Markram Bavuma drag SA to the doorstep of glory

On a day marked by global tragedy—a plane crash in Ahmedabad and military attacks in the Middle East—the world still turned, and so did the cricket. It was Friday the 13th, an ominous date that mirrored the chaos elsewhere, but at Lord’s Cricket Ground, cricket marched on with its usual mix of heartbreak, resilience, and beauty.

As South Africa faced Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final, the third day of the match delivered tension, drama, and heroism in equal measure.

Australia Stretch Their Lead Amid Emotional Backdrop

Australia resumed their innings with a lead of 218 and just two wickets in hand. In the opening moments of the day, Nathan Lyon was trapped LBW by Kagiso Rabada, who completed a stellar nine-wicket haul in the match. Yet the final wicket partnership resisted.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood combined for a gritty 59-run stand off 135 deliveries, with Starc contributing 53 of those runs. The resistance was finally broken at the stroke of lunch when Hazlewood handed Aiden Markram a simple catch in the covers. South Africa were left with a target of 282—a daunting task, but not an impossible one.

Only once in the history of Lord’s Tests has a team chased more in the fourth innings to win, that being West Indies’ iconic 342-run chase in 1984 led by Gordon Greenidge.

South Africa’s Chase Starts with Nerves and Grit

South Africa’s chase began under pressure, with Ryan Rickelton dismissed early after edging a full delivery from Starc. Wiaan Mulder, promoted to No. 3, showed resilience but eventually fell for a modest score, mistiming a shot off Starc that was caught at cover. The scoreboard read 70/2, and the tension grew.

This current Proteas lineup is far removed from the legends of 2008—Smith, Amla, Kallis, Ntini, and Steyn. But there was still hope, embodied in Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram, who stood firm against one of the world’s fiercest bowling attacks.

Markram and Bavuma Lead a Brave Fightback

As Australia applied pressure with three of the top five ICC Test bowlers, both Bavuma and Markram displayed exceptional mental toughness. Despite a compound dislocation to Steve Smith’s finger, which forced him off the field, the Australian bowling attack remained relentless.

Bavuma faced further adversity, injuring his hamstring after taking a sharp single. Despite visible discomfort, he continued, hobbling between the wickets. Over time, his movement improved, and with it, the scoring accelerated.

Bavuma reached a courageous half-century, and not long after, Markram celebrated a century with tears in his eyes after clipping Josh Hazlewood for four through midwicket. It was a moment of pure emotion—a hundred at Lord’s in a World Test Final.

Their unbeaten 143-run partnership took South Africa to 213/2, just 69 runs away from victory and a historic ICC Test Championship title.

A Day of Global Turmoil, Cricketing Triumph

In a world shadowed by tragedy and tension, the scenes at Lord’s provided a contrasting narrative—one of hope, perseverance, and human spirit. On Friday the 13th, Markram and Bavuma turned a superstitious day into one of South African cricket’s most memorable evenings.

Tomorrow, they will return to chase the remaining runs and attempt what once seemed unlikely: defeating Australia in a WTC final at the spiritual home of cricket.

Let that sink in.

Key Moments from Day 3 – WTC Final at Lord’s

• Australia all out after adding 59 crucial runs for the final wicket
• Mitchell Starc scores 53, showing all-round brilliance
• Kagiso Rabada ends with 9 wickets in the match
• Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder fall early in the chase
• Aiden Markram scores a sublime century, remains unbeaten
• Temba Bavuma battles through injury to register a fifty
• South Africa finishes Day 3 on 213/2, needing 69 more to win