Ton of weight off S Africa
London: 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 on Friday.
Bavuma, elevating the drama with a strained left hamstring, and opener Markram 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, his running restricted but not his batting technique, and Markram was 102 not out, 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.
Menawhile, skipper Gill urged his colleagues to put themselves under a bit of pressure so that they will not be overwhelmed by situations when the series starts.
In South Africa’s huge favor, the day three pitch flattened, offered the bowlers little and was far easier paced than the first two days, when 14 wickets fell on each. Only four wickets were taken on Friday, and none after tea.
The odds were in Australia’s favour when South Africa’s chase began straight after lunch. One of cricket’s best test bowling batteries faced a work-in-progress batting lineup needing to equal England’s most successful ever run chase at Lord’s from 2004 to win. The only bigger triumphant run chase at the home of cricket was 344/1 in 1984 by West Indies.
By the time pacer Mitchell Starc removed Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder, South Africa was 70-2 but flying.
The positive intent missing from the first innings was shown from the first ball of the chase, and the strike was rotated constantly. Australia managed only three maidens in 56 overs, all by spinner Nathan Lyon.
Starc could have had a third wicket and reduced South Africa to 76-3 when Bavuma, on 2, 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 life, Bavuma was on 9 when he hurt his hamstring 10 minutes before tea. After on-field treatment, he carried on, but noticeably limping. The captain came back out after tea and soothed his dressing room with pulls and sweeps and hobbled runs, each one rousing the South Africa fans.
