Proteas inch closer to World Test Championship mace after Markram and Bavuma batting masterclass

Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma have batted the Proteas to the verge of history at Lord’s against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. They need 69 runs to clinch the Test mace with two days of action still available to play.

Australia, dismissed for 207 in their second innings, set the Proteas a winning target of 282, which in the context of the low-scoring encounter, seemed almost impossible.

But the dream is closer to reality after an aggressive response with the bat that has taken the Proteas to the brink of one of South African cricket’s greatest achievements.

The two most senior South African batters were undefeated at the crease at the close of play on day three, having led the team to 213 for two at stumps, putting on an unbroken 143-run third-wicket stand.

Markram is the second South African in this match who will have his name etched into the Lord’s Honour’s Board at the conclusion of the WTC final, having struck an incredible century under pressure.

Zero to hero

The opener has gone from zero (dismissed for a duck in the first innings) to hero, carving out an appealing 102 off 159 deliveries, caressing 11 fours on his way to his eighth Test century.

Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma, meanwhile, limped his way to 65 off 121 balls, with five boundary fours smacked.

Bavuma, while fluent in his strokeplay, had a literal limp caused by a left hamstring strain, sustained while running through for a quick single. It meant the skipper and vice-captain couldn’t take any quick singles.

Despite that, the pair put on 143 runs for the third wicket in a display of batting of the highest magnitude under extreme pressure.

Bavuma’s innings was one of courage, skill and supreme commitment to his teammates and his country when they needed their leader to set the tone.

What transpired with the bat on day three was a dream for Bavuma. But it was very nearly a nightmare when he edged a Mitchell Starc snorter to Steve Smith at a very close first slip, with a helmet on — as the edges had been falling short all Test match.

But instead of pouching the chance, Smith snatched at the ball that flew at him and dropped the ball.

Bavuma was on two at the time, and South Africa on 76 for two in the 20th over. The Proteas had also lost Wiaan Mulder in Starc’s previous over so would have opened up an end.

Bavuma survived and made the most of his good fortune, as the best players tend to do.

For Smith, to add injury to insult, he suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger while attempting the catch. He was taken to the hospital for x-rays.

Morning frustration

Earlier in the day, Australia’s tail wagged to proportions of concern. Starc (58 off 136), in at nine, struck his 11th Test half century to guide Australia from 144 for eight overnight to 207 all out and extended Australia’s lead to 282.

Kagiso Rabada trapped Nathan Lyon LBW in the third over of the morning — to claim his ninth wicket of the match — but Starc and Josh Hazlewood (17 off 53) batted through the rest of the morning session, putting on 59 runs in their last wicket stand — Australia’s second highest partnership in the innings.

Hazlewood eventually became Markram’s fifth Test scalp as the teams went into lunch with one innings in the Test match remaining, and knowing exactly what was needed to claim the WTC mace.

Read more: World Test Championship final hangs in balance as Lungi Ngidi drags Proteas back into match

The batting success of Australia’s lower order, although frustrating for the Proteas, proved that conditions were finally okay for batting after two days of batters poking and prodding while attempting to get bat to ball.

While 28 wickets fell across the first two days; only four fell on day three.

Australia bowling coach Daniel Vettori suggested that the lack of cloud cover for the duration of day three’s play, as well as the pitch becoming placid (as experts on the playing conditions at Lord’s have suggested will happen) assisted the significant drop-off in wickets.

In the same vein, Vettori credited Bavuma and Markam’s vigil.

“It has been difficult scoring but South Africa made the most of those conditions. But also, it was an exceptional partnership,” Vettori said.

“They navigated the tricky times and then were able to put pressure back on us through their running [and] through their ability to dissect the field. It was a real clinic from those two.”

South Africa have Test history beckoning on day four at Lord’s. DM