Aiden Markram’s magnificent century guided South Africa to a five-wicket win over Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Saturday as the Proteas finally ended their decades-long wait for a major global cricket trophy.
South Africa, set 282 to win, finished on 282-5 before lunch on the fourth day, with opening batsman Markram out for 136 when his side were just six runs shy of victory.
In 18 previous attempts in the ODI and T20 World Cups, South Africa had only reached one solitary final. That was in last year’s T20 World Cup in Barbados, when they lost to India despite needing just 30 runs from their last 30 balls, with six wickets standing.
But South Africa, so often labelled “chokers” for their failure to close out knockout games, held their nerve on Saturday as a largely unheralded side succeeded where star players such as Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis had failed.
The Proteas did suffer a setback early on Saturday when Bavuma, who had added just one run to his overnight score, was caught behind off Australia captain Pat Cummins to end a partnership of 147 with Markram.
Nevertheless, at 217-3, with the sunny blue skies above Lord’s creating good batting conditions on an increasingly placid pitch, South Africa were still well-placed.
Markram then cut fast bowler Cummins for a resounding four to the delight of what was effectively a ‘home’ crowd given the large number of South Africa fans who had packed into Lord’s on what was always going to be a short day’s play.
He then got the target down to 50 by pulling Cummins for another four.
Cummins then brought on Nathan Lyon in the hope that the off-spinner could find the significant turn that had helped him on Friday.
It was left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, however, who raised Australia’s hopes by bowling Tristan Stubbs for eight with a superb delivery that cut back sharply.
Australia, in one last desperate ploy after using up all three of their review, took the new ball with the Proteas just needing 14 more runs to win at 268-4.
But Markram drove the first delivery with the new ball, from Josh Hazlewood, for four, and the next one for three.
He was unable to finish the job, however, a pull off Hazlewood brilliantly caught by Travis Head at midwicket to end a 207-ball innings featuring 14 fours.
A disbelieving Markram walked slowly back to the Pavilion, with several Australia players running to shake his hand as he received a standing ovation.
It was left to Kyle Verreynne, who might have been out caught had Australia had any reviews left, to hit the winning run as South Africa completed the second-highest chase to win a Test at Lord’s, behind the West Indies’ 344-1, requiring 342, against England in 1984.
History for South Africa 🤩🇿🇦
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— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 14, 2025
This Test was also a personal triumph for Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who finished with match figures of 9-110.
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Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
