AUS vs SA Highlights, WTC Final 2025: South Africa 43/4 at stumps on Day 1, trail Australia by 169 runs

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Nice and full, around the off pole. A huge stride forward by Markram to defend it out.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Ah, some bite there! Length ball, sharply turning back in from outside off. Aiden Markram gets on the back foot and is surprised by the turn and bounce. It also comes quicker than Markram anticipated, and just manages to fend it to the off side.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Tossed up on middle, Aiden Markram hangs back and plays the push to short mid-wicket.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Short and just outside off, Temba Bavuma defends it off the back foot to the left of short cover and takes a quick single.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, FOUR! All happening here at the Home of Cricket! Tossed up on off, Temba Bavuma decides to take on Lyon as he slog sweeps this delivery to the right of deep mid-wicket. Substitute Sam Konstas from deep mid-wicket comes running at the ball and goes for the catch but as he dives in front, the ball lands just short of him and goes through eventually, for four. 100-RUN STAND IS UP!

This is an experienced side but Australia will miss Steve Smith. Not because he is a great fielder but his experience in captaincy and even otherwise could have helped Pat Cummins a great deal. Not that Cummins is not experienced himself but in situations like these, where nothing is going your way, he would have liked some help.

Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Back of a length, stays low, outside off. Aiden Markram tries to dab it through short third, but due to the lack of bounce, he ends up chopping it off the inside edge, onto the front pad.

Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, On middle and on a good length. Markram works this to square leg.

Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Length, sliding back in and around off. Markram watchfully blocks this out.

Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Full on middle, Aiden Markram drives it to mid on.

Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Oh! Again the uneven bounce! Length ball outside off, that rises sharply. Aiden Markram was looking to play the cut, but is surprised by the extra bounce as the ball hits the upper part of his bat and goes wide of the backward point fielder. The deep point fielder runs to his left and cuts it off. Two runs taken. Oh, Beau Webster has overstepped.

Beau Webster to Aiden Markram, Length ball on middle, Aiden Markram defends it off the back foot to catching mid on.

Beau Webster to Temba Bavuma, Back of a length, outside off, Temba Bavuma cuts it square of the wicket, along the ground to deep point for a single.

The Aussies trying to slow the game down. They are not able to curtail the run flow, so they are trying to make the batters wait and play with their patience. Additionally, with the runs required just 118 as of now, and an hour of play left, they will be left with just around 70 runs or less for tomorrow. They are trying to push that as close to 100 as possible, on Day 4. Beau Webster has been given the ball now. He is bowling medium pace at the moment, but won't be long before he switches to off spin.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Drags the length, on off, Markram tucks it off the back foot to mid-wicket.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Length, spinning back in from outside off, Temba Bavuma turns this to square leg and rushes through for a quick single. The fielder there is quick to pick and release the throw in a motion, and even scores a direct hit at the bowler's end, where Bavuma hobbles a bit on the run, but somehow, manages to get home before the ball hits the stumps. 

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, BEATEN! Ooohs and aaaahhhs for spin! Full and flat, outside off, turning back sharply. Temba Bavuma leans on to play the defensive shot but gets beaten by the turn.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Slower through the air, tossed up, outside off, and turns in sharply. Temba Bavuma lunges in defense and misses it as he wears it on the body.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Overpitched on off, Aiden Markram lunges to defend. The ball doesn't turn as it goes straight and takes the outside edge and goes rolling along the ground to short third. Single taken.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Tossed up, slower through the air, Aiden Markram rocks on the back foot and punches it along the ground to the left of deep extra cover for two runs.

DRINKS BREAK. The first half of the final session of this third day belongs to South Africa. They have just not allowed the Aussie bowlers to get any opening and to be very fair, the bowlers have not got much assistance from the surface, which has made batting more and more easier. Yes, the odd one has shown signs of uneven bounce, but not THAT threatening to deceive the batter. Although there have been some signs of turn and grip for Nathan Lyon from one end, through those rough patches. Australia will be hoping to break this stand as quickly as possible, as it won't be that easy for the new incoming batter to play comfortably against the gripping ball. For now, the Proteas hold all the aces as this stand has grown to 90 runs, with South Africa needing another 122 runs to win. Nathan Lyon to continue after the hydration break.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Bavuma now drills this full ball to the mid off region.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, EDGED, but goes through the vacant gully region. Markram tries to slash this length ball from outside off. But gets a thick outside edge and the ball rolls behind to widish deep backward point. A single taken.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, Fuller and just outside off, Aiden Markram presses forward and defends it out to cover-point.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, FOUR! Superb placement from Aiden Markram! All hands! Length ball outside off, Aiden Markram plays the cut as he splits the gap between, deep backward point and deep third man fielders to perfection.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Length ball on middle, Temba Bavuma defends it towards short cover and sets off for a quick single.

