WTC final: South Africa close in on maiden world title at Lord’s

Riding on a century by opener Aiden Markram (102 not out) and a half-century by skipper Temba Bavuma (65 not out), South Africa got into a strong position at stumps on Day Three of the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s here on Friday. The Proteas, chasing 282 for victory, were 213-2 at stumps, still 69 runs shy of their target. The duo added an unbeaten 143 runs for the third wicket. Earlier, pacer Mitchell Starc, who claimed two wickets in the second innings, made 58 not out in Australia’s second-innings total of 207 all out. 

Rickelton goes early

Starc then struck an early blow in his primary role when the left-arm fast bowler had Ryan Rickelton caught behind edging a wide yorker to leave South Africa 9-1. He also removed Wiaan Mulder when the number three fell for 27 after his checked drive was caught low down at cover by Marnus Labuschagne to end a second-wicket partnership of 61. 

Smith dislocates finger

Starc almost had a third wicket when Bavuma, on two, got a thick edge only for Steve Smith, in a helmet at an advanced slip position, to drop a fast-travelling catch and leave the field with a finger injury. Smith was taken to hospital with a dislocated finger. South Africa, 76-2 when the chance went down, were 94-2 at tea.  Starc had previously made South Africa pay for a dropped catch with a vital fifty. When Australia resumed their second innings on Friday on 144-8. South Africa enjoyed an early breakthrough when Kagiso Rabada had Nathan Lyon plumb lbw to leave Pat Cummins’s men 148-9.

Teams in England pay homage to crash victims

The India, Australia and South Africa cricket teams in various parts of England wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims who lost their lives in the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. In Beckenham, the Indian team observed a minute’s silence and wore black armbands ahead of their intra-squad game on Friday. Meanwhile, players of Australia and South Africa teams, along with the umpires and spectators in the stadium, also observed a gesture of solidarity for the victims and families affected by the plane crash.

Brief scores

Australia 212 & 207 (M Starc 58*, A Carey 43; K Rabada 4-59, L Ngidi 3-38) vs SA 138 & 213-2 (A Markram 102*, T Bavuma 65*; M Starc 2-53)

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