Swaraat / Swaraat Editor Desk
A new test champion in the block, South Africa ends their championship drought with an epic fourth innings chase to create history as the third team to lift the mace in the home of cricket, The Lords.
They trailed Australia in their first innings but went on to score the target of 282 with two crucial partnership that secured their victory. Rabada picked up a fifer to restrict Australia to 212 runs in their first innings with major contribution from Steven Smith and Beau Webster.
South Africa was bundled out for 138 with Pat Cummins picking six wickets. Late resistance by lower order of Australia, on day three, helped to post a challenging target of 282. A determined and composed Aiden Markram, who scored his eighth century, along with a limping Captain Temba Bavuma survived the lethal attack of Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood to bring the team at a striking distance on the end of day three of the test match.
Australia picked up early wickets of Bavuma and Stubbs to send jitters, but Markram and Bedingham played sensibly till the end to win the final. Markram was adjudged Man Of the match.
South Africa won a major ICC tournament after 27 years though they qualified to finals or semi-finals a few time during this period. They earned the choker tag for stumbling at the last hurdle. This win against formidable Australian side helped them to shed that image.
This is their eight test win in a trot under the leadership of Bavuma, making the victory even more special. They excelled in all three departments of the game to achieve the milestone. Test cricket gets a new lease of life amidst the T20 franchise frenzy. The real cricket is here to stay, a long innings for the game itself.