'Bowlers show' as 14 wickets fall on chaotic day one of the World Test Championship final

Australia have put themselves in a strong position against South Africa on day one of the World Test Championship final after a challenging morning and afternoon with the bat for both sides.

The Aussies were bowled out for 212 early in the third session at Lord's after Steve Smith (66) and Beau Webster (72) rescued their side with half-centuries.

At stumps, the class of Australia's bowling was evident with South Africa reeling at 4-43.

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"The batters will be going to bed tonight thinking please flatten out ... it's been a bowlers show today," Kevin Pietersen said at stumps on Amazon Prime.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to bowl with Australia 4-67 at lunch.

Smith and Webster orchestrated a fightback with a partnership of 79 before the former was caught at slip with a juggling effort from Marco Jansen off Aiden Markram.

The score at the time was 5-146 and Australia moved to 6-192 before Alex Carey (23) was bowled. That sparked a 5-20 collapse with the Aussie tail failing to fire.

Kagiso Rabada finished with 5-51, taking him to fourth on the all-time Test wicket-takers list for South Africa. He moved past Allan Donald with his 331st wicket.

"High quality fast bowling, absolutely brilliant," Pietersen said.

Rabada was modest as he spoke to former South African captain Graeme Smith after the innings.

"It means a lot to me to play for South Africa so I give it my all each and every time, I'm just happy I did a job out there, I thought all of us started really well, it really meant a lot, I just got the rewards today," he said.

"... It means a lot to get past Allan Donald, what a legend."

Typical to form, Mitchell Starc started brilliantly, bowling Markram for a six-ball duck in the first over.

However, after watching South Africa take all their catches, Australia had an awful moment.

In the fifth over at 1-8, Wiaan Mulder edged behind to Alex Carey.

It was a regulation catch but Carey appeared to get his positioning all wrong as the ball rose too high for him while he crouched on his knees. The normally perfect wicket-keeper dropped it cold with Mulder on 1.

"That is an absolute sitter," Matthew Hayden said.

"Goodness me that's a rare opportunity gone, he's got beautiful hands, Alex Carey's dropped one.

Ravi Shastri added: "He'll be disappointed, for a keeper that's a pretty straightforward catch."

Four overs later though, opener Ryan Rickelton was walking to the Lord's pavilion for 16 with Usman Khawaja taking a sharp catch at slip off Starc.

Carey's earlier drop didn't end up costing the Aussies too much with Mulder eventually bowled by Pat Cummins for six off 44 balls.

"South Africa now in real trouble," Ian Smith said.

The struggle for the batters was epitomised when Temba Bavuma received a loud applause when he scored his first run after 31 balls.

South Africa's troubles continued in the 20th over when Tristan Stubbs was bowled for 2 by Josh Hazlewood.

David Bedingham finished on 8 not out while Bavuma finished the day on 3.

Starc finished with the best figures at 2-10.