South African captain Temba Bavuma with the World Cup Mace
Photo: ICC

The Proteas are the choke kings of World Cricket no more. A sensational century by Aiden Markram and a brave 66 by hobbling skipper Temba Bavumba secured South Africa’s cricketers the most prestigious trophy in World Cricket.

Chasing 282 to win on just the third day, they had reached 213-2 by the close of play, leaving the African side requiring a further 69 runs on Day 4.

Australia did not give up without a fight, claiming the scalps of Temba Bavuma (66) and Tristan Stubbs (8) before Markram was caught at mid-wicket with just six runs required having taken his side within touching distance.

His heroic 136 in a low scoring game had sealed his place in cricketing history, and given his side a five-wicket victory to lift this trophy for the first time.

This also ended a trophy drought stretching back to the 1998 Champions Trophy.

It was left to David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne to complete the job and spark joyous scenes from a sizable South African contingent inside Lord’s, wicket keeper Verreynne hitting the winning runs to seal an unforgettable triumph.

South Africa had resumed on 213 for two, needing 69 more runs to seal the deal, and would have been pleased to see the early morning cloud give way to sunshine when they took to the field. The cloud cover enables the ball to swing more and makes life harder for batsmen, who always prefer a sunny day.

However the ever resilient Australians claimed the early breakthrough they required in the third over of the morning, Pat Cummins finding captain Bavuma’s edge having added just a single to his overnight score of 65.

The incoming Stubbs survived an Australian review for lbw when the ball was shown to be missing leg stump, with Markram dispatching the next ball to the mid-wicket boundary to reduce the runs required to 50.

But Stubbs did not last long enough to see the victory achieved. Mitchell Starc delivered a beauty which dismissed him and left South Africa 241 for four, and still requiring 41.

The same bowler soon struck Bedingham on the pads and Australia again went upstairs. Replays showed the impact was outside the line of off-stump, however, and the 2023 champions found themselves out of their three reviews allowed against any onfield umpiring decision.

Markram and Bedingham played sensibly to inch South Africa towards their place in the history books. With singles rotating the strike effectively, the Aussie bowlers were unable to break their concentration quickly enough to reach the South African tail end.

Bedingham then drove Pat Cummins gloriously down the ground to move the target within 20.

Australia took the new ball with just 14 required and still requiring six wickets but Markram greeted it dismissively, whipping Hazlewood through the leg-side for four from the first delivery of the 81^st over.

Sadly, the South African hero was unable to see the job through to the end, clipping a Josh Hazlewood delivery to Travis Head.

Verreynne joined Bedingham and the wicketkeeper struck the final blow in the 84^th over, driving Starc through the off-side to begin the celebrations and ensure these 11 names; Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrenne, Marco Jansen. Keshav Maharja, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, will be etched into South African cricketing folklore for generations to come.

South Africa willnext face neighbours Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on June 28 and the Aussies have less than two weeks to pick themselves up off the floor before their first test in Barbados against the West Indies.

Scores in brief

Australia: 212 all out in 56.4 overs (Beau Webster 72, Steve Smith 66; Kagiso Rabada 5/51, Marco Jansen 3/49)

South Africa: 138 all out in 57.1 overs (David Bedingham 45, Temba Bavuma 36; Pat Cummins 6/28, Mitchell Starc 2/41)

Australia: 207 all out in 65 overs (Mitchell Starc 58 not out, Alex Carey 43; Kagiso Rabada 4/59, Lungi Ngidi 3/38)

South Africa: 282/5 in 83.4 overs (Aiden Markram 136, Temba Bavuma 66; Mitchell Starc 3/66, Josh Hazlewood 1/58)

Result: South Africa win by five wickets