South Africa are just 69 runs away from securing their maiden ICC World Test Championship title, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten partnership between Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma on the third day at Lord’s.
Chasing 282, the Proteas ended the day at 213 for 2, with Markram standing tall on 102* and Bavuma gritting through a hamstring injury to finish on 65*. Their stand of 143 runs for the third wicket came at a crucial time after Australia appeared to be gaining the upper hand.
The day began with Australia extending their second innings to 207, thanks largely to a fighting 59-run last-wicket partnership between Mitchell Starc (58*) and Josh Hazlewood (17). Their resistance came after Kagiso Rabada claimed his ninth wicket of the match, dismissing Nathan Lyon early in the session.
South Africa’s reply began shakily when Ryan Rickelton edged a full ball from Starc for just 6. Starc struck again to remove Wiaan Mulder, who had looked composed in his 27 before miscuing a drive to cover.
That brought Bavuma to the crease, and the game’s defining partnership followed. Despite injuring his hamstring mid-innings, the South African skipper fought on. At one point, he offered a chance on 2, only for Steve Smith to grass it at slip. The ball burst through Smith’s hands, causing a compound dislocation to his right little finger and forcing him off the field.
“Yeah, we’re engaged,” Bavuma later quipped jokingly in the dressing room, referring to his dogged batting relationship with Markram—though not a real quote, the resilience shown was very real.
Markram, meanwhile, was in sublime form. He brought up his eighth Test hundred with flair, highlighted by elegant strokes including a back-cut off Starc and a straight drive off Hazlewood. He reached his century from 156 balls, anchoring the chase with poise and control.
Pat Cummins rotated through six bowlers in search of a breakthrough, but the pitch – now much easier for batting – offered little. “It was going to take much more than a tweaked muscle to stop Bavuma,” one report observed, capturing the South African captain’s determination.
Australia, who had earlier sensed control, were visibly under pressure as the day wore on. Their best hope came when substitute fielder Sam Konstas nearly pulled off a spectacular diving catch to dismiss Bavuma on 43, but it wasn’t to be.
The Proteas’ surge with the ball on day two had kept them alive, and now their batters have pushed them to the cusp of glory. The fourth day promises high drama, but with only 69 runs needed and eight wickets in hand, South Africa will start as favourites.
Victory would mark South Africa’s first ICC trophy in over two decades, and cap off a WTC cycle in which they won seven consecutive Tests to reach the final. Australia, on the other hand, are looking to become the first side to win back-to-back World Test Championship titles.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood