South Africa won the ICC Cricket World Test Championship title Saturday after 27 years by defeating Australia in the final contest at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
The Proteas owed their five-wicket victor over mighty Australians from the land of Kangaroos to Aiden Markram’s brilliant 136 runs in chase of 282 runs.
It’s after almost three decades that South Africa broke the shackles to win a major ICC title.
They are often labeled as chokers for their several defeats in the final stages of major tournaments.
Lord’s Cricket Ground in London became their place to shine as they worked their way to defeating champions Australia and crowned themselves as the victors of the World Test Championship.
The only other country apart for Aussies is New Zealand that has won the coveted title.
South Africa started the innings at 213 for 2 in the first session of the fourth day of the WTC final at Lord’s on Saturday when captain Temba Bavuma was caught by the keeper by Pat Cummins with a one-run increase.
This was the breakthrough that Australia needed and this was the fear that the Proteas were afraid of once again being chokers.
But Aiden Markram had different plans.
New batter Stobbs could make 8. Just when South Africa were 6 runs away, Man of the Match Aiden Markram got out when he was caught out by Travis Head after scoring 136 runs off 207 balls.
Mitchell Starc took 3 wickets for Australia, giving away 65 runs.
South Africans needed 69 more runs to win at the start of the final day of the Test. Despite losing two partners at the other end, Markram picked up where he left off overnight, playing cautiously and without taking any unnecessary risks.
Australian captain Pat Cummins gave his team early hopes by dismissing his counterpart Temba Bavuma after adding just one more to the score of 65.
Bavuma, though, walked off to thunderous applause from the Lord’s crowd.
Then came the winning third-wicket partnership that dashed Australia’s hopes on the third day breaking at 147.
Markram completed South Africa’s 250 in the next over. Australia opted for the second new ball as soon as it was available, and brought Josh Hazlewood back into the attack, who Markram greeted with a boundary.
However, the South African opener fell off the last delivery of the over when Travis Head caught him brilliantly at mid-wicket. Australia congratulated Markram instead of the usual celebration on the wicket, and the South African players stood up in unison at Lord’s to await his match-winning innings.
Short scores: Australia 212 (Beau Webster 72, Steven Smith 66 Kagiso Rabada 5-51, Marco Johnson 3-49) and 206 (Mitchell Starc 58*, Alex Carey 43; Kagiso Rabada 4-59,
South Africa 138.Pat Cummins 6-28, Mitchell Starc 2-41) and 282/5 (Aiden Markram 136, Temba Bawma 66; Mitchell Starc 3-66) South Africa won by 5 wickets.
