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- AUS vs SA Highlights, WTC Final 2025, Day 3: Ton-up Aiden Markram shines, South Africa 213/2 at stumps, need 69 more to clinch title
AUS vs SA Highlights, WTC Final 2025, Day 3: Ton-up Aiden Markram shines, South Africa 213/2 at stumps, need 69 more to clinch title
The day began with South Africa at 43/4, and although Temba Bavuma (36) and David Bedingham (45) stitched together a brief resistance worth 64 runs, it was Australia captain Pat Cummins who stole the show. Cummins produced a remarkable spell of four wickets for one run post-lunch, dismantling South Africa for 138. He finished with 6-28 and claimed his 300th Test wicket, etching his name on the Lord’s honours board.
But Australia’s second innings soon descended into chaos. Kagiso Rabada removed Khawaja and Green in the same over, while Lungi Ngidi bowled a fiery spell that accounted for Cummins and Webster, leaving Australia tottering at 73/7.
Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc then mounted a critical eighth-wicket stand of 61. Carey’s composed 43 was vital, but he fell to Rabada just before stumps. Starc remained unbeaten on 16 and was lucky to survive when Marco Jansen dropped a sitter in the day’s final over.
Australia’s lead may already be decisive, but South Africa will believe that quick wickets on Day 3 could still keep them alive. The pitch has offered bounce and seam, but not excessively so—raising questions about batting techniques from both sides.
Earlier, Cummins’ fiery burst tore through South Africa’s lower order, claiming the final five wickets for just 12 runs. His dismissal of Bavuma, Verreynne, Jansen, and Rabada in quick succession underlined his mastery in favourable conditions. South Africa’s innings crumbled from 126/5 to 138 all out.
Australia’s approach to building on their slender first-innings lead of 74 was aggressive but flawed. Beau Webster, their first-innings top scorer, fell lbw to Ngidi, while Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith also perished without converting starts.
Despite the carnage, Australia’s 218-run advantage heading into Day 3 could prove pivotal. Yet, with just two wickets in hand, the margin for error remains slim. One more day of gripping cricket awaits before the baton passes to South Africa’s batters for the final act.
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Pulls the length back, around off, Temba Bavuma taps it off the back foot to the short leg fielder.
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Nice and full, spinning in, Bavuma clips to short mid-wicket.
Nathan Lyon to have a final go before Stumps. 15-3-45-0 so far. The Aussies are trying their level best to convince the umpires to change the ball. It is doing absolutely nothing. But the umpires are not convinced and we continue with the same ball.
- Aiden Markram 97 (148)
- Temba Bavuma 57 (102)
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, FOUR! That has gone as straight as an arrow! Markram moves to 97, just one hit away from a century at Lord's! This is pitched quite fuller, and right in front of the stumps. Aiden Markram, with a straight bat face, creams the straight drive. Josh Hazlewood, in his followthrough, tries to stop the ball by bending to his right, but the ball ricochets off his fingers and rolls down the ground for a boundary. No fielder there to cut it off. Also, the replays show that Temba Bavuma tried to plonk his bat inside the crease at the other hand, seeing the ball deflecting off Hazlewood's finger. And had the ball hit the stumps, Bavuma was a goner as his bat didn't arrive inside the crease.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Attacks the stumps, does Josh Hazlewood, full in length. Aiden Markram watchfully blocks it out.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Straighter, fuller, on the stumps, Aiden Markram pushes this to mid on.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Nagging length, cutting back off the surface. Aiden Markram works this to mid-wicket.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Oh, some extra bounce there! Length ball, lifting off the deck on top of off. Aiden Markram drops his wrists to negotiate this steep bounce and fends it off the splice of the bat. It goes on the bounce wide of second slip where Beau Webster does well to dive to his right to stop the ball.
It has gone a touch dark. The floodlights are slowly being switched on.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Pitched on that in-between length, on middle and leg. Markram nudges this to square leg.
- Temba Bavuma 57 (102)
- Aiden Markram 93 (142)
Travis Head to Temba Bavuma, Full, around off, pushed down through mid on but mid-wicket mops it up.
Travis Head to Temba Bavuma, Outside off, pushed towards cover.
Travis Head to Temba Bavuma, FOUR! SMOKED! Full, outside off, Temba Bavuma gets down and mows the sweep powerfully through square leg! Don't worry about that hamstring, it is perfectly fine! 88 more needed now.
Travis Head to Aiden Markram, That one stays low and spins in sharply from outside off. Additionally, it is delivered with a scrambled seam. Aiden just about manages to get his bat down in time to clip the ball through fine leg for a single. The stand moves to 120.
Travis Head to Aiden Markram, A bit more revolutions on the ball, 88 kph, outside off, a touch too full, Markram puts in a stride to block it to the off side.
Travis Head to Aiden Markram, Full, around off, Aiden Markram lunges to defend.
More tablets for Bavuma. The Aussies will not complain, as the longer he takes, the lesser overs they will have to bowl. It is not like they are in any hurry any which ways.
The Proteas have 8 wickets in hand and need 93 runs more to claim their first ICC title in 27 years.
- Temba Bavuma 53 (99)
- Aiden Markram 92 (139)
Josh Hazlewood to Temba Bavuma, Length ball, pretty straight, Temba defends it from his crease.
