from the conditions. And yes, like always, the unique slope at Lord's has been utilised to full effect by the six fast bowlers on show, five of whom have career averages below 25, with Starc the only exception, even if he qualifies regardless as an all-time great.

But the fact that batters from both teams, save a couple, have looked so out of their depth in tackling the challenge of the moving ball is in keeping with the rather apparent decline seen globally in batting techniques and temperaments. Whether it's against the ball that swings and seams around or the turning ball. As was the case quite often during the Border Gavaskar Trophy as well during the last Australian summer.

It will come down to Australia's world-beating bowling attack again to close out yet another Test and claim another trophy for their all-conquering outfit.

By the end of the day, the Aussies were all back on the balcony. With even Cummins off the massage table and looking a bit more relieved. Australia will certainly want another 30 plus runs to feel a tad safer. South Africa will certainly want the last two wickets much before that to feel a tad confident.

All that remains to be seen is whether it is the team who dares to dream or the team who perennially quashes dreams that will finish with the mace in their hands sometime on Friday.