Aiden Markram's 102* and courageous Temba Bavuma take Proteas to brink of WTC Final glory
Aiden Markram celebrates his century at Lord's on Friday. Picture: BackpagePix
Image: Picture: BackpagePix
LONDON - For South Africa to have stood any chance in this World Test Championship final they were always going to need their senior players to shoulder the majority of the load.
Kagiso Rabada did his part with the spearhead claiming a match haul of 9/110 to leave the batters a target of 282 for their shot at glory.
Aiden Markram's sublime 102 not out and a hobbling Temba Bavuma's undefeated 65 have since taken over the baton with a brilliant unbroken second-wicket stand of 143 to put the Proteas within touching distance of lifting the golden ICC mace on Saturday morning.
The London sun shone splendidly down for the entire third day, which resulted in the most favourable batting conditions of the entire WTC Final, which left the Proteas' comfortably placed on 213/2, requiring just 69 runs for victory on Saturday.
After 28 wickets - 14 per day - over the course of the opening two days, the bowlers tasted success just four times across the 81 overs delivered on Friday.
100!!! 👏👏👏
Take a bow from Aiden Markram
The entire Lord's stand up in unison to applaud Markram's brilliant century that has taken the Proteas to the brink of WTC glory!
A truly sublime innings from The Sauce!@IOL @IOLsport pic.twitter.com/g7UoGeem3L — Zaahier Adams (@ZaahierAdams) June 13, 2025
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Two of those were Australia's, but not until Mitchell Starc (58 not out) and last man Josh Hazlewood resisted for 135 balls whilst adding an invaluable 59 runs for the 10th wicket in the morning session to lift the defending champions to a total that was seemingly out of the Proteas' reach.
Starc's vigil, however, showed that the Lord's surface was indeed not a mine dump littered with explosives and that through disciplined application and a positive intent, runs could be accumulated.
This was indeed the Proteas' mindset when they set about their run-chase, and even though Ryan Rickleton followed a wide outswinger from Starc early on, the previously tentative Wiaan Mulder showed greater presence at the crease with Markram.
The pair added 61 off just 93 balls to take the sting out of the Australian attack with Mulder appearing comfortable on 27 before he scooped a cover drive Marnus Labuschagne off Starc to leave South Africa at 70/2.
The stage was set for Bavuma to rubber stamp his indelible imprint on South Africa's cricketing legacy with the World Test Championship literally on the table.
He looked to lay down an immediate marker with a lofted cover drive - in similar fashion to what actually led to his demise in the first innings.
Bavuma's intentions were clear, but it seemed more premeditated than calculated, and should have led to his demise when a thick edge off his flaying bat flew into the mid-drift of Steve Smith at first slip.
But in similar vein to the South Africans on Thursday afternoon, the Aussie slip cordon had taken a significant step forward to nullify the ball bouncing before them, which caused the ball to burst through Smith's fingers and the Proteas' captain was afforded an invaluable reprieve.
To add insult to injury, Smith suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger and was taken to hospital for X-rays and further treatment.
Independent Media's Zaahier Adams will be at Lord's covering the ICC World Test Championship final. Picture: Independent Media
Image: Independent Media
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