An Aiden Markram century has taken South Africa within 69 runs of a first major ICC trophy at stumps on day three of the World Test Championship final.
Markram and captain Temba Bavuma — who battled on after tweaking his hamstring before tea — batted out a wicketless final session to take their side to 2-213 at the close of play.
Earlier, Mitchell Starc scored his first Test half-century since 2019 as he and number 11 Josh Hazlewood combined to guide Australia to a second-innings score of 208 and set South Africa a target of 282 for victory.
Starc then removed opener Ryan Rickelton in his second over and Wiaan Mulder in the first over of his second spell, before Bavuma and Markram united in the middle.
On a Lord’s pitch unrecognisable from the one on which 28 wickets fell over days one and two, Bavuma and Markram picked off runs with ease with Markram reaching three figures in the penultimate over of the day.
The pair have put on an unbeaten 143 for the third wicket, which more than doubled the game’s next best partnership.
“We understand the magnitude of the task,” Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori said, refusing to give up on the seeming “mission impossible”.
“But it is a task that the group has probably done at times throughout the last three, four, some of them, five, six, even longer years.
“There’s an appreciation of how well Bavuma and Markram have batted to put all that pressure back on us.
“To get one of them (before stumps) may have given us that optimism.
“It’s going to be a real challenge on Saturday.”
Star Proteas quick Kagiso Rabada (4-59) finished with match figures of 9-110 after he destroyed Australia with 5-51 in the first innings to put his name on the Lord’s honour board for a second time.
“It would have been nice to get a 10-for, but I’d rather a win than a 10-for,” Rabada said at lunch.
It appears as if he’ll get his wish.
with AAP
Look back at all the action from day three in our live blog below and check out all the stats in our ScoreCentre.
Key Events
Stumps: South Africa in striking distance at 2/213
A massive, game defining partnership between Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram has taken South Africa within 69 runs of victory.
Markram was absolutely unbelievable today.
He came out firing, steadied up and then stood firm as Australia threw everything at him.
Mitchell Starc’s morning half-century feels a long, long way away.
The defending champions will need something extraordinary tomorrow if they are to become the first side to win two World Test Championships.
We’ll see you then.
Until then, go well!
56th over: We have time for one more!
Apologies…I might have jumped the gun in my last post.
Lyon is bowling what will definitely be the last of the day.
Bavuma is driving through the off-side for a couple.
Then sneaking a quick single off a defensive push into the off-side.
Markram is defending the day’s penultimate ball.
As he is it’s last.
100 for Aiden Markram!
After four perfect balls, Hazlewood strays straight and Markram pounces.
He’s leaning over and flicking one expertly through mid-wicket.
It races to the boundary and that’s one of the most monumental tons he is every likely to score.
He’s been almost chanceless in his 152-ball innings and will surely prove to be the match-winner for South Africa.
55th over: Markram faces up on 98
Seven minutes left in the day’s play.
Two runs for Aiden Markram to make.
Six balls for Josh Hazlewood to bowl.
Unsurprisingly, Hazlewood is taking an age to bowl the first delivery of the over.
When it finally comes, it’s another one that rears up at Markram.
He’s flinching backwards and fending into the off-side. No run.
A typical Hazlewood ball just back of a length outside off stump is defended. No run again.
Markram thinks about stepping forward to drive but thinks better of it and flat bats it to mid-off.
He takes more of a determined stride forward this time and plays one into the off-side.
Four!
54th over: Australia doing its best to get a new ball
Well, not a new ball…but a replacement ball.
The umpires have those two little ball-evaluation circles out and it is decided the Australians are owed a fresh hunk of leather.
“Not exactly what you want when you’re on 98,” says Nasser Hussein on commentary.
Nathan Lyon gets the first use of the replaced ball.
And it’s behaving pretty similarly to its predecessor.
Bavuma is watchful and defending for the first half of the over.
The Aussies are really dragging things out here. Lyon is taking an age between balls.
Bavuma gets two runs to finish the over via a flat batted swat through the covers.
53rd over: Hazlewood to charge in once more
He bangs in a short one that Bavuma stands up to. He swivels, gets good contact and pulls it out to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Markram is on strike on 97.
Another short one is pulled to the man in the deep and Markram gets a single of his own.
Bavuma is leaving outside off and then pulling another single to end the over.
52nd over: Lyon replaces head
Australia’s GOAT is back in the attack.
His side needs something here.
Massive turn! It pitches outside off stump, spins past everything, past Carey and South Africa pick up a couple byes.
Bavuma rotates the strike.
Massive spin again to end the over – the ball thuds into Markram and it’s a dot.
51st over: Hazlewood to continue
The ball does something!
One rears up off a good length and catches the corner of Markram’s bat. It goes nowhere – but that’s the first sign of life we’ve seen for a while at Lord’s.
On commentary, Ian Smith is suggesting South Africa could get an opportunity to get things over with tonight.
If they get the target down below 50 before the scheduled close of play at 3am, the umpires might give them an extra half hour to finish things!
Shot! Markram drives beautifully back past Hazlewood and it races for four.
Markram moves to within three of a monumental century.
50th: Head gets a second
Head is a good bowler and offer’s something very different to Nathan Lyon.
He gets perhaps a touch more turn and puts a bit more flight into his deliveries.
But Bavuma picks him off.
Four! The SA captain is down sweeping and he absolutely creams one along the carpet.
He pushes a single past mid-on to end the over.
49th over: Hazlewood re-enters the attack
Everything is moving in slow motion out there.
Hazlewood sends one down that keeps low and Markram keeps it out.
Markram works a single and Bavuma is defending to close out the over.
Only 93 runs needed now for South Africa.
48th over: Head is into the action
Well, South Africa’s part timer, Aiden Markram, in the first innings…
His first ball is a bit exciting – it’s full and spinning into the now batting Markram who just about keeps it out.
Bavuma is down and paddling one along the ground for a couple.
Three from Head’s first over.
47th over: Webster in search of inspiration
Absolutely nothing is happening out there for Australia.
The big Tasmanian is charging in admirably but the Markram is looking completely unbothered as he is pushing into the off-side.
Markram shovels one behind square on the last ball of the over and he is into the 90s with a single.
46th over: Lyon continues to search
Bavuma is defending as Lyon is getting the ball above his eye-line.
Lyon comes around the wicket for the final few balls of the over.
Bavuma is defending again and it’s a maiden.
South Africa is 99 runs from victory
That Markram boundary brought the runs required into the double digits.
With eight wickets left, you wouldn’t be betting against the Proteas.
45th over: Where is a wicket coming from?
I’m really not sure.
It’s approaching last chance saloon stuff here for Australia.
Webster fires a quicker, fuller one that Bavuma leaves alone and Carey gathers.
An expansive drive from Bavuma is saved by Labuschagne in the in-field.
Bavuma then gets to the other end with a drop and runner into the off-side.
Deft stuff! Markram just opens the blade and runs it down to third man for a boundary.
Fifty for Temba Bavuma!
He runs it down backward of point and hobbles through for a single.
What a knock from the wounded skipper.
44th over: Lyon to continue
Lyon bowls two dots to Markram after that Bavuma milestone.
And then, Markram just rocks back and guides one to the point boundary. South Africa moves four runs closer.
43rd: Webster goes again
Carey is still up to the stumps for Webster’s 125km/h seamers.
Bavuma is forward and defending a straight one.
Then he’s back and pushing into short extra cover for no run.
He rotates the strike, giving Markram the opportunity to drive one out into point, where it’s collected.
Just that single off the over.
42nd over: Lyon to bowl another six
Chance! Bavuma is down and slog sweeping. He gets a good chunk of it and it flies out to Sam Konstas – on as a sub – on the boundary. Konstas is diving towards the ball but he can’t quite reach it. It bounces through him and South Africa is four runs closer.
Bavuma rotates the strike and Markram is down and smothering and defending.
41st over: Big Beau is trundling in for the first time this innings
Webster is into the attack and Carey is up to the stumps straight away.
Bavuma picks up a single to the sweeper on the off-side.
A short, wide one from Webster is chipped behind point for a couple.
It’s a no ball as well.
Not massively inspiring stuff so far from big Beau.
He straightens up and Markram is behind it.
The last ball of the over keeps low and it’s through to Carey for a dot.
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