South Africa have ended their 27-year wait for a major title by beating defending champions Australia in the final of the ICC World Test Championship on Saturday. South Africa chased down the target of 282 with five wickets to spare on Day 4 of the contest held at the historic Lord’s.
South Africa thus became the third different team to win the championship after New Zealand and Australia. The Temba Bavuma-led side had topped the WTC standings to qualify for the final and overcame a first innings collapse to dethrone the title holders inside four days.
Aiden Markram played the starring role with the bat, hitting a memorable hundred while Kagiso Rabada was the star of the show with the ball, finishing with a match haul of nine wickets.
Makram fell on 136 with South Africa just six runs away from the win.
Resuming on their overnight score of 213/2, on another sunlit morning in London, South Africa were cautious before Pat Cummins landed a breakthrough when he had captain Bavuma caught-behind for 66. The South African walked back to a rousing reception having batted despite a hamstring injury he suffered on Friday.
First-time finalists South Africa had won the toss and opted to bowl first under overcast skies earlier this week and Rabada rocked Australia early with the scalps of Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in an over.
Beau Webster (72) and Steve Smith (66) scored fighting fifties as Australia were bowled out for 212 in 56.4 overs. Rabada finished with a five-wicket haul.
In reply, South Africans folded for 138 in 57.1 overs with Aussie skipper Pat Cummins taking a six-fer to put his team ahead, handing them a crucial 74-run lead.
