Markram the hero as S Africa win WTC final to end long wait for cricket glory
LONDON: Aiden Markram's magnificent century was the cornerstone of South Africa's five-wicket victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord's on Saturday as the Proteas ended decades of cricket heartbreak by at last winning a major global title.
South Africa, set 282 to win, finished on 282-5 before lunch on the fourth day, with opening batsman Markram falling for 136 after taking South Africa to within six runs of the title.
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.
South 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.
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.
Setback
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. 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. — AFP
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