Key events
9th over: South Africa 45-1 (Markram 18, Mulder 21) Aaaand shponk! Mulder nails his pull shot, the short ball from Cummins sitting up for a whack.
“Thank you for linking to Tanya Aldred’s heartwarming article about refugee cricket in France,” writes Brian Withington. “Chris Drew (aka mesnilman) is already a legend in the Guardian reading county cricket community for everything he does in France, including lots of umpiring in all parts, quite apart from his longstanding love for Glamorgan (and especially their Australian overseas players). ProjectFrontFoot is an excellent initiative that combines passion for cricket, compassion for others and responsible recycling. Financial donations via the link in the article go a long way in helping with the logistics of getting donated cricket kit shipped around the continent to very grateful recipients.”
8th over: South Africa 41-1 (Markram 18, Mulder 17) Hazlewood carrying on, tries to arrow through a yorker but it’s blocked. Working over Markram outside the off stump, a bit of seam each way, but fifth ball of the over Markram drives him square for two, again the line close to the body but able to get it away.
All the metrics are saying that the batting has been easier today. Less seam, little swing. South Africa have to take advantage of it.
7th over: South Africa 39-1 (Markram 16, Mulder 17) Cummins replacing Starc early in the innings, as they like to do, so that Starc can swing around to replace Hazlewood in a couple more. Two slips, gully, point, and Cummins nearly feeds those slips, seam movement away past the edge, a ball after Mulder flicked two behind square and ran with intensity to make it back. Last of the over, stands up tall, rides the bounce, and punches four! Perfectly controlled that time, down into the ground and beats point, a boundary from a good ball.
The target is down to 243.
6th over: South Africa 32-1 (Markram 15, Mulder 11) Into double figures for Mulder, with some risk. Smacks the cut shot but in the air, and it’s either good luck or great placement that he puts it between point and gully.
5th over: South Africa 28-1 (Markram 15, Mulder 7) Smack goes Markram! More of a bat throw, the square slash. Dicey shot against Starc but he gets enough to send it away for four rather than into gully’s hands.
If anyone is going to run this chase, it should be Markram. He did this on debut, made a brilliant century in Durban in the fourth innings to nearly steal a very unlikely win from Australia. Fell short in the end, but the task suited him. We’re in for a treat if he can do something similar here.
Later in the over, another four, bad ball this time, easily flicked away backward of square.
4th over: South Africa 19-1 (Markram 7, Mulder 6) That’s a good shot from Markram. Rides the bounce from Hazlewood and times it just in front of point for four. Lovely stuff.
3rd over: South Africa 14-1 (Markram 3, Mulder 5) Is Mulder the man at three? It’s a big ask. He made six in the first innings. Gets off the mark with an edged boundary here, the bat skewing in his bands as he prods uncertainly at Starc. Follows up with a single. 268 to win.
WICKET! Rickelton c Carey b Starc 6 (South Africa 9-1)
Oh, dear. Not good for the contest. One boundary and out for Rickelton. Wide and swinging away from the left-hander, who chases it. Almost a yorker length, so it looks like he’s squeezed it into the ground and through to Carey, so the umpire says no. The Australians review, and the replay shows the ball bouncing before the it hits the bat, then sailing cleanly through. That’s a nick, and that’s a wicket.
2nd over: South Africa 9-0 (Markram 3, Rickelton 6) Dicey from Rickelton, edging short of the cordon but it gets him a run. Markram knocks two runs to cover from Hazlewood.
1st over: South Africa 6-0 (Markram 2, Rickelton 5) Better start for Markram against Starc than last time, getting off the mark(ram) quickly with a drop and dash. Nothing so restrained for Rickelton, who whips gloriously through midwicket for four! The sun is shining bright. This could be fun.
We’re back…
Lunch – Australia all out 207, South Africa need 282 to win
That was painful for South Africa. Rabada nabbed the first early, his fourth for the innings and his ninth for the match, and you expected him to wrap up five-for, ten-for, and the innings in quick time. Instead, Starc played a blinder and Hazlewood did a great job in support, adding 59 from 135 balls to stretch the target to a challenging one. It’s still very gettable, in improving batting conditions, but South Africa have to overcome themselves as well as overcoming the Australians. At least they get 40 minutes to do some deep breathing and get ready for the task to come.
WICKET! Hazlewood c Maharaj b Markram 17
65th over: Australia 207-10 (Starc 58) The Markram experiment continues. Starc glances another boundary, takes another single. And finally, the torment ends. Hazlewood hits the last ball of the over to cover. South Africa need 282.
Half century! Mitchell Starc 52 from 131 balls
64th over: Australia 202-9 (Starc 53, Hazlewood 17) Streaky! Jansen finally finds an edge, but instead of flying to slip it flies over. For four.
That is Starc’s fifty, the partnership fifty, and the team 200 in one blow. This is a decisive innings from Starc, one of the best of his career. His 11th Test half-century.
Krishnamoorthy writes in. “First we predicted that Sunday one is free to do whatever one wants. Later we said the weekend is free. This morning it appeared as if the tea can be enjoyed at home. Now there is a sliver of a possibility that SA may actually go for it and score the winning runs on Sunday. Test cricket is pure art.”
And here I am, trying to adequately describe a busy canvas.
63rd over: Australia 196-9 (Starc 48, Hazlewood 16) Here’s some fun. It’s Aiden Markram with some part-time off spin. He got Steve Smith out! He can’t be that bad. And Starc loves to slog spin. Deep midwicket, long on is three quarters back. Starc plays sensibly though. Fourth ball of the over, that makes 20 overs for this partnership. They’ve made 48 runs! None in this over, but the stand continues.
62nd over: Australia 196-9 (Starc 48, Hazlewood 16) I said it would be over today, but cricket makes fools of us all. The rate South Africa batted first up here, they could easily go into tomorrow trying to make 266. They might yet need to make 300. Starc plays at most balls from Jansen, declines a single first ball, finds the field a couple of times, then takes the run from the fourth. Just having a cruise today with the bat. Better than bowling. Hazlewood is having fun too, leans back and uppercuts over the slips for four! Rude, Josh. Rude.
61st over: Australia 191-9 (Starc 47, Hazlewood 12) Ngidi is getting the odd ball to do a little, when he cuts his fingers down the seam, I fancy. Two slips waiting, four in the deep, though Starc still has barely played a big shot. That pull, and a couple of drives. Just drops a single here,
“Evening, Geoff. Evening, viewers,” chirrups Patrick O’Brien. “Starc is less likely to edge a catch than the Oz top six. He either misses his drives completely or smokes them to the boundary. Cheers for your ace coverage.”
That’s the trick in cricket: if you’re gonna miss it, miss it well.
60th over: Australia 190-9 (Starc 46, Hazlewood 12) There’s the 113th ball for Starc, defended, and the 114th he drives Maharaj away for a run. Hazlewood sweeps two. This looks easy now. The lead is 264.
59th over: Australia 187-9 (Starc 45, Hazlewood 10) Starc back on strike to Ngidi faces his 111th ball, matching David Bedingham, then his 112th, matching Steve Smith in the first innings. He celebrates with a pull shot for one. Hazlewood survives the last two balls, meaning Starc will face at least his 113th, meaning he has played the longest innings of the match.
58th over: Australia 186-9 (Starc 44, Hazlewood 10) Maharaj to Hazlewood, and the No11 is tempted. Tries a slog sweep, doesn’t connect, then repents and goes back to discipline. No run.
57th over: Australia 186-9 (Starc 44, Hazlewood 10) This is so patient from Starc. Gets a decent over from Ngidi and just soaks the whole thing up. He’s batted close to an hour and a half this morning, after a good stint last night.
56th over: Australia 186-9 (Starc 44, Hazlewood 10) Top score for Starc in his own right, driving the left-arm spinner square for one. Hazlewood tries the same but finds the fielder, then goes back to defence. But gets one through cover a couple of balls later, for two. The frustration for SA goes on.
55th over: Australia 183-9 (Starc 42, Hazlewood 8) Another one short of slip! Ngidi the bowler, and Starc is happy to take an early single. He’s now matched Carey as the top scorer of the innings. Hazlewood pokes and the edge drops short of Markram. More frustration. The lead is 257.
54th over: Australia 182-9 (Starc 42, Hazlewood 8) Maharaj with a rare over of spin to resume after drinks, and it costs a couple of byes and a driven single by Starc from the last ball, still managing the strike supremely.
That is drinks. Australia make it to drinks. Protea fingernails are leaving marks in Protea palms.
53rd over: Australia 179-9 (Starc 41, Hazlewood 8) Seven overs on the spin for Rabada, and he’s got one of the two wickets they needed, but not the other. Starc takes the strike-rotating run off the fourth ball, and he’s now faced more than Webster in the first innings.
52nd over: Australia 178-9 (Starc 40, Hazlewood 8) They get through another over, and keep the singles ticking. Jansen can’t break through. This is infuriating for South Africa.
51st over: Australia 175-9 (Starc 37, Hazlewood 8) Rabada’s sixth over of the morning, and Starc steers it square of gully for four. He’s faced 84 balls. Crucial. And he’s been disciplined. Leaves alone width from Rabada where he can.
50th over: Australia 170-9 (Starc 32, Hazlewood 8) That’s more like it: short leg for Jansen bowling to Starc, and what do you know, it almost gets them a catch. Jansen is coming left-arm around to the left-handers and bowling into the ribs, and the fend goes just wide of that man. Then up at the helmet, and Starc ducks. No slips, one gully, bouncer field, and the bluff yorker squeezes between Starc’s feet and away to fine leg for four! Jansen and Bavuma have a tetchy conversation, Jansen looks annoyed about fine leg being too square, perhaps? Starc gets off strike, Hazlewood blocks a yorker.
“G’day Geoff, does the pitch look more batter friendly today than the last two days? Will the pitch make a difference given Australia’s bowling line up?”
G’day Bill Fuller. It certainly should be more batter friendly. It’s day three, normally the best time to bat, and it’s had some sunshine on it at times. So South Africa should be able to chase a target of this kind of size. But their batting is often brittle, and won’t be confident after the first innings. So Australia have a great chance to turn the screws.
And that’s assuming the lead doesn’t grow much, which it may yet do, the way these two are going.
49th over: Australia 165-9 (Starc 27, Hazlewood 8) It’s starting to get that desperate feel for South Africa. How long can Rabada bowl for, hoping? Goes past the edge of Starc’s bat again, there’s that quality. But we’re back to a deep third instead of a gully, plus the deep point and two out on the hook. Mid on and mid off are set halfway back to teh rope. Only the two slips in an attacking spot. You know he could still hit a catch to cover, or slice one in the air, or pop one to a short leg? Defeatist strategy, this, it always makes a team look out of ideas. Starc is free to wind up for a hefty drive past the bowler and take the run. Hazlewood has two balls to survive. Gully comes up, mid off and mid on get closer, and that’s the only change. Rabada, right arm around, in at the pads, blocked. Outside off stump, blocked. Drip, drip, drip, goes the water on the hollowed stone.
48th over: Australia 164-9 (Starc 26, Hazlewood 8) Big Marco comes on for Mulder, perhaps belatedly, all eight foot of him, but it doesn’t start well, Hazlewood thrashing away a drive past the cordon for four. The lead is 236 now. Just checked, Starc with 70 balls has faced more than any Australian in the match bar Smith and Webster in the first innings. Hazlewood slices another couple of runs behind point. Death by a thousand late cuts.
47th over: Australia 158-9 (Starc 26, Hazlewood 2) Starc has gone past Labuschagne’s 22 to have the second-best score of the innings, behind Carey’s 43. He might get that too, the way he’s going. Hasn’t looked troubled. Aims a big drive at Rabada for nought, then goes back to leaving. Slightly better field now: two slips, gully, cover, mid off, mid on. Three fielders back: deep square, long leg, deep point. Giving Rabada the chance to use the bouncer, but he doesn’t. Maiden over, but the wicket doesn’t come.
46th over: Australia 158-9 (Starc 26, Hazlewood 2) A swing and a miss from Hazlewood facing Mulder. He has two shots, generally: the cover drive and the late cut. Though once in a blue moon we’ve seen him lump a few leg side in white-ball cricket. Three slips for Hazlewood. Starc calls him for a sharp single after a block to point, and a direct hit might have caught Starc short of his ground, but only one stump to aim at on the spin. Fifth ball, Starc gets strike for the Rabada over by baseballing a run past the bowler.
Simon Reader is on the keyboard. “My comment to your colleague Daniel on Wednesday is even more relevant today: if I were coach Conrad, last night I would have been drilling the Proteas with clips of the Springboks’ 2019 Rugby World Cup. Now, more than ever, they need the patience and strategy. Hope springs.”
45th over: Australia 156-9 (Starc 25, Hazlewood 1) Four for Starc! Off the edge, along the ground past gully. So South Africa take the gully out. I don’t like this at all from Rabada. He has two slips, himself at mid off, and six players deep. Starc has barely played a shot in anger and he’s facing the best bowler in the South African team. Surely you should go hard at him and back Rabada to get him out?
“Hello Geoff,” writes Matthew Doherty. “Do you think Australia will cobble enough runs today for a 250 run target for South Africa to chase?”
Starc has done that kind of job many times before, but even what they have right now will be a testing chase.
Rabada finishes the over by beating Starc’s edge.
44th over: Australia 152-9 (Starc 21, Hazlewood 1) What do I know? Starc calmly steers a single. Perhaps telling Hazlewood that he should be able to cope with Wiaan Mulder’s pace. That was a no-ball, too. He does a bit off the surface though, Mulder, right arm around the wicket to the two lefties. Gets it to deck in. Hazlewood blocks two. We’ve got a convetnional first slip, then a close second slip wearing a helmet, and a fine gully. None of them are in the play, though, as Hazlewood prods into a gap at midwicket and lopes off for a run. The Lopez Brothers, this batting pair. Starc drives one to cover. All these runs hurt South Africa. The lead is 226. Hazlewood turns down a run last ball though. Interesting. So they want Starc to handle Rabada.
43rd over: Australia 148-9 (Starc 19, Hazlewood 0) The over started with Starc swinging hard at a drive, down the ground for two. Then another for one, then the Lyon wicket. Hazlewood blocks out a couple, swishes at another. Survives the over. Time for Starc to have a dip, one thinks. He has the third highest score in the innings.
WICKET! Lyon lbw Rabada 2 (Australia 148-9)
Oh, yes! Nine for Rabada. Up the hill, seams in at Lyon a touch and nails him on the knee roll, front leg right in front. It’s not bouncing over on this wicket. A quick decision from the umpire, and the Australian review is in vain.
42nd over: Australia 145-8 (Starc 16, Lyon 2) Mulder from the other end, who had the catch dropped in the final over last night. He’s got the Pavilion at his back. Bright sunshine. Lyon confidently forward to defend. Lots of South African shirts on the walk into the ground today, they want this bad. The ICC Knockout of 1998 is a long time ago.
41st over: Australia 145-8 (Starc 16, Lyon 2) Rabada to start the day – he has three wickets, so the five-for and the ten-wicket match are still on if he can bag the last two. Doesn’t happen this over though, Lyon comfortably working a single square from the first ball of the day, and the left-handed Starc happy to leave the stuff angled across him.
Let’s get into some cricket…
And lastly, Andy Bull, on Temba Bavuma as leader of the South Africans.
This is mine, with the Australian perspective on Pat Cummins’ remarkable day, and what influence a certain member of the nouveau landed gentry might have had.
Here’s Simon Burnton with the press conference reporting, where David ‘Bedding In’ Bedingham is upbeat about knocking off the Aussies.
Let’s start our day as ever with the match report from the tirelessly match-reporting Ali Martin.
Preamble
Geoff Lemon
Hello for the final time from Lord’s for this World Test Championship final. Yes, it’s only Day 3, but surely, surely, this Test finishes today.
The sun is shining bright and the forecast is the best for the week. Australia have only Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood to bat, in a match where wickets have fallen readily. They lead by 218 right now. So unless there is an extraordinary partnership, South Africa will either chase the runs today or be bowled out trying.
On the evidence of their first innings, “bowled out trying” is the likelier option. They were all out for 138 and looked nowhere against Australia’s pace quality. But they have the chance to do better, to say that they are here and ready to compete. It’s only the third day, after all! Good for batting.
But first, they need those last two wickets. They dropped Starc in the cordon last night, just before stumps. Can’t be doing that. For Australia, sneaking another 10, 20, 30 runs for the final two wickets could make all the difference.
Get set.