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Length ball on off, Temba Bavuma drives it straight to short cover.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Length on off, Markram hangs back and works it to mid-wicket.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, FOUR BYES! Well, when it rains, it pours! Lyon overcompensates and bowls this on the leg stump line. The ball lands and turns away from the batter as Makram looks to clip into the leg side. Since there's no leg slip in place, the ball trickles down to the deep fine leg fence.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Lands just around that dark rough patch, on a fullish length. The ball bites and takes a sharp turn into the batter. Markram patiently tucks this to the square leg region.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Tossed up just outside off, the ball lands in the rough as Aiden Markram goes for the wild slog and balls turns big time and misses the stumps as well as the bat and the keeper. Batters manage to sneak in two byes. The 150 is up for South Africa and they are inching closer to the target. Need another 132 runs to win.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Full and on middle, Aiden Markram looks to defend it and the ball turns and hits the inner part of his bat.

Nathan Lyon to Temba Bavuma, Full and on middle, Temba Bavuma drives this down the ground to long on for a single.

Nathan Lyon (10-2-30-0) is back on. He replaces skipper Pat Cummins. A slip and a regular short leg in place for 'Garry'.

Oh, Starc just aborts to bowl. He stops right when he is about to deliver the ball. 

Mitchell Starc to Temba Bavuma, Length ball, on off, Temba Bavuma opens the bat face and guides this between short third and backward point for a single.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, The scoreboard just keeps ticking for the Proteas! Shortish delivery at the pads, Aiden Markram glances this through backward square leg for a single.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, FOUR! Stylishly played! Too full from Starc, on middle and leg, from around the stumps. Aiden Markram with a straight bat face and a still head, plays the on drive, past mid on for a boundary. 

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, Length ball, outside off, Aiden Markram plays the cut shot, but it goes along the ground to the gully fielder.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, Very full on off, Aiden Markram looks to drive it on the up and almost spoons up a catch to mid off, as  the ball goes on the bounce to mid off.

Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, FOUR! Nothing going Australia's way! Mitchell Starc bowls this one from wide of the crease, and lands it on a full length, just outside off, Aiden Markram goes for a booming drive and ends up outside edging it. The ball goes wide of the gully fielder, Travis Head, who puts on a despairing dive to his left and doesn't get any hand on it, as the ball runs away to the deep third fence.

Mitchell Starc is back on for one more burst. 7-0-37-2 so far.

Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Skids through the deck quickly, on the fourth stump. Aiden Markram pins the ball through backward point and scoots through for a single.

Pat Cummins to Temba Bavuma, Another short delivery, on the bodyline. Temba Bavuma swivels and pulls it to square leg. A sharp stop there by the fielder, who moves to his left from backward square leg. A single taken.

Pat Cummins to Temba Bavuma, A short ball, that slows off the deck and arrives late, around off. Temba Bavuma drops it beside the pitch on the off side.

Pat Cummins to Temba Bavuma, Back of a length, just outside off, Temba Bavuma blocks it off the back foot.

Pat Cummins to Temba Bavuma, FOUR! Lovely stroke from the South African Captain! Poor delivery, overpitched on off, Temba Bavuma times it sweetly as he plays the straight drive, down the ground for four. It was more of a check drive, really!

Pat Cummins to Temba Bavuma, Length ball, outside off, in the channel, Temba Bavuma shoulders his arms to that one. Oh, Pat Cummins has overstepped. NO BALL!

Pat Cummins to Temba Bavuma, Length ball tailing back a little, Temba Bavuma looks to defend it off the front foot, as the ball hits the inner half of his bat and goes into the leg side towards short mid-wicket.

Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Pushed slower through the air, but outside the leg stump. Aiden Markram tries to nurdle this full ball to the leg side, but misses to lay any bat. The ball grazes his front pad and rolls behind through the short fine leg region. The fielder from square leg chases the ball with a slide. The batters, though, hare back for the second and the throw is towards the bowler's end, where Bavuma just about gets home.