A confident Australian team were handed the shock of their lives after Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma came clutch for South Africa on Day 3 of the World Test Championship Final on Friday, June 13. The senior duo of the South Africa side, who have seen multiple heartbreaks together, batted out of their skin to bring the Proteas at the cusp of history in the summit clash of the tournament.
After 28 wickets fell on the first two days of the final, it seemed like South Africa’s fates were sealed when Australia set a target of 282 against them. That belief was furthered after South Africa lost Ryan Rickelton inside the first 5 overs of the final innings of the match. But South Africa had other plans. In particular, Aiden Markram had other plans. Rather than dialling down the runflow after the dismissal, Markram and an equally fiery Wiaan Mulder at number 3, shifted to full attacking gears against the Australia bowling attack.
The Proteas opener stood his ground against the fast bowlers in the first few overs of the match, before controlling it to perfection for the rest of the day. While Mulder’s aggression was brought to an end by Mitchell Starc, Markram, aided by the sun, saw off one of the best bowling units in world cricket right now. The opener hit a remarkable century, brining his team within 69 runs of the target at the end of day’s play.
SA vs AUS, WTC Final, Day 3: Updates
Not only was Markram able to dent the bowling attack, but kept himself busy at the crease, ticking off runs ball by ball, session by session. Markram, who captained the Proteas in this edition of the World Test Championship duringTemba Bavuma’s absence in Bangladesh, showed incredible leadership to hold one end of the innings.
Bavuma and his Lion’s heart
Markram found support in his skipper, Temba Bavuma, who scripted a never-seen-before fight from a South African in the final of any competition. Dropped on 2 by Steve Smith at second slip, a risky catch that dislocated his finger, Bavuma made the Australians pay with a superb effort with the bat.
It was actually less about the batting and more about the character that Bavuma showed on Day 3 of the summit clash. After being dropped in the 20th over, Bavuma pulled his hamstring in the 24th over of the final innings.
Despite struggling to run and bat, Bavuma decided to stay on and hobbled his way to a fifty on Friday. Bavuma winced and gritted his teeth on multiple occasions but did not give up. Bavuma could have easily retired at the Tea break and come back later on after taking meds, but chose against it as he and Markram believed that they could halt the Australian barrage at Lord’s.
Pressure on the Australian ‘stars’
The duo batted through the day, playing 232 balls and scoring 143 runs between them, the best figures in the match between the two teams. While Markram scored a terrific century in 155 balls, Bavuma remained unbeaten at 65 at the end of the day’s play.
The Australian shoulders started sinking late in the day, when the duo were able to bring down the massive target of 282 runs to a mere two-digit target. As Pat Cummins searched for ways to break the partnership, he turned to his spinners, Nathan Lyon and Travis Head, but the Proteas refused to budge from the crease.
Markram, especially, was on point with his cuts and late cuts, which frustrated the Australians. The control on those shots was so good that Markram, for the first time in his life, transformed his batting into an art in an ICC Final.
More to follow…
