South Africa captain Temba Bavuma played a phenomenal knock in the second innings of the World Test Championship finale against Australia at the iconic Lord’s. Chasing 282 runs, the Proteas lost Ryan Rickelton early and Wiaan Mulder too departed for 27 runs. There was immense pressure on South Africa, but Aiden Markram and Bavuma played some brilliant cricket to bail the team out of trouble.
Markram went on to score a scintillating century while Bavuma completed his half-century in some style. The 35-year-old was struggling with a hamstring injury for the majority of the innings, but he showed immense grit and dedication and even ran two, three whenever required. Meanwhile, after he crossed 30 at Lord’s, Bavuma became a part of an elite list of players.
The cricketer now has nine consecutive 30+ scores in Test cricket. He matched Inzamam-ul-Haq for the record as they stand joint-second, while Ted Dexter, with 11, is at the top of the table.
| Player | Most consecutive 30+ |
| Ted Dexter | 11 |
| Temba Bavuma | 9 |
| Inzamam-Ul-Haq | 9 |
| Babar Azam | 8 |
| Steve Smith | 8 |
South Africa close to maiden ICC title in 27 years
South Africa have suffered plenty of times in the last few years, losing the men’s T20 World Cup in 2024 and the women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 and 2025. The men’s team qualified for the semi-final of the ODI World Cup in 2023, but eventually lost to Australia in the semi-final. The script could have repeated at Lord’s but the Proteas were ready this time around.
After being bundled for 138 runs in the first innings, South Africa were expected to suffer again. However, their bowlers produced a brilliant show, which brought the team back into the contest. Later, Bavuma and Markram played to their merit as South Africa are close to pulling off a sensational victory.
Australia, on the other hand, will be hopeful for a few quick wickets to turn around the situation. However, that looks difficult at the moment.