Proteas dare to dream of Test title after epic stand

Australia have lost Steve Smith to a serious finger injury as South Africa dare to dream of a maiden ICC world title after an incredible fightback to push the World Test Championship final into a fourth day.

The Lord's crowd found full voice late on day three as senior batters Aiden Markram (102 not out) and hobbled skipper Temba Bavuma (65no) propelled South Africa towards their fourth innings target of 282, the former reaching a superb eighth Test century two minutes before stumps.

Just 69 runs stand between the Proteas and rewriting their painful history at ICC events as batters finally gained the upper hand on day three with few signs of the treacherous conditions that saw 28 wickets fall on the opening two days at Lord's.

In fact, just four wickets were taken on day three – two each in the first two sessions before Markram and Bavuma lifted SA into a position of strength, batting through the entire evening session for an unbroken third-wicket stand of 143.

Australia's earlier domination of the opening two hours, where last-wicket pair Mitchell Starc (58no) and Josh Hazlewood (17) took their advantage to 281, was soured by Smith's injury in the afternoon when he dropped Bavuma on two.

Stationed just 14m from the bat in a helmet at slip due the dying carry off the sluggish Lord's surface, Smith didn't react quickly enough as the ball flew from the Proteas' skipper's edge.

It struck the Australian No.4 awkwardly on the right little finger as he tried to get his hands up to chest height to catch the Starc delivery, instantly clutching his right hand after the chance dropped to the ground.

Television cameras showed the little finger bent back as he was taken from the ground in significant pain, with the Australian camp later confirming Smith had suffered a compound dislocation and had been sent to hospital for treatment after he didn't return to the field post-tea.

Bavuma was also in the wars when he pulled up short while running a quick single as the game was paused while Proteas medical staff applied heavy strapping to his left hamstring during the break between overs.

But the diminutive right-hander carried on despite the obvious discomfort as he and Markram grabbed control of the game, the 30-year-old opener bringing up his third Test century against Australia when he clipped Hazlewood to the midwicket fence in the second last over of the day.

The pair took South Africa to 2-213 by the close of play as Aussie skipper Pat Cummins threw the ball around in vain as seam-bowling allrounder Beau Webster and part-timer Travis Head were deployed in a wicketless final session.

Australia will be hoping a ball change 10 minutes before stumps brings a shift in fortunes on Saturday morning like it did for England on the final day of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval two years ago.

"A super special partnership between Markram and Bavuma, both have been through a lot of adversity in the last two years (and) they've pushed themselevs," No.3 Wiaan Mulder said on the broadcast at stumps.

"The pitch was slow today, slower than on day one and two. Not as much nip in days one and two.

"Even when we bowled, it all went slowly, so we're glad to have capitalised on conditions."

Batting looked noticeably less challenging from the outset on the third morning with little signs of the devilish seam movement that led to a flurry of wickets on the first two days.

After Kagiso Rabada (4-59) removed Nathan Lyon lbw in the third over for his ninth wicket of the match, it took South Africa the rest of the session to prise the last wicket when part-time off-spinner Markram finally broke through one minute before the lunch interval.

That ended a 59-run partnership between Starc and Hazlewood as the latter threw his head back in frustration with Australia bowled out for 207 in their second innings after he spooned a half-tracker to Keshav Maharaj at cover.

Having survived Rabada's initial seven-over assault, the 10th-wicket pair went on to record their highest ever union in international cricket, overtaking the 55 they scored for the final wicket against India in Pune in 2017.

Even a lead of 200 had looked a long shot at 7-73 the previous evening but Starc rallied to notch his highest Test score since the 61 he scored in that Pune Test eight years ago.

South Africa began their pursuit of 282 immediately after lunch, knowing they faced a challenge that only two teams had ever overcome in the fourth innings of a Test at Lord's.

Not since 2004, when Nasser Hussain – in commentary for this match – led England to victory over New Zealand with an unbeaten century, has a team successfully chased such a score, with the Proteas having to pull off equal second highest run chase at the venue to lift the WTC mace.

But they perhaps looked to more recent Lord's history for inspiration as openers Markram and Ryan Rickelton set about their work, after England's 'Bazballers' overhauled 277 in 79 overs to also down the Black Caps in 2022.

It certainly appeared the case as Rickelton opened his account by whipping the fourth ball from Starc authoritatively through square leg, but the left-armer had his number moments later when he tried the same towards the off-side.

Aiming a square drive full and wide half-volley, Starc found the South African left-hander's outside edge as his bat dug into the pitch, with umpires sending it upstairs to double check it hadn't then touched the ground before nestling in Alex Carey's gloves.

Partner Markram kept the foot down after the technology confirmed both the edge and fair catch to send Rickelton on his way, the right-hander flaying boundaries through point and square leg to take nine runs from Starc's next over.

Rookie first drop Wiaan Mulder – in just second Test as first choice No.3 – also went on the attack as the pitch slowed up, cutting Hazlewood hard to fence as the bounce became increasingly more variable from the pavilion end.

That bounce was perhaps a factor in the allrounder's downfall as Starc (2-53) switched ends after his three-over opening burst, picking up Mulder from around the wicket as the batter pushed hard on the up but straight to Marnus Labuschagne at cover.

Bavuma also signalled his intent by lofting his second ball over point for a couple to get off the mark, before the variable bounce claimed its next victim when he was given a life by Smith who was injured at a very close second slip.

By stumps Bavuma had made Australia pay, adding another 63 runs to his tally and reaching the 25th half-century of Test career with single to short third off Lyon as the strong South African portion of the crowd began a stirring rendition of DJ Otzi's 'Hey Baby'.

And he resumes on Saturday with the chance to go where no other South Africa cricket captain has gone before with their first major title within their grasp.

World Test Championship Final

June 11-15: South Africa v Australia, Lord's

Broadcast exclusively on Prime Video in Australia. Sign up here for a 30-day free trial

Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi