Good afternoon and welcome to the live coverage of WTC final clash between South Africa and Australia, at Lord's.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live coverage of WTC final clash between South Africa and Australia, at Lord's.
With bowlers dominating proceedings at Lord's, this Test match could be over within three days. However, Alex Carey and Temba Bavuma did show some fight and resistance. Proteas batters need to showing courage if they are chase down, in what could be the highest fourth-innings score at Lord's.
As per AccuWeather, rain could intervene day 3 action between Australia and South Africa at Lord's. There is a 60 percent chance of precipitation, with showers expected on Friday.
SA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
AUS: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
1st Session: 3:00 p.m. 바카라“ 5:00 p.m.
Lunch Break: 5:00 p.m. 바카라“ 5:40 p.m.
2nd Session: 5:40 p.m. 바카라“ 7:40 p.m.
Tea Break: 7:40 p.m. 바카라“ 8:00 p.m.
3rd Session: 8:00 p.m. 바카라“ 10:00 p.m.
Note: An extra 30 minutes may be added to ensure all overs are completed.
After yesterday's horrific plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat that claimed 242 lives, everyone at the stadium will be involved in a minute's silence to pay homage to the victims who lost their lives in the Air-India crash.
Nathon Lyon faces the first ball off Kagiso Rabada and immediately nicks in a single to get the first run on the board. Stuart Broad, who knows fair bit of this track, says in his pitch report that day 3 track could suit the batters and will be flat for the rest of the day.
Kagiso Rabada strikes in the first half-an hour of play as he traps Nathan Lyon plumb LBW and the umpire makes no mistake to give the Aussie batter out. Lyon does not take the review and walks back.
Important runs for Australia as the last wicket of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood holding a bit for the team. A flurry of boundaries in the Marco Jansen through outside edge and Australia lead soars to 243.
The first hour of Day 3 has belonged to Australia, as their lead swells beyond 250, piling pressure on the South Africans. Kagiso Rabada struck early to raise hopes of a swift end to the innings, but those hopes have faded fast with the stubborn resistance from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. The pair has added 31 valuable runs for the final wicket, frustrating the Proteas, who have looked increasingly ragged in the field. Starc, in particular, has shown composure and intent, inching closer to a hard-earned half-century as Australia strengthens its grip on the match.
Can a change of ball spark a change in fortune for South Africa? England certainly found inspiration from one at The Oval two years ago, turning the tide in a gripping Ashes Test. South Africa will be hoping for a similar twist, but the task in front of them is becoming increasingly formidable. Not only must they chase the highest score of the match, but they must also surpass their highest Test total against Australia since the infamous 2018 "Sandpaper" series. Their last eight Test innings against the Aussies have been a tale of batting collapses and unfulfilled promise 바카라” a sequence that underscores the scale of the challenge ahead. With pressure mounting and history weighing heavily, South Africa will need something extraordinary to rewrite the narrative.
A historic moment as Mitchell Starc brings up a well-deserved fifty 바카라” his 11th in Test cricket 바카라” in a typically audacious manner. Marco Jansen digs it in short and wide outside off, and Starc throws his hands at it with freedom. The thick outside edge flies over Markram바카라™s outstretched hands at first slip, racing away to the boundary with no one in the deep to cut it off. It's a landmark moment not just for Starc but for Australia, as they also cross the 200-run mark. Starc바카라™s knock has been a masterclass in lower-order resilience, full of smart shot selection and composure under pressure. His fifty, coupled with Hazlewood바카라™s support, also brings up a gritty 50-run stand for the final wicket 바카라” a partnership that바카라™s not only frustrated South Africa but also shifted momentum firmly in Australia바카라™s favour.
Australia were finally bowled out for 207 just before lunch on Day 3, setting South Africa a challenging target of 282 in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The Aussies added a crucial 134 runs for their last three wickets, thanks to a stubborn and spirited lower-order effort led by Mitchell Starc.
Resuming the day on 170/8, with Starc and Nathan Lyon at the crease, Australia faced a fired-up Proteas attack. Kagiso Rabada made an early breakthrough by trapping Lyon LBW for 2, but that only brought Josh Hazlewood to the middle 바카라” and with him, a frustrating period for South Africa.
Starc and Hazlewood defied expectations with a gritty 59-run partnership for the 10th wicket. Starc showed great patience and resolve, while punishing anything loose. Hazlewood, though less fluent, offered solid support. The pair took Australia's lead past 250, with Starc bringing up his 11th Test fifty off 132 balls, marking one of his most mature innings under pressure.
