- LONDON — South
Africa won the World Test Championship against titleholder Australia by five
wickets after knocking off the last 69 runs required on the fourth morning of
the final on Saturday.
- The Proteas achieved their first major cricket title in 27
years, sparking celebrations at Lord's.
- They moved from a portentous 213-2 overnight to 282-5, the
second-highest successful run chase in the 141-year test history at the home of
cricket.
- Australia didn't give up the WTC mace easily, relentlessly
attacking the stumps and pressuring a South Africa side with an infamous
history of blowing winning positions on big ICC stages.
Also read: South Africa need 69 more runs to win WTC final against Australia
- But South Africa was staunch and composed — only three
boundaries in more than two hours — and lost only three wickets on Saturday in
an air of inevitability.
- 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.
- Aiden 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 captain Temba 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.
