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South Africa's Aiden Markram holds the winner's trophy and celebrates with teammates on the podium after their win in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
South Africa opener Aiden Markram played a key role in South Africa’s World Test Championship final victory over Australia with a gritty century. Asked after the match, if he had scored more important runs for his team, the batter said ‘not at all’.
“Weird how things work out if you see the first innings. Ultimately you get luck and it worked out. Lord’s is a place where every Test cricketer wants to play. Plenty of South African fans were there and it was one of those special days. It’s not always one-sided, you absorb the pressure and it was about maximising the scoring options,” Markram, who was adjudged Player of the Match, said.
The player also lauded captain Temba Bavuma who stayed with him in the middle on Day 3 despite having a hamstring issue. The partnership the two veterans shared took the match away from Australia with the Proteas coming into Day 4 with just 69 runs to win.
“Lot of it came from him (Bavuma), he has always led from the front, found way a to score runs and those sort of knocks are something people will remember you for,” Markram said.
The desperate Australians used up all of their three reviews in vain within the first 90 minutes but fought to the end. They took the new ball but were still blunted by a flat pitch. Markram was the colossus Australia could not topple until it was too late.
The opener resumed the day on 102 and was out for 136 when only six more runs were needed. He spent six hours, 23 minutes in the middle. About 15 minutes later, Kyle Verreynne broke the tension by hitting the winning run, a drive into the covers.
Markram and Bavuma set up the victory with an unbeaten and chanceless partnership of 143 runs the day before. They could not finish what they started, adding only four runs together before Bavuma edged Pat Cummins behind for 66, one more than he had overnight.
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Tristan Stubbs was castled on 8 by Mitchell Starc with 41 runs needed and South Africa was too close to the finish to be denied. But Markram couldn’t have the pleasure himself. With six runs needed to win, he was caught at midwicket by Travis Head off Josh Hazlewood.
(With agency inputs)
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