South Africa were left scratching their heads as the partnership dragged on. With frontline bowlers struggling to find the breakthrough, part-timer Aiden Markram finally stepped up, getting Hazlewood caught for 17 to end the stand. Starc remained unbeaten on 58, guiding Australia to a strong second innings total of 207.
Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the bowlers again, finishing with 4/59 in the innings and an impressive match haul of 9 wickets. Lungi Ngidi supported well with 3/38, while Jansen, Mulder, and Markram chipped in with one wicket each.
South Africa face a monumental challenge as they set out to chase 282 to win the World Test Championship Final at Lord바카라™s. To put the task in perspective, this target would equal the second-highest successful run chase ever recorded at the historic venue in Test cricket. Only once has a team chased more 바카라” the legendary West Indies side that scored 344/1 against England in 1984. The current benchmark for the second-highest stands at 282/3, achieved by England against New Zealand in 2004. Adding to the pressure, successful chases of such magnitude are rare even in ICC tournaments 바카라” with only three instances surpassing 250, the highest being India바카라™s 275 against Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final. For South Africa, the path to lifting the WTC mace will require not just resilience, but a place in history.
Welcome back for the final innings of this gripping Test! South Africa need 282 to win the World Test Championship Final. The openers, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, stride out with purpose, knowing they carry the hopes of a nation. Mitchell Starc, fresh off a brilliant fifty and brimming with confidence, has the new ball in hand for Australia. The stage is set for a dramatic finish at Lord바카라™s.
What a start for Australia! Mitchell Starc strikes early with a beauty. Bowling full at 138 kph and swinging it away from the left-hander, he tempts Ryan Rickelton into a loose poke without any footwork. A sharp take by Alex Carey low to his left prompts a confident appeal, and after a brief discussion, the umpires send it upstairs. UltraEdge shows a clear spike as the ball passes the outside edge, and the replays confirm a clean catch. The decision flashes OUT on the big screen 바카라” Australia have their breakthrough in the first over!
This is some great counter-attack stroke play from Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder to tire the Aussies pacer and play out the first hour of chase. They have already added 32 off 34 deliveries including six boundaries. Markram had looked good with his front foot drive and Mulder on the backfoot, both the batters are neutralising Aussies scheme of bowling with a great anticipating mechanism of batting.
Drinks have been taken in the afternoon session, and what a riveting passage of play it has been in this grand finale to the World Test Championship cycle. Australia struck early as Mitchell Starc removed Ryan Rickelton in just the third over, but since then, Wiaan Mulder (23*) and Aiden Markram (21*) have steadied the ship for South Africa. The duo has put on an unbeaten 42-run stand for the second wicket, looking composed and largely untroubled by the Australian attack. The chase remains delicately poised, with South Africa showing determination in pursuit of the 282-run target.
Mitchell Starc, after an expensive initial spell despite the early dismissal of Rickelton, returned with purpose from the Pavilion End and immediately struck gold. Wiaan Mulder, who had looked composed, was tempted into a hard-handed drive to a full delivery that perhaps came a touch slower than expected바카라”Starc might바카라™ve dragged his fingers down the side of the ball. The trap was perfectly set, and Mulder walked straight into it, picking out Marnus Labuschagne at short cover with surgical precision. A shrewd setup and timely breakthrough from Starc, once again turning the tide for Australia.
A painful blow has rocked Australia during South Africa바카라™s tense chase, as Steven Smith copped a brutal hit while fielding under the lid at slip. Positioned unusually close due to the sluggish Lord바카라™s pitch and the low carry, Smith was struck flush on the hand by a stinging hard-handed shot from Temba Bavuma. The ball flew off the edge and gave Smith no time to react, forcing him to leave the field grimacing and clutching his wrist in visible agony. The incident has raised concerns over a possible break or dislocation, casting serious doubt over his availability for the upcoming Caribbean tour. As he trudged through the Long Room for immediate treatment, the mood in the Australian camp was noticeably tense.
That바카라™s tea on Day 3, and South Africa find themselves in a tantalisingly poised position at 94 for 2, needing 188 more runs to claim their maiden World Test Championship title. Aiden Markram has been the rock in the chase, calmly approaching his half-century with a fluent, composed 49* off 66 deliveries.
