As South Africa got closer to winning the World Test Championship title on Friday, former captain Graeme Smith praised his team’s batting against Australia at Lord’s. After two days of bowlers from both teams having a tough battle, taking a total of 28 wickets, it was the South African bowlers who managed to wrap up Australia’s innings during what was possibly the best batting time of the match. This put the Proteas in a great position to finally break their 27-year wait for an ICC trophy.
With just 69 runs left to win, South Africa will continue their innings on Day 4 with Aiden Markram (102 not out) and Temba Bavuma (65 not out) leading the charge, having already combined for 143 runs in their third-wicket partnership. Talking on ICC’s Digital Daily with Crystal Arnold after Day 3, Smith praised the Proteas’ effort, especially Bavuma’s leadership.
Smith noted how the match has seen plenty of ups and downs. “South Africa managed to bounce back after being 75 runs behind in the first innings, and their bowling got them back in the game. It’s been a great batting display. Considering how the pitch played earlier, it was expected that the Australian pace attack would do well,” he said.
He added, “Today, the pitch seemed to have lost its edge. South Africa had to work hard for those two wickets. But Aiden Markram put in an amazing innings, especially with his partnership with Bavuma. The skipper came in and you just wanted them to keep that partnership going, and that’s exactly what they did. Now, they’re just 69 runs away from the World Test Championship.”
The duo appeared calm even in the pressure cooker of a World Test Championship Final, with Markram’s century making headlines on Day 3. Smith believes Markram will be crucial for the chase, thanks to his natural ability to score runs quickly. “I had a feeling at the start of this innings that he would be key for South Africa. He knows how to keep the runs coming, and he showed that today. It’s impressive to see him perform like this, especially after a duck in the first innings. He came out under pressure and played incredibly well,” he said.
“Right from the start, he looked good at the crease. He had some great shots, and you could tell he was really on it today. Both him and Temba will probably feel exhausted tonight, but they should celebrate their great partnership and Markram’s fantastic hundred,” he concluded.
