'34 years in the making': South Africa's hoodoo ends as Aiden Markram's century delivers World Test Championship crown
On day four of the World Test Championship final, South Africa walked out against Australia at 2-213 needing 69 runs. They walked off as champions.
It ends a curse for South Africa that's lasted since 1992 after not winning a major trophy for three decades.
"It's been 34 years in the making," Proteas icon Shaun Pollock said on Amazon Prime.
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After a shocking three innings' across the opening three days for both sides, a flattened out Lord's pitch played into the hands of South Africa.
Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram. Getty
There would've been concern in the Proteas dressing room when Temba Bavuma added only one run, before he edged behind off Pat Cummins with the score at 4-217.
The centurion Aiden Markram continued his momentum at the other end but lost another partner at 4-241 when Tristan Stubbs (8) was bowled by Mitchell Starc.
It was Markram who deserved to be out there for the winning runs but unfortunately he fell for 136 with six runs to win. He was caught by Travis Head at mid-wicket off Josh Hazlewood's bowling.
"That's a sad moment but what an innings," Pollock said.
Aiden Markram walks off the ground after his dismissal. ICC via Getty Images
In a crazy moment with one run to win, Kyle Verreynne tried to scoop Mitchell Starc behind his body. Australia appealed for caught behind and it was given not out. Pat Cummins had no reviews left but ultra edge showed there was a spike when it passed the glove.
On the fourth ball of the over, Verreynne pushed a full toss through the covers for a boundary to seal victory.
The celebratory words fittingly went to Pollock.
"The biggest opposition in Australia, they've given us so much heartache over the years, but now the exclamation mark of an ICC event, they have stood tall and ended up victorious," he said.
"They will be singing and dancing in the streets of South Africa, the rainbow nation."
South Africa's history in major tournaments has had a choker tag attached to it for a significant period of time.
In the ODI World Cup, they've reached the semi-final on five occasions, and the quarter-final twice. The 1999 semi-final included a crazy tie against Australia after run-out between Lance Klusener and Allan Donald.
In the T20 World Cup, they lost the final in 2024 and semi-finals in 2009 and 2014.
South Africa have also reached five semi-finals in the Champions Trophy.