However, concern looms over skipper Temba Bavuma, who appeared to tweak his hamstring just minutes before the break. Battling through visible discomfort, he limped to 11* but looked in real trouble while running singles.
Cricket South Africa has confirmed he will be assessed during the interval, and a potential retired hurt could complicate matters for the Proteas just as they seemed to be gaining momentum in this high-pressure chase at Lord바카라™s.
Aiden Markram has looked in sublime touch in this innings, particularly strong through the off-side with his trademark drives flowing smoothly바카라”a clear indication of his rhythm and confidence at the crease. After a decent home summer, where he notched up two fifties in four Tests, there had been growing pressure on him to convert starts into match-defining knocks.
Today, he's begun to answer that call, forcing Australia to adjust their field and open up gaps, showcasing a level of authority that South Africa will desperately need in this chase.
With Temba Bavuma once again battling hamstring issues바카라”having missed the Boxing Day Test in 2023 with a left hamstring niggle and nearly sitting out the ODI World Cup semi-final due to a right hamstring injury바카라”Markram's presence becomes even more critical. If South Africa are to mount a successful chase of 282 and claim the WTC mace, Markram may well have to anchor the innings deep into the final session.
Aiden Markram has reached a priceless half-century, holding the innings together as South Africa continue their chase in the WTC Final with growing confidence. With the hundred up and the target steadily narrowing, the pressure is subtly shifting. Despite a confirmed left hamstring strain, Temba Bavuma is bravely soldiering on, carefully hobbling through singles and frustrating the Australian attack with his sheer resilience. The Australian bowlers, led by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood post-tea, have yet to make further inroads, but the game is edging towards a phase where unconventional tactics might be necessary. A spell of stump-to-stump seam from Beau Webster, perhaps with a close-catching ring and Alex Carey standing up, or the spin of Nathan Lyon, could be worth exploring as Australia begin to feel the heat of a growing partnership and an increasingly confident Proteas camp.
"Smith currently being assessed in the dressing room. Likely to go for scans," read a statement from Cricket Australia, confirming growing concerns after the veteran cricketer sustained a finger injury on Day 3 of the ICC World Test Championship Final.
"He was assessed by Australian team medical staff at the ground and taken to hospital for x-rays and further treatment," added CA.
The incident occurred when Steve Smith, positioned under the helmet at slip, attempted a sharp catch offered by Temba Bavuma off Mitchell Starc바카라™s bowling. The ball struck his hand awkwardly and spilled out, not only giving the South African captain a crucial reprieve but also leaving Smith in visible pain.
The 36-year-old was immediately taken off the field for medical attention and did not return for the start of the final session. Australia will now be anxiously awaiting scan results, with Smith's availability for the remainder of the Test 바카라” and possibly the upcoming Caribbean tour 바카라” hanging in the balance.
Temba Bavuma continues to battle through the pain, his hamstring clearly limiting his mobility, turning what would normally be swift threes into laboured twos. Australia have picked up on his physical discomfort, frequently aiming their throws at his end in an effort to test his endurance.
Yet, alongside a resolute Aiden Markram, Bavuma is navigating the chase with grit, even stroking a crisp drive past Pat Cummins to ease the pressure and reduce the target below 150. With 29 overs left in the day, a dramatic finish remains possible, but a return on day four feels inevitable바카라”though it may not last long.
Australia still have a foothold, but there's a subdued energy about them, their fields more defensive and their body language subdued as Mitchell Starc comes back from the Nursery End. His first ball draws a thick edge but races away to the boundary. South Africa are indeed halfway there. The contrast is stark: Australia's innings featured just two maidens compared to 17 in their stodgy first effort바카라”another small detail that hints at the shift in control.
Drinks in the evening session, and South Africa are firmly in the driver바카라™s seat. Temba Bavuma, battling through injury, stands tall on 41*, while Aiden Markram is anchoring the chase superbly with 76*. Their unbroken 90-run stand for the third wicket has brought the target down to just 122, inching the Proteas closer to a historic World Test Championship triumph.
Fifty up for Temba Bavuma바카라”an innings carved out of pure grit and resolve. Tossed up outside off at 92 kmph, he tapped it gently behind square and hobbled through for the run, raising his bat to a Lord바카라™s crowd that knew they바카라™d witnessed something special. On one leg for much of the innings, Bavuma has stood tall in every sense, leading from the front when it matters most. His doggedness, combined with Markram바카라™s fluid strokeplay, has not only propelled South Africa past the highest partnership of the match바카라”surpassing Smith and Webster바카라™s 79바카라”but has also ignited hopes of a finish tonight. With the sun refusing to dip and Australia visibly drained, the Proteas are charging towards history at full tilt.
