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61st over: South Africa 222-3 (Markram 110, Stubbs 0) Great crowd in today, again. Not sure if it’s free entry? Certainly huge lines of people were waiting to get in, even as the first ball neared. Not sure if there was some delay in the queues. Another wicket will make things very interesting… and Markram nearly provides it! Booms the drive at Cummins, but the ball decks too far, past the edge instead of taking it. Millimetres in that. It doesn’t discourage Markram though when the next one is wider still, and he slaps it off a length with an angled bat. So well hit in front of point that the deep backward fielder can’t make up the few metres in time.
60th over: South Africa 218-3 (Markram 106, Stubbs 0) So it is Tristan Stubbs to the middle. Starts at the non-striker’s end, but immediately gets strike as Markram guides a single. Lots of pressure on Stubbs, more a white-ball player but one of huge talent, who Shukri Conrad has backed in this team. Small target, plenty of time, and in a short-form game he might knock off these last 64 runs in five overs. But this is different. Hit on the pad early, Hazlewood appealing but it’s going down leg. Two slips and a gully, but the second slip is Webster and the gully is Green, so effectively four slips and two gullies. Cover, mid off, mid on, midwicket up closer. Deep point and deep backward square saving boundaries. Stubbs defends his first five balls.
WICKET! Bavuma c Carey b Cummins 66 (South Africa 214-3)
59th over: South Africa 217-3 (Markram 105) Oh, there it is! The first tremor? South Africa’s captain battled through the pain yesterday and has put his team in a winning position, but can’t see that win through. The over starts with another ball that stays low, Cummins this time getting it to burrow. Markram keeps it out, and remains confident enough to follow up by playing a quality straight drive for three. Positivity was the key to innings yesterday, so it’s good to see him starting the same way. But after the rotation of strike, from the last ball of the over, Cummins gets one seaming away, down the hill from the Nursery End, and it takes the edge of the defensive push, a little too wide to play. Straightforward for Carey.
58th over: South Africa 214-2 (Markram 105, Bavuma 66) Hazlewood from the Pavilion End, and immediately asking questions. One ball past the edge, another keeping low. Bavuma is very watchful through that over, acknowledging the threat. No run. It tells you something about South Africa’s approach that Australia’s quicks didn’t bowl a single maiden over between them yesterday. That’s the first in the innings, aside from a few by Lyon.
57th over: South Africa 214-2 (Markram 102, Bavuma 66) We are ready to begin. Bavuma must have that leg strapped to high heaven, but he’s still hobbling as he pokes the first run of the day from Cummins into the off side.
Who’s nervous? I’m nervous, on their behalf. The batters in next will have spent the evening telling themselves that they’re relaxed, but I’m sure there are thoughts flittering around, mostly that they would all really like to not be required. Australia need to turn that screw right away to have a chance.
Then there was Andy Bull, who pondered the slips and the turn of fate that saw Steve Smith’s horrible hand injury.
I was drawn to the idea last night of inevitability, and how it seemed to exist in one direction until it existed in another.
In some promising news that Simon Burnton has snuffled out, the next three WTC finals might not all go to India, where there would be less interest in neutral contests, and might instead stay at Lord’s.
Let us begin with the match report of what happened yesterday, via Ali Martin.
Preamble
Geoff Lemon
Yesterday, we said there wouldn’t be a Day 4. Cricket decided differently. Australia’s tenth-wicket defiance pushed us all the way up to lunch, only to be countered by South Africa’s polish and confidence as Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma changed the game.
Now, South Africa are so close to doing what they have never done: winning a major international trophy. Not one of the World Cups that have caused them so much heartache over the decades, but the newer World Test Championship.
The opportunity is there. They need 69 more runs, with eight wickets in hand. But if ever there was a team whose history could make its supporters nervous about that kind of equation, South Africa is the one. Nobody will relax until the job is done, and if the Australians take a wicket or two early, the nerves will blossom.
If the overnight pair can add a few without alarm, it will make all the difference. This is Australia’s last chance to turn the game, and defend their WTC title.
