But the job isn’t done just yet – some patience and focus will still be required with the bat, as they need 69 more runs to seal the win.

Day three of the final between South Africa and the defending champions, Australia, finally belonged to the bat, much to the frustration of both bowling attacks.

Australia resumed their second innings on 144/8 with Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon at the crease. Lyon added just one run to his overnight score before he was trapped lbw by Kagiso Rabada. 

Starc and Josh Hazlewood then frustrated the Proteas further by adding a valuable 59 runs for the final wicket, with Hazlewood eventually falling for 17. Australia were bowled out for 207, setting South Africa a target of 283 for victory.

Starc top-scored for Australia with an unbeaten 58, while Alex Carey had earlier chipped in with 43. Rabada once again led the way with the ball for South Africa, finishing with figures of 4/59, while Lungi Ngidi claimed 3/38.

In reply, Aiden Markram and captain Temba Bavuma – nursing a hamstring injury – led the charge in the Proteas’ second innings. At stumps on day three, South Africa were well poised at 213/2 after 56 overs, needing just 69 runs for a historic win.

Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma. Photo: Cricinfo

Markram was unbeaten on 102, becoming the first South African to score a fourth-innings century at Lord’s and the first overseas player to achieve the feat since 2009. His eighth Test ton – featuring eleven fours – is arguably the most significant of his career, especially considering his previously poor record at the iconic ground.

Bavuma, despite picking up a hamstring injury during his innings, showed immense grit by continuing to bat – reminiscent of Graeme Smith's famous knock with a broken hand against Australia in Sydney back in 2009. The skipper, with the heart of a lion, was unbeaten on 56– his 25th Test half-century. Together, he and Markram put on an unbeaten 143-run partnership, taking the Proteas within touching distance of victory.

South Africa’s batting coach, Ashwell Prince, praised Markram’s performance, saying it was a classic case of “cometh the hour, cometh the man.”

“Well, we certainly know he’s someone who steps up on the big occasions, there’s no doubt about that,” said Prince, himself no stranger to pressure situations.

“He's made a few minor technical tweaks – nothing major. Lately, he had a tendency to push his hands away from his body, sometimes cutting across the ball. But once he saw a few videos of himself doing that, the fix was quite straightforward.

“When I talk about his ability to play big innings – even in a losing cause – I think of that unbelievable century at Newlands on a really tough pitch when no one else could get going. So, we know exactly what he's capable of.”

On the Australian side, assistant coach and ICC Hall of Fame inductee Daniel Vettori admitted that while the task ahead is steep, they haven’t lost hope.

Aiden Markram. Photo: Cricinfo

“We understand the magnitude of the challenge, taking eight wickets for 70 runs is incredibly tough, and we’d need the conditions to go our way,” said the former New Zealand captain.

“But with the way the ball is behaving and the pitch playing, it’s not impossible. This group has pulled off some remarkable feats over the last few years.

“There’s huge respect for the way Bavuma and Markram batted. Getting one of them out last night might’ve given us a bit more belief, but it’s going to be a massive challenge tomorrow.”

Day four of the World Test Championship Final at the Home of Cricket gets underway on Saturday, at 11:30.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg