 "South Africa end ICC trophy jinx as Markram's majestic 136 sinks Australia to be crowned world Test champions")
Aiden Markram produced a majestic 136 as South Africa finally snapped their jinx in ICC events after enduring multiple heartbreaks since 1992, defeating Australia by 5 wickets to win the World Test Championship final at Lord's on Saturday.
Markram starred in South Africa’s chase of the 282-run target with his eighth Test century after Kagiso Rabada played a central role in restricting the Aussies to a little over 200 in both innings with a nine-wicket match-haul (5/51 and 4/59).
The Australians, who had defeated India in the final of the previous WTC cycle at the neighbouring Oval, rekindled their hopes of pulling off a victory after skipper Pat Cummins had his South African counterpart Temba Bavuma caught-behind early in the morning session.
And Mitchell Starc helped himself to a third wicket by getting rid of Tristan Stubbs with a beauty that breached his defence and clipped the bail just when he was building a steady partnership with Markram.
David Bedingham, however, allayed South Africa’s worries with some positive batting, pushing for a third run a couple of times and collecting a boundary off Cummins with a lovely straight drive. And he ultimately got the team over the line with Kyle Verreynne for company after Markram was dismissed with the Proteas a hit away from victory.
Proteas finally shake off the ‘chokers’ tag
The Proteas resumed on 213-2, needing just 69 more runs for victory.
Markram, dismissed for a duck in the first innings, was 102 not out and South Africa captain Temba Bavuma unbeaten on 65 despite spending most of his innings limping with a hamstring injury.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSouth Africa have such a long history of folding under pressure that could not take anything for granted against serial winners and defending WTC title-holders Australia.
In 18 previous attempts in the one-day international and T20 World Cups, South Africa had only reached a solitary final.
🏆 CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD! 🇿🇦
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 14, 2025
A 5 wicket victory! The Proteas Men have conquered the Test arena, winning the ICC World Test Championship 2025 Final against Australia at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground 🏟️🙌
Undeniable. Unstoppable. Unrelenting. History made at the Home of… pic.twitter.com/twI21o7GmV
That was in last year’s T20 World Cup in Barbados, when they lost to India despite needing just 30 runs from their last 30 balls, with six wickets standing.
But South Africa, so often labelled “chokers” for their failure to close out knockout games, held their nerve on Saturday as a largely unheralded side succeeded where star players such as Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis had failed.
South Africa did suffer a setback early on Saturday when Bavuma, who had added just one run to his overnight score, was caught behind off Australia captain Pat Cummins to end a partnership of 147 with Markram.
Nevertheless, at 217-3, with the sunny blue skies above Lord’s creating good batting conditions on an increasingly placid pitch, South Africa were still well-placed.
Markram then cut fast bowler Cummins for a resounding four to the delight of what was effectively a ‘home’ crowd given the large number of South Africa fans who had packed into Lord’s on what was always going to be a short day’s play.
He then got the target down to 50 by pulling Cummins for another four.
Cummins then brought on Nathan Lyon in the hope that the off-spinner could find the significant turn that had helped him on Friday.
It was left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, however, who raised Australia’s hopes by bowling Tristan Stubbs for eight with a superb delivery that cut back sharply.
Australia, in one last desperate ploy after using up all three of their review, took the new ball with South Africa just needing 14 more runs to win at 268-4.
But Markram drove the first delivery with the new ball, from Josh Hazlewood, for four, and the next one for three.
🇿🇦💪 pic.twitter.com/hcIVBjsVyw
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 14, 2025
He was unable to finish the job, however, a pull off Hazlewood brilliantly caught by Travis Head at midwicket to end a 207-ball innings featuring 14 fours.
A disbelieving Markram walked slowly back to the Pavilion, with several Australia players running to shake his hand as he received a standing ovation.
It was left to Kyle Verreynne, who might have been out caught had Australia had any reviews left, to hit the winning run as South Africa completed the second-highest chase to win a Test at Lord’s, behind the West Indies’ 344-1, requiring 342, against England in 1984.
This Test was also a personal triumph for South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who finished with match figures of 9-110.
With AFP inputs
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