'Never again': Markram reveals motivation amid toughest Test

As he went to bed on 102 not out with South Africa on the cusp of the maiden cricket world title they so desperately craved, Aiden Markram's mind flashed to back to Barbados on June 29 last year.

With not even a sleeping tablet able to help him sleep with his side needing 69 runs to beat Australia in the World Test Championship final, the Proteas T20 captain relived the hopelessness he felt watching from the sidelines after getting out for four in their agonising loss to India in the T20 World Cup final.

"I don't want to sit there again," Markram told himself as he prepared to bat South Africa to a breakthrough ICC world title.

"It gave me a bit of motivation to make sure I stayed at the crease if I could."

And stay there he did, not offering the Australians a chance in 206 balls until he was out for 136 with his side in an unlosable position six runs shy of victory.

For South Africa, the triumph reversed years of Cricket World Cup heartbreak, having suffered five semi-final eliminations – including three against Australia (1999, 2007 and 2023) – as well as last year's seven-run loss to India in the T20 World Cup final.

"It's as big and as tough as it gets," Markram said of beating Australia in a tournament final.

"All the questions that have been asked in the past have fortunately now been answered.

"The Test one is always going to be, in my opinion, the toughest one.

"It's many days of playing good cricket, whereas in a T20 or even one-day cricket nowadays, you just need one person to really put their hand up on the day and you can get a win.

"So it was always going to be the toughest; it was always going to be a full team effort to get over the line.

"Guys chipped in exactly when they needed to. Something small like (Wiaan) Mulder's partnership (on Friday) that was huge to take the sting out of the new ball.

"And then Temba (Bavuma), both his knocks were massive.

"It's not always about the massive milestones but those guys that take the edge out of the game and get us ahead of the game and get us comfortable.

"It makes a big difference in finals."

Markram's knock at Lord's will no doubt be etched in South African folklore, receiving handshakes from almost every Australian player when he was eventually dismissed with the game well and truly in the bag.

Australia left-armer Mitchell Starc, who took three of South Africa's five second-innings wickets, told cricket.com.au they tried almost everything with the ball to dislodge the South African opener as he took full advantage of the best batting conditions in the second half of the match.

"I don't think Aiden put too many chances towards us until he got out in the end and Temba was solid as well," Starc told cricket.com.au after the match.

"South Africa were too good … and we weren't quite good enough. That partnership between Aiden and Temba was one that got them over the line in the end."

Australian captain Pat Cummins added that unfortunately for his side, Markram "made it look pretty easy out there".

"He was pretty hard to dislodge," Cummins said. "He kept the scoreboard ticking over as well, which can be frustrating.

"A few of us have played alongside him as well in the IPL and he's very well respected. He's a good man, Aiden.

"We threw a fair bit at him, but he had an answer for everything."

World Test Championship Final

June 11-15: South Africa win by five wickets

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