By S. Obeyesekere
South Africa realised a long eluding dream for a major global title when they defeated Australia comprehensively by 5 wickets in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final at Lords, the mecca of cricket in London thus shedding the ghost of chokers of a 27-year jinx in an intense showdownf of an unflinching Australian bowling attack to which opening batsman Aiden Markram made the difference by a wait and see highly composed timeless innings reaching the extreme of three figures and 36 runs. He fell almost on the doorstep of the world cup with South Africa 6 short of a landmark victory which Kyle Verreynne stepped in to finish off with a single in the company of David Bedungham.
And, as the Proteas as the South Africans are referred to, ascended that sky high victory planet that had dwarfed their cricket for nearlyf three decades, and the hurrah world cup feeling surely ran through the veins of the victorious players to an entire nation that had looked to that great day in a long, long time, the name of Aiden Markram would surely live on in memory of South African cricketing history. Where others had dared and failed, the 30-year old gangling right hander had arrived to deliver the crown.
Resuming on 213 for 2 and needing 69 runs to wrap it up on day four, Australia captain Pat Cummins struck in the third over of the day dismissing opposite number Temba Bavuma, caught behind for 66 raising hope yet for Australia
Then with 41 runs required when Mitchell Starc bowled Tristan Stubbs through the gate it caused a little more anxiety to the South Africans.
But not the least Aiden Markram whose unflinching resolve made the difference going on to take South Africa to the brink of victory with a brilliant test innings of 136.
He fell at last when he flicked Josh Hazlewood into the hands of Travis Head at mid-wicket with victory in sight.
That left David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne to see South Africa through to making history in what was the joint second-highest in Test cricket at Lords next to West Indies’s chase of 342 in 1984.
They are the third team to be crowned World Test champions after New Zealand (2021) and Australia (2023).
South Africa 138 (Bedingham 45, Cummins 6-28) and 282 for 5 (Markram 146, Bavuma 66, Starc 3-66) beat Australia 212 (Webster 72, Smith 66, Rabada 5-51) and 207 (Starc 58, Carey 43, Rabada 4-59, Ngidi 3-38) by five wickets