Fifty up for Temba Bavuma in 83 deliveries바카라”an innings carved out of pure grit and resolve. Tossed up outside off at 92 kmph, he tapped it gently behind square and hobbled through for the run, raising his bat to a Lord바카라™s crowd that knew they바카라™d witnessed something special. On one leg for much of the innings, Bavuma has stood tall in every sense, leading from the front when it matters most. His doggedness, combined with Markram바카라™s fluid strokeplay, has not only propelled South Africa past the highest partnership of the match바카라”surpassing Smith and Webster바카라™s 79바카라”but has also ignited hopes of a finish tonight. With the sun refusing to dip and Australia visibly drained, the Proteas are charging towards history at full tilt.
It바카라™s a moment that will live long in South African cricket folklore바카라”a juicy half-volley on the pads, and Aiden Markram dispatches it through deep midwicket with authority, raising his arms, ripping off the helmet, and throwing his head back in a mixture of disbelief, relief, and raw emotion. Tears brim as he soaks in the applause from a crowd that knows it's witnessing something special. His 11th Test century, crafted from 156 balls with eight boundaries, is not just another milestone바카라”it바카라™s a masterpiece forged under pressure, his third in the fourth innings, and perhaps the most defining of his career. One over remains in the day, but Markram has already etched his name in South African cricket history.
South Africa are on the brink of achieving their greatest moment in Test cricket history as they closed day three of the World Test Championship Final at Lord바카라™s just 69 runs away from a famous victory. Anchored by a heroic, unbeaten century from Aiden Markram and a gritty, pain-defying innings from captain Temba Bavuma, the Proteas finished the day on 213 for 2 in pursuit of a challenging target of 282 set by Australia.
Markram, who brought up his eighth Test hundred 바카라” and third in the fourth innings 바카라” off 156 balls, stood tall under pressure, finding fluency from the outset. He struck 11 boundaries and showcased tremendous composure, especially in the evening session, during which South Africa dominated an increasingly ragged Australian attack.
Bavuma, meanwhile, despite battling a left hamstring injury that visibly affected his running between the wickets, held firm to compile a gutsy 65 not out. Together, the pair added an unbroken 143-run partnership for the third wicket 바카라” the highest stand of the match 바카라” to power South Africa into a commanding position.
The day began with Australia resuming on 144/8 and managing to extend their second-innings total to 207, thanks largely to Mitchell Starc바카라™s unbeaten 58 and a stubborn 59-run last-wicket partnership with Josh Hazlewood. The tail바카라™s resistance gave Australia a glimmer of hope, especially on a pitch that had shown some uneven bounce earlier in the match. However, the sun-bathed surface proved far more accommodating for batting as the day progressed.
South Africa바카라™s chase began with intent, a marked contrast to their tentative approach in the first innings. Ryan Rickelton was the first to fall, edging Starc to the keeper in the sixth over. Wiaan Mulder followed after a brisk 17, chipping one to cover, but from 70/2, Markram and Bavuma steadied the ship and never looked back.
A pivotal moment arrived when Bavuma, on just 2, edged Starc to first slip, only for Steven Smith to spill a difficult chance 바카라” a drop that not only gave the South Africa skipper a lifeline but also resulted in a suspected compound dislocation of Smith바카라™s finger, forcing him off the field and potentially out of the remainder of the contest.
With the Australian attack blunted and visibly weary, South Africa scored freely in the final session, milking the gaps and punishing anything loose. Australia failed to claim a single wicket after tea, and their frustration was palpable as the Proteas surged forward.
As things stand, the momentum is firmly with South Africa. With 69 runs needed and eight wickets in hand, the finish line is well within sight. If they hold their nerve on day four, the Proteas will secure their maiden ICC title since the 1998 Champions Trophy.
That's all from the Day of the ICC WTC Final 2025 between Australia and South Africa at the Lord's. South Africa closed in on a historic World Test Championship title at Lord바카라™s, ending day three on 213/2 and needing just 69 more runs to beat Australia. Aiden Markram led the charge with a brilliant unbeaten 102, his third fourth-innings Test century, while captain Temba Bavuma, battling a hamstring injury, contributed a gritty 65*.