South Africa on the Cusp of Historic Victory over Australia in World Test Championship Final

The thrilling World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s has taken a dramatic turn, with South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma and opening batsman Aiden Markram forging an unbreakable partnership to push their team to the brink of a sensational victory over defending champion Australia. As the day three proceedings came to a close, the Proteas were just 69 runs away from a historic triumph, with Bavuma and Markram still at the crease, having added 143 runs together.

A Grueling yet Exhilarating Day for South Africa

The day began on a disappointing note for South Africa, as they failed to quickly wrap up Australia’s tail. However, the bowlers eventually managed to dismiss the Aussies, with Kagiso Rabada claiming his ninth wicket of the match. The Proteas then embarked on their chase of 282 runs, and despite losing two wickets, they finished the day on 213 for two, with Bavuma and Markram looking solid.

Bavuma’s Courage and Markram’s Brilliance

Bavuma, who has been struggling with a strained left hamstring, showed incredible courage and determination to continue batting, despite being in obvious pain. His running between the wickets was restricted, but his batting technique remained unaffected, as he notched up an impressive 65 not out from 121 balls. Markram, on the other hand, was in sublime form, scoring his eighth Test century, and his first in a World Test Championship final. His unbeaten 102 from 159 balls was a testament to his skill and temperament.

Australia’s Bowling Attack Fails to Impress

Australia’s vaunted bowling attack, which includes four of the country’s top-10 all-time Test wicket-takers, failed to make an impact on the South African batsmen. The hosts’ bowlers, who have claimed over 1,500 wickets in total, were unable to trouble Bavuma and Markram, who played with ease and confidence. The only bowler to cause some concern was Nathan Lyon, who managed to claim a few maidens, but even he was unable to make a breakthrough.

The Pitch: A Game-Changer

The day three pitch at Lord’s proved to be a game-changer, as it flattened out and became easier to bat on. The ball, which had been swinging and seaming in the first two days, became less responsive, and the bowlers struggled to extract any life from the surface. This played into the hands of the South African batsmen, who were able to play their strokes with freedom and scoring became easier.

South Africa’s Victory Hopes

As the Proteas look to win their first ICC trophy in 27 years, they will be aware of their heartbreaking history in major tournaments. The team has often blown winning positions, and their only ICC trophy remains the ICC Knock Out in 1998. However, with Bavuma and Markram still at the crease, South Africa will be confident of crossing the finish line. The team’s batting coach, Ashwell Prince, expressed his excitement, saying, "This would be massive for our country… We’ve fallen short in some white-ball competitions with teams that have been favorites at times. History says we haven’t done it yet, so we have to knuckle down."

Australia Still Hopeful

Despite the odds being against them, Australia is still hopeful of turning the game around. The team’s players will be looking to come up with a plan to dismiss Bavuma and Markram and restrict South Africa’s lead. As Beau Webster said, "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 Aussies will need to come up with something special to deny South Africa a historic victory.

Injury Woes for Australia

Australia’s woes were compounded by an injury to Steve Smith, who broke his right pinkie finger while attempting to catch a ball at first slip. The incident occurred when Bavuma, on 2, edged a ball from Mitchell Starc, and Smith, who was standing closer to the wickets than usual, was unable to hold on. The Australian batsman immediately left the field and was taken to the hospital, where he was ruled out of the remainder of the match and possibly the upcoming three-Test tour of the West Indies.

A Thrilling Conclusion Awaits

As the World Test Championship final enters its final stages, the excitement is building. South Africa is on the cusp of a historic victory, but Australia will not give up without a fight. The Proteas will need to maintain their focus and composure to cross the finish line, while the Aussies will be looking to pull off a miraculous comeback. One thing is certain, the conclusion of this thrilling match will be remembered for a long time to come.

Content originally published by sportstar.thehindu.com