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- AUS vs SA Highlights, WTC Final 2025, Day 3: Ton-up Aiden Markram shines, South Africa 213/2 at stumps, need 69 more to clinch title
AUS vs SA Highlights, WTC Final 2025, Day 3: Ton-up Aiden Markram shines, South Africa 213/2 at stumps, need 69 more to clinch title
The day began with South Africa at 43/4, and although Temba Bavuma (36) and David Bedingham (45) stitched together a brief resistance worth 64 runs, it was Australia captain Pat Cummins who stole the show. Cummins produced a remarkable spell of four wickets for one run post-lunch, dismantling South Africa for 138. He finished with 6-28 and claimed his 300th Test wicket, etching his name on the Lord’s honours board.
But Australia’s second innings soon descended into chaos. Kagiso Rabada removed Khawaja and Green in the same over, while Lungi Ngidi bowled a fiery spell that accounted for Cummins and Webster, leaving Australia tottering at 73/7.
Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc then mounted a critical eighth-wicket stand of 61. Carey’s composed 43 was vital, but he fell to Rabada just before stumps. Starc remained unbeaten on 16 and was lucky to survive when Marco Jansen dropped a sitter in the day’s final over.
Australia’s lead may already be decisive, but South Africa will believe that quick wickets on Day 3 could still keep them alive. The pitch has offered bounce and seam, but not excessively so—raising questions about batting techniques from both sides.
Earlier, Cummins’ fiery burst tore through South Africa’s lower order, claiming the final five wickets for just 12 runs. His dismissal of Bavuma, Verreynne, Jansen, and Rabada in quick succession underlined his mastery in favourable conditions. South Africa’s innings crumbled from 126/5 to 138 all out.
Australia’s approach to building on their slender first-innings lead of 74 was aggressive but flawed. Beau Webster, their first-innings top scorer, fell lbw to Ngidi, while Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith also perished without converting starts.
Despite the carnage, Australia’s 218-run advantage heading into Day 3 could prove pivotal. Yet, with just two wickets in hand, the margin for error remains slim. One more day of gripping cricket awaits before the baton passes to South Africa’s batters for the final act.
Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, On a length on leg, Aiden Markram works it behind square towards deep fine leg for a single.
Mitchell Starc to Aiden Markram, Full and on middle, Aiden Markram flicks it to mid on. Mitchell Starc looking for the magic ball, possibly. But that one didn't swing.
Mitchell Starc has been brought back on. 3-0-20-1 so far.
- Wiaan Mulder 27 (48)
- Aiden Markram 35 (46)
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Quicker and darted in, nudged towards short mid-wicket.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Flatter, around off, Mulder punches it straight back. Lyon dives to his right and collides with Markram. Immediately apologizes to the non-striker.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Short and quick outside off, 92 kph, Wiaan Mulder stays back and punches it towards cover.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, From over the wicket, tossed up delivery on off, Aiden Markram hangs back as he punches this down the ground to long on for a single.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Short and turning in a bit, on middle, Aiden Markram makes some room as he moves away and punches it off the back foot through covers. Two runs taken.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, From round the wicket, a touch short, off break on middle, Aiden Markram works it off the back foot to short mid-wicket.
- Aiden Markram 32 (43)
- Wiaan Mulder 27 (45)
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, On a length, outside off, tucked through mid-wicket for a run.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Fuller in length now, defended solidly.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, A short ball, around off, punched towards mid on.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Too straight, clipped through mid-wicket for a couple. Markram moves to 31 (40).
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, That stayed low! On a length, outside off, Markram looks to play that from the back foot but the ball shoots low and lands nearly a foot in front of the keeper. Did not miss the off stump by much.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Nearly a soft dismissal! On a length, on the middle stump line, Aiden Markram flicks it uppishly and it nearly carries to the fielder at short mid-wicket! The slip cordon has less density now with just two men manning that area.
- Wiaan Mulder 27 (45)
- Aiden Markram 29 (37)
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Bowled from a wider angle from around the stumps. Landed on a length, outside off, this is steered off the back foot to square leg.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Around the stumps now. Slides the ball across the batter, on a length. Wiaan Mulder rocks back and knocks it onto the surface.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Slows it up through the air, on middle. Mulder defends this full ball.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, FOUR! Right out of the coach's manual! Too full and outside off, Wiaan Mulder leans on it and creams the cover drive for a boundary.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, A bit too full, floated on middle, Aiden Markram pushes this down to long on for a single. This brings the 50-run stand between Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Length, on off, punched off the back foot to short cover by Aiden.
Tough situations call for a shift in mindset. Usman Khawaja is standing nearly 2 yards AHEAD of the keeper, Alex Carey, at first slip. Now, usually in cricket, the first slip stands behind the keeper and the second slip stands ahead of that first slip. So it will be a bit unusual for Carey to have someone in front of his peripheral vision. The problem for Australia is, plenty of edges have landed short of the slip cordon in the past 2 days and as far as this innings is concerned, an edge itself is a rarity.
- Wiaan Mulder 23 (41)
- Aiden Markram 28 (35)
Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Skids through the deck, on a length, at off. Wiaan Mulder blocks it solidly off the front foot.
Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Fuller and on the stumps, Wiaan Mulder flicks this towards Sam Konstas at mid-wicket.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Good length, at the stumps, Aiden Markram knocks this wide of mid on for a single.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Nagging length, outside off, punched to the off side.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, EDGED AND FOUR! Just past the first slip and the keeper. That area has been really annoying for both sides in this Test as on so many occasions, the ball has just not carried all the way through. Just around off, nibbling away from the batter on a length. Aiden Markram tries to punch this to the off side, but gets a thick healthy outside edge. However, luckily for him, the ball does not carry to the keeper, Alex Carey, and dips low between the first slip where Usman Khawaja is stationed, and the keeper. Carey dives to his right but does not lay any hand on it and the ball trickles behind to the boundary.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Hard length, outside off, jagging back in. Aiden Markram firmly punches this off the back foot. Hares back for the second as the ball trickles towards deep backward point.
DRINKS BREAK. Excellent hour for South Africa. With the conditions firmly in their favour, they have nearly made full use of the same. Their only complaint would be the gift offered by Ryan Rickelton, who threw his wicket away. The ball has barely swung and the fact that it took 11 overs for the experienced 4-man legendary attack to string a maiden shows the positivity from the batters. It is damage control for Cummins now, as he has kept an in-out field. After leaking 39 in the first 7 overs, the Aussies have managed to peg back the scoring a bit, conceding only 12 in the last 6. We have seen an instance or two of the ball staying low, but apart from that, these are perfect batting conditions and Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder are laying down a wonderful platform for a famous win. It will be interesting to see the body language of the Aussies if they continue to struggle for wickets. Meanwhile, Sam Konstas is on the park at the moment, for Josh Hazlewood.
- Wiaan Mulder 23 (39)
- Aiden Markram 21 (31)
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, On the stumps, full and flat, 92 kph, Wiaan Mulder gets right behind the line to defend it out.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Gives some revolutions to the ball now, does Lyon, full and outside off. Aiden Markram works this gently past mid on for a single.
Starc's impressive 58* from 136 meant that Australia were bowled out for 2017 in the second innigs.
South Africa need to chase down a huge ask of 282 if they are to put an end to their 27-year trophy drought in ICC competitions.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Flat and quick, on a length, spinning into the batter. Punched by Markram back to the bowler.
Nathan Lyon to Aiden Markram, Pulls the length back, drifting onto the pads, Aiden Markram hangs back and tucks it to backward square leg.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, FIFTY UP FOR SOUTH AFRICA! In just 12.2 overs! Slower through the air, full and on off, Wiaan Mulder leans on it and eases it out to the cover region for a quick single.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Nice and full. tossed up around off, Wiaan Mulder defends it on the front foot.
True to its nature, Day 3 has turned out to be a brilliant day for batting at Lord's. As per the on-air broadcasters, the false shot percentage today has been recorded as 13 percent so far, as compared to 25 on Day 1 and 23 on Day 2. We have to remember that for a majority part of the day today, the Aussie tail has batted and still the False Shot percentage is low. It's a sign that conditions have eased out significantly. The South African batters have indeed spotted it and accordingly taken advantage of the conditions, having scored runs at over 4.
- Aiden Markram 20 (28)
- Wiaan Mulder 22 (36)
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Length, outside off, dabbed late by Markram to the gully region.
Pat Cummins to Wiaan Mulder, Length ball, on the pads. Wiaan Mulder misses to tuck it across and the ball rolls off the thigh pad to the square leg region. They get a leg bye.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Whoa, had to really hurry there! Full from Cummins, around off. Aiden Markram drives this wide of mid off and sets off for a single straightaway. A clean work there from Nathan Lyon as he swiftly moves to his left, picks the ball and releases it instantly at the bowling end. The skates are on for Markram as Lyon misses to score a direct hit. The batter drags the bat to get home.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Goes fuller, does Patrick, aiming the off peg. Aiden Markram presses forward and solidly defends it out.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Much closer to the stumps, nagging length. Aiden Markram responds again with that backfoot block.
Pat Cummins to Aiden Markram, Back of a length, just around off. Aiden Markram gets on the back foot and punches this straight back to the bowler.
Cummins from this end now? Indeed. 2-0-11-0 so far for the skipper.
- Wiaan Mulder 22 (35)
- Aiden Markram 19 (23)
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Shortish on off, Wiaan Mulder eases it back to the bowler. And finally, Australia have their first maiden of the 4th innings, in the 11th over.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, On a length, around off, punched off the back foot to mid-wicket.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, BEAUTY! How, has that missed the off stump? Touch full and spins sharply back into the batter from around off. Wiaan Mulder gets forward to play a casual on drive, with the spin, but plays this over the wrong line. The ball goes close to the inside edge and passes scaringly past the off stump.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Drags the length back now, does Lyon, on middle. Wiaan Mulder steers this to the square leg region.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Tossed up, fuller and just around off. Wiaan Mulder leans on with a huge stride to block it.
Nathan Lyon to Wiaan Mulder, Starts off with a length ball, does 'Garry', on off, and staying a tad low. Wiaan Mulder rocks back and stabs it back to the bowler.
South Africa were bowled out for 138 in their first innings, undone by a devastating spell from Pat Cummins, who claimed 6-28 to reach 300 Test wickets and earn a place on the Lord’s honours board. Only Temba Bavuma (36) and David Bedingham (45) offered resistance.
Australia’s second innings mirrored the chaos, as Kagiso Rabada (3-44) and Lungi Ngidi (3-35) tore through the top and middle order to reduce them to 73/7. However, Alex Carey (43) and Mitchell Starc (16*) mounted a fightback, adding 61 valuable runs for the eighth wicket.
Carey fell late to Rabada, but Starc survived a drop in the final over to keep Australia’s hopes alive.
With South Africa needing early wickets on Day 3 and Australia looking to stretch their lead beyond 250, the match remains delicately poised—even as the finale inches closer than expected.
Match Statistics
Venue
Lord's Cricket Ground, London
