South Africa moved closer to a long-awaited World Test Championship title. Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma led the charge with a strong partnership. Remarkably, Bavuma battled a painful hamstring injury. Their stand has brought South Africa to the brink of a historic win.

Markram and Bavuma Steady the Chase

To begin with, Markram and Bavuma added 143 runs for the second wicket. They batted for 38 overs with remarkable control. Markram reached his eighth Test century, scoring it in 156 balls. Meanwhile, Bavuma stayed strong despite visible pain. Together, they resisted Australia’s bowling on a day when batting conditions improved.

Earlier, the pitch had shown signs of easing up. Australia’s tail-enders, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, had added 59 runs for the last wicket. That partnership hinted that batting would become easier under the sun.

Early Wickets But Fast Start

At first, Australia had the upper hand. They set a challenging target of 282 runs. Soon after, Starc dismissed Ryan Rickelton with a full ball. The third umpire confirmed the edge. However, South Africa responded positively. Unlike their first innings, where they crawled to 30 runs in 20 overs, this time they reached 47 for 1 in just 10 overs.

Starc struck again to remove Wiaan Mulder, who was caught at cover. Then, came a turning point. Bavuma, on just 2, edged a ball to Steve Smith at slip. Smith stood close due to the dying bounce and wore a helmet. Unfortunately, he dropped the catch. Worse, the ball injured his finger, forcing him to leave the field. That moment clearly affected Australia’s energy.

Bavuma Battles On Through Injury

Shortly before tea, Bavuma suffered a hamstring injury. Yet, he chose to continue. He limped between the wickets and still played crisp strokes. Clearly, he wasn’t giving up. Australia, however, missed the chance to apply pressure on him. On 43, he top-edged Nathan Lyon toward deep square leg. Substitute Sam Konstas gave chase but couldn’t reach it despite a full-length dive.

Markram Shines with Precision

Meanwhile, Markram played with confidence and style. He kept the scoreboard ticking. In fact, Australia managed only three maiden overs in a span of 56. Markram struck several classy boundaries. One standout shot was a back-cut off Starc that split deep third and deep point. That left Starc visibly frustrated. Then, he moved to 97 with a straight drive off Hazlewood. Finally, he reached his century with a flick through the leg side.

As the day wore on, Cummins tried every option. Lyon got some turn from the rough. Travis Head’s first delivery also spun sharply. Nevertheless, nothing broke the rhythm of the South African batters.

South Africa’s Fightback Started with the Ball

Earlier, South Africa’s bowlers had kept them in the game. After conceding a 74-run lead, they bounced back. Although Alex Carey stretched Australia’s lead beyond 200, Kagiso Rabada struck early. He trapped Lyon lbw in the third over. That gave him his ninth wicket in the match.

Even so, the innings didn’t end quickly. Starc and Hazlewood resisted again. Notably, this wasn’t their first time frustrating bowlers. Last year, they had survived 18 overs against India. Hazlewood had also shared a 116-run stand with Cameron Green earlier in 2024.

Though their batting was mostly cautious, they didn’t look troubled. Starc shielded Hazlewood from Rabada and Jansen. Still, Hazlewood played one of the best shots of the stand, ramping Jansen over the slips.

Starc, known for his batting talent, finally delivered. He scored a fifty from 131 balls — his first since 2019. This was also the second-longest innings of his Test career.

Markram Ends the Resistance

Eventually, South Africa broke the stand. Markram, used as the sixth bowler, dismissed Hazlewood with a catch to cover. At that point, Australia ended at 281. The final question now remained: Could South Africa chase 282?

Brief Scorecard