London, June 13 (IANS) Aiden Markram stepped up when it mattered the most by hitting a magnificent 102 not out, taking South Africa within 69 runs of a historic triumph in the ICC World Test Championship after ending the third day's play at 213/2 in 56 overs in the final being played at the Lord’s here on Friday.

After Australia’s second innings ended at 207, and that put South Africa on a chase of 282, Mitchell Starc struck by taking two early wickets. But Markram was pristine in his shot selection and with conditions being the best for batting, the right-handed batter was rock solid in slamming his eighth Test century off 156 deliveries in the fag end of the day.

He also stitched an unbroken 143-run stand for the third wicket with skipper Temba Bavuma, who hit 65 not out off 121 balls, despite tweaking his left hamstring and hobbling to complete his runs before the tea break.

With Markram and Bavuma showing poise, precision, and authority in amassing runs while complementing each other, the duo have ensured that South Africa are on the cusp of a very special cricketing achievement on day four.

Australia, the defending champions, will need something extraordinary on day four if they are to become the first side to retain their World Test Championship title. In the morning, Starc, who was dropped on 14 in the final over of day two’s play, was at his resolute best to take the lead past 280, while sharing a 59-run last-wicket partnership with an equally solid Josh Hazlewood.

For South Africa, who bowled 22 extras, including 10 no-balls, Kagiso Rabada picked 4-59 while Lungi Ngidi returned with figures of 3-38. Resuming day three from 144/8, Rabada struck by trapping Nathan Lyon lbw, with the ball tracking showing the ball would hit the top of the leg stump.

Starc and Hazlewood were largely untroubled by South Africa’s pacers, as they didn’t get sideways movement. The duo getting four quick boundaries meant Australia’s lead went past 250. It was a partnership in which Starc was the aggressor while Hazlewood firmly held one end up, as the duo put on the highest tenth-wicket partnership for any team in a men's ICC championship final.

Starc then got his 11th Test fifty in the 64th over by flashing at one outside off-stump from Marco Jansen and got a streaky boundary, which also brought up Australia's 200 as well. South Africa’s frustrating time on the field ended when Hazlewood punched off the back foot to a wide one from Aiden Markram and was caught by cover, as the tenth-wicket stand was worth a whopping 59 runs coming off batting out 22.2 overs before lunch interval came.

Just like the first innings, Starc struck early by swinging one away from Ryan Rickelton, who tried to drive through cover, but he could only nick behind to Alex Carey. With Markram oozing confidence through his shots in covers and point, Wiaan Mulder was great on the cut, punch, and pull.

Though Lyon managed to nearly castle Mulder through the gate, the all-rounder firmly latched on to an overpitched delivery to pick a boundary and raise South Africa’s hopes of chasing an improbable total.

But Starc delivered another breakthrough for Australia by coming from around the wicket and forcing Mulder to hit straight to Marnus Labuschagne at cover, who grabbed a good, low catch. The pacer could have got Bavuma in the 20th over when the South African skipper was squared up and the ball flew to Steve Smith at wide first slip.

But Smith couldn’t grab the catch and was left in pain. With a whisper of possible finger dislocation, Smith headed straight off the field, with Sam Konstas coming as a substitute fielder before South Africa ended a good second session with fear around whether Bavuma would run freely.

With Smith sent to the hospital for an X-ray after suffering a compound dislocation in his right little finger, Markram raised his fifty off 69 balls in the final session and soon brought up the fifty of his partnership with Bavuma, who hobbled on to take singles which were on offer due to lack of proactive fields.

With boundaries flowing off Markram’s bat and Bavuma also chipping in with some drives, it meant there was no stopping South Africa, as the South African skipper brought up his 29th Test fifty in 83 balls. Markram continued to be pristine by punching Nathan Lyon, dabbing late off Beau Webster, and unfurled a beautiful straight drive off Hazlewood.

With the South African crowd chanting his name, Markram got his century by flicking Hazlewood through mid-wicket, and the crowd cheered for him, which included his wife Nicole and legendary batter AB de Villiers in attendance, as day three did turn out to be the moving day of the clash.

Brief scores:

Australia 212 and 207 in 65 overs (Mitchell Starc 58, Alex Carey 43; Kagiso Rabada 4-59, Lungi Ngidi 3-38) lead South Africa 138 and 213/2 in 56 overs (Aiden Markram 102 not out, Temba Bavuma 65 not out; Mitchell Starc 2-53) by 69 runs

--IANS

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