Bavuma grit, Markram century put SA on brink of historic WTC win

LONDON, England:

Hobbling captain Temba Bavuma and hundred-hitter Aiden Markram pushed South Africa to the brink of a sensational victory over Australia in a gripping World Test Championship final at Lord’s yesterday.

Bavuma, elevating the drama with a strained left hamstring, and opener Markram capitalised on ideal batting conditions. They partnered for an unbroken 143 runs against one of Australia’s greatest bowling attacks to have South Africa 69 runs from an historic triumph.

Chasing 282 to win, the Proteas were 213-2 at stumps on day-three in a stirring bid to win a first ICC trophy in 27 years.

Bavuma was 65 not out from 121 balls, his running restricted, but not his batting technique, and Markram was 102 not out from 159, easily the highest individual score of the final.

Defending champions Australia bombarded them with four of their top-10 all-time Test wicket-takers – more than 1,500 wickets in total – but they couldn’t part the Proteas pair, and hardly troubled them.

In South Africa’s huge favour, the day-three pitch flattened, offered the bowlers little and was far easier paced than the first two chaotic days, when 14 wickets fell on each. Only four wickets were taken yesterday, and none after tea.

South Africa won’t go to bed entirely comfortable, though. The men’s team has a heartbreaking history in ICC tournaments of blowing winning positions. It is the reason their only ICC trophy is the ICC Knock Out in 1998.

“This would be massive for our country,” Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince said. “Both in terms of what we want to do in Test match cricket and what we want to achieve going forward. We’ve fallen short in some white-ball competitions with teams that have been favourites at times. History says we haven’t done it yet, so we have to knuckle down.

“Not sure how I’m going to sleep tonight. Whether I can fall into a deep sleep, I’m not sure!”

It’s certain serial champions Australia still believe, too.

“In the morning we’ve got to come back and try and form a plan,” Beau Webster said. “The boys will be looking at any advantage we can get. Strange things happen in this game.

“We tried some new things with the bowling attack, but they were just too good in the end ... and both of them were chanceless so complete credit to them.”

The odds were in Australia’s favour when South Africa’s chase began straight after lunch.

To win, a work-in-progress batting line-up needed to equal England’s most successful ever run chase at Lord’s from 2004.

By the time pacer Mitchell Starc removed Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder, South Africa were 70-2 but flying.

There was positive intent missing from the first innings, and the strike was rotated constantly. Australia managed only three maidens in 56 overs, all by spinner Nathan Lyon.

Starc could have reduced South Africa to 76-3 when Bavuma, on two, thick-edged to first slip.

But a helmeted Steve Smith, standing closer than usual to the wickets because the ball hasn’t been carrying to the cordon all game, couldn’t hold Starc’s 138 kph delivery and broke his right pinkie finger. He immediately left for a hospital, was out of the final and probably the following three-Test tour of the West Indies.

Given a life, Bavuma was on nine when he hurt his hamstring 10 minutes before tea. Prince said he was adamant about continuing but noticeably limping. The captain soothed his dressing room with pulls and sweeps and hobbled runs, each one rousing the South Africa fans. Bavuma reached his 50 off 83 balls.

Meanwhile, Markram was cutting and driving to 50 off 69 balls. The best of his 11 boundaries was a late cut off Starc expertly sliced between two fielders. His reaction to his eighth Test century five minutes from stumps was muted. He had enough strength to raise his bat to all sides and receive applause and a hug from his captain.

AP