Fighting Proteas dig deep against Australia in Test final

Opening batter Aiden Markram and captain Temba Bavuma kept South Africa in contention on Friday, sharing an unbroken partnership to carry the match into day four in the World Test Championship final against Australia in London.

Returning to the crease for their second innings at the start of the afternoon session on day three, South Africa were set a target of 282 runs to win.

At the close of play, they had reached 213/2, still needing 69 runs to secure the global title with eight wickets in hand and two days remaining.

Markram was on 102 not out and Bavuma, who was struggling with a left hamstring strain, was unbeaten on 65 when stumps were drawn.

Hitting his eighth career hundred, Markram became the 13th South African player to join the honours board for scoring a century at Lord’s.

“It was a super special partnership between Markram and Bavuma. Both have been through a lot of adversity in the last two years, and they’ve pushed themselves,” said Wiaan Mulder, who hit 27 runs in a 61-run second-wicket stand with Bavuma.

“The pitch was slow today, slower than on day one and two. There was not as much nip as in days one and two. Even when we bowled, it all went slowly, but we’re glad to have capitalised on the conditions.”

Australia second innings

Earlier, in the morning session on day three, Australia resumed their second innings at 144/8, and tail-ender Mitchell Starc stuck his heels in, carrying his team to 207 all out.

Starc was persistent, hitting 58 not out off 136 balls – his 11th Test half-century after spending more than three hours at the crease – but he ran out of partners at the lunch break.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who bagged five wickets in Australia’s first innings, took 4/59 to return match figures of 9/110.

He was well supported by seamer Lungi Ngidi who took 3/38 after going wicketless in the first innings of the match.