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DAY 3: Markram, Bavuma take Proteas to brink of WTC final glory against Australia

football13 June 2025 17:46| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Aiden Markram scored a stunning, unbeaten 102 and shared an unbroken third wicket partnership of 143 with Temba Bavuma (65*) as South Africa seized control of the World Test Championship final against Australia, reaching 213-2 by the close of the third day on Friday chasing a target of 282 for victory. 

They require another 69 runs for victory on the fourth morning.

Markram’s eighth test century anchored the run chase while captain Bavuma, who strained his hamstring when he’d scored just seven, offered support of the highest and bravest quality in reaching a potentially crucial 65 from 121 balls with five fours despite struggling to run between the wickets.

Markram was at his sublime best, playing to his strengths on the off-side with cover drives, late cut shots and powerful backfoot punches against spinner Nathan Lyon (18-3-51-0) collecting 11 fours from 159 balls faced.

When he reached his century with a clipped four off his toes to the midwicket boundary against Josh Hazlewood he removed his helmet and was unable, and probably unwilling, to prevent the tears rolling down his cheeks.

South Africa require just another 69 runs on the fourth morning with eight wickets in hand but there they were taking nothing for granted: “Business as usual tomorrow,” cautioned assistant coach Ashwell Prince.

“Great joy for Aiden’s hundred and the partnership with Temba is right up there in the history of South African cricket, but the job is not yet done,” Prince said.

Ryan Rickelton (6) was dismissed early edging a full-blooded drive against a Mitchell Starc off stump half volley to keeper Alex Carey but a second-wicket stand of 61 between Markram and Wiaan Mulder calmed South Africa’s nerves – and those of a majority SA-supporting crowd.

Mulder’s defensive inactivity in the first innings (six runs from 44 balls) made way for a bustling, proactive 27 from 50 balls with five driven boundaries before an innocuous Starc delivery elicited a miscued drive to Marnus Labuschagne at cover.

Markram was bristling with energy from the first ball, driving Starc and Josh Hazlewood to the cover boundary and punching offspinner Lyon repeatedly through the off-side while tucking the vaunted pace trio off his pads for legside singles.

Bavuma was dropped on two by Steve Smith standing at a ‘forward’ second slip position in front of the ‘keeper in order to counter the low bounce which has resulted in so many edges falling short of the cordon for both teams.

Earlier, South Africa endured a deeply frustrating morning as Starc compiled a brilliant innings of 58 not out to help Australia post a second innings total of 207 having started the day on 144-8.

Captain Pat Cummins admitted overnight that he would “like another 20 or 30 runs” from the tailenders but the last three batsmen more than doubled that by adding 63 in the two hours before lunch.

Kagiso Rabada (4-59) claimed his ninth wicket of the match when he trapped Lyon lbw for two with the 16th ball of the day but the excellent Starc added a remarkable 59 for the last wicket with an obdurate Hazlewood whose 17 spanned 53 deliveries before he drove part-time spinner Markram to cover on the stroke of lunch.

Rabada claimed 5-51 on the first day to help dismiss Australia for 212 but Cummins was even better on the second with 6-28 as South Africa crumbled to 138 in reply.

But the twists and subplots of test cricket were much in evidence when Australia batted again as they crashed to 73-7 leading by just 147 runs overall.

“History beckons, maybe, but we all know the job isn’t done until it’s done,” Prince said.

SOUTH AFRICA: Temba Bavuma (capt), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

AUSTRALIA: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

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