Josh Hazlewood to Temba Bavuma, Full and straight, Bavuma clips it through mid-wicket but cannot get it past the fielder.
Josh Hazlewood to Temba Bavuma, On a length, around off, moves away slightly, bounces a tad extra, Temba Bavuma pushes it towards cover pretty watchfully.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Similar ball, this time Aiden stays inside the line, allows the ball to come, opens the face of his bat and guides it behind point for a single.
Visibly hampered by his injury, the captain has still managed to get to 53* from 96 balls.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, A length ball, around off, Markram defends it solidly towards mid on.
Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Full and straight, stays low a touch, Aiden Markram crouches and pushes it towards short mid-wicket.
Last throw of the dice for Cummins. Brings back Josh Hazlewood. 9-0-31-0 so far.
- Temba Bavuma 53 (96)
- Aiden Markram 91 (136)
Travis Head to Temba Bavuma, Full, around off, Temba lunges to smother the spin.
Travis Head to Temba Bavuma, Full and on leg stump, Bavuma gets down and paddles this through fine leg. By the time Mitchell Starc can get to the ball from deep backward square leg, Bavuma charges back for the second. Yes, he did charge.
Travis Head to Temba Bavuma, Full and straight, Temba Bavuma leans and pushes it towards short mid-wicket.
Travis Head to Aiden Markram, Outside off, punched through the covers for a single.
Travis Head to Aiden Markram, Back to focus. This time, Markram is fully forward to defend.
Travis Head to Aiden Markram, Oohhh... big turn. Landed on the rough, short of full, Aiden Markram goes back to punch but the ball spins back prodigiously to cramp him for room and take the bottom edge.
Another halt in play. Temba Bavuma has called for something, maybe some tablets to pop in. Umpire Richard Illingworth is not impressed as the 12th man takes a lot of time to get there to the middle. Corbin Bosch is that guy and gets some questions asked by Illingworth, who is just not happy with the delay. Cummins looks at someone who can bowl in the meanwhile and finds Travis Head.
- Aiden Markram 90 (133)
- Temba Bavuma 51 (93)
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Down the leg side, helped towards long leg for a single. Markram moves to 90.
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Full, outside off, Aiden leans and drives it towards cover.
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Landed outside off, Markram crouches and goes back, aiming to dab it behind point. Cannot get it past the fielder and declines the run.
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Shorter in length, defended from the crease.
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Fuller again, Aiden Markram goes hard on the drive and gets it off the inner half of the bat towards mid-wicket.
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Full, around off, driven towards mid on.
- Temba Bavuma 51 (93)
- Aiden Markram 89 (127)
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Full, around off, watchfully defended. Just the third maiden in this innings, all by Lyon.
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Ha ha ha!!!! Ohh... love it when players replay certain moments. Lyon switches to around the wicket and drops it a tad short, around middle and leg, The skipper looks to work it to the leg side but the extra bounce induces an inside edge. The ball gets lodged in the gap between the pad and the left knee and instinctively, Bavuma looks to take the ball and hand it over to the fielder. But then, suddenly, he remembers the controversy which happened with David Bedingham in the first innings and stops himself. Asks the fielder whether the ball is dead and can he give and then, gives the ball. Smiles everywhere.
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Quicker through the air, 91 kph, TB defends it towards mid on.
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Flighted, outside off, 90 kph, Temba dead-bats it.
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Full, outside off, Bavuma works it towards short mid-wicket.
Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Full, outside off, Temba Bavuma gets a good stride to defend.
20 overs left in the day. No way Australia are going to look to bowl that. That too, with under 50 minutes left, they will aim to bowl as few overs as possible, because the more overs you bowl, more are the chances of the target coming down quicker.
- Aiden Markram 89 (127)
- Temba Bavuma 51 (87)
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Nagging length, around off, blocked well by Markram.
Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, FOUR! South Africa need under three digits now! That's cheekily played by Markram! Even with a wide gully in place, Aiden Markram guides this length ball very fine and very late, between the keeper and the gully fielder for a boundary at deep third. 98 runs needed to be exact.
Beau Webster to Temba Bavuma, A gentle-paced delivery, outside off, on a length. Temba Bavuma hits it on the up, and wide of the cover fielder for a quick run.
Beau Webster to Temba Bavuma, Length again, on off, Temba Bavuma crisply drives this square of the wicket, Marnus Labuschagne at cover-point dives to his right and makes a good save.
South Africa were bowled out for 138 in their first innings, undone by a devastating spell from Pat Cummins, who claimed 6-28 to reach 300 Test wickets and earn a place on the Lord’s honours board. Only Temba Bavuma (36) and David Bedingham (45) offered resistance.
Australia’s second innings mirrored the chaos, as Kagiso Rabada (3-44) and Lungi Ngidi (3-35) tore through the top and middle order to reduce them to 73/7. However, Alex Carey (43) and Mitchell Starc (16*) mounted a fightback, adding 61 valuable runs for the eighth wicket.
Carey fell late to Rabada, but Starc survived a drop in the final over to keep Australia’s hopes alive.
With South Africa needing early wickets on Day 3 and Australia looking to stretch their lead beyond 250, the match remains delicately poised—even as the finale inches closer than expected.
Match Statistics
Venue
Lord's Cricket Ground, London
