South Africa finally bury demons with WTC mauling of Australia at Lord’s

Piers Morgan was among those jumping on the bandwagon as South Africa trounced Australia in the World Test Championship final.

South Africa has routed Australia by five wickets to claim a famous, breakthrough World Test Championship title at Lord’s.

Pat Cummins’ team came into the match as heavy favourites, but serious question marks will now be asked about his ageing side as the Proteas eagerly snatched the WTC Mace from the defending champions.

Resuming on 2/213 in their second innings on Saturday, needing just 69 runs to win, South Africa lost skipper Temba Bavuma (66) early in the day but still had few troubles chasing down the 282-run total in a momentous win for the perennial bridesmaids.

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Opener Aiden Markram’s (136) match-winning knock ended with just six runs required, but South Africa still marched to the biggest title in their long cricketing history.

Australia’s Steve Smith, sidelined by a gruesome finger injury for the final day, is still in imperious form at the age of 36.

But the heavy defeat means fellow veterans Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja will now be under even more scrutiny, with the likes of Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis waiting in the wings.

Kyle Verreynne (left) celebrates hitting the winning runs. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Aiden Markram (right) and Temba Bavuma set up the victory on day three. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Marnus Labuschagne’s shot at opening the batting yielded few results. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Immense talent Cameron Green was also rushed back into the Test side after a long lay-off and managed just four and then a duck at No. 3, a position he had never played before.

Labuschagne returned scores of 17 and 22 in his first crack as an opener, with some of the positional choices from the Australian selectors curious at best or downright disastrous with the benefit of hindsight.

Smith, Travis Head, keeper Alex Carey and the largely still performing bowling attack appear safe for now, although spinning great Nathan Lyon had no impact in this Test match.

But with a two-Test tour of the West Indies commencing in just 11 days, and a huge home Ashes series racing up on the schedule, it’s surely now overdue for tough calls to be made following a sensational period under Cummins’ leadership.

Markram’s superb ton on Friday left South Africa on the brink of ending decades of heartbreak in major tournaments.

As batting finally became easier over days three and four, Australia was made to pay for its second innings top order collapse.

Outspoken Englishman Piers Morgan, who has regularly thrown his toys out of the cot over this Aussie side, tweeted early on Saturday: “For the next 2 hours, I am South African.”

It seemed many in world cricket shared similar sentiments as South Africa narrowed in on its first major title since the 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy.

After the result was secure, Morgan added: “I love watching Australia lose at cricket, but I have to say they’re very gracious losers.”

Cummins, who took 6/28 in the first innings, finally snapped the 147-run third wicket partnership early on day four when Bavuma’s regulation edge was caught by Carey.

“They needed an early one, they’ve got an early one, who else but Pat Cummins,” Nasser Hussain said on Prime Video.

Matthew Hayden added: “What a wonderful bowler he is Pat Cummins, his 301st Test wicket.

“Could that be the door (opening).

Piers Morgan jumped on the South African bandwagon. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

“A big South African crowd, but let me tell you there are some nerves about.”

That door remained firmly shut, however, with the South Africans offering few chances as they casually, assuredly chased down the second highest winning total in Lord’s history.

There were a few more nerves when Mitchell Starc bowled Tristan Stubbs (8) with 41 runs still required, but with Markram in full control, the result was never really in doubt.

South Africa has a history of blowing its lines in the biggest moments.

The most famous was perhaps Herschelle Gibbs’ premature celebration when he spilled a ball after catching Steve Waugh at the 1999 One Day World Cup.

Waugh went on to score a century and Australia would win the tournament, one of six 50-over World Cups in Australia’s keeping, including 2023.

The baggy green brigade also won the 2023 World Test Championship and the 2021 T20 World Cup in another period of sustained success.

A screengrab of Herschelle Gibbs’ infamous 1999 drop. Photo: Fox Sports

Before Steve Waugh’s Aussies ultimately won the title. Photo: AFP

The Proteas, meanwhile, had been persistent chokers in the biggest moments, including blowing a winning position against India in the T20 World Cup decider last year.

South Africa’s women’s side also fell short in the final of both the 2023 and 2024 T20 World Cups to add to the heartbreak.

“It’s not just that they’ve never won one,” Mel Jones said during the first session on Prime Video.

“They’ve been in so many commanding positions, year after year, in such a wide range of events, from the Champions Trophy to the 50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup.

“Apologies to the South Africans listening, I don’t want to take you down a horrendous trail, but I think this is why so many have come today, it’s history in the making.

Dejected South Africans following the 2024 T20 World Cup final loss to India. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

“I reckon there’s even some Aussies there going ‘we wouldn’t mind’.”

We’re not so sure about that one, Mel, Aussie cricket fans are greedy and pretty accustomed to success.

But this South African team under coach Shukri Conrad and diminutive, combative skipper Bavuma, finally has its crowning moment.

Some of their fans and the broader cricketing world was struggling to know how to react.

One wrote on X: “Still can’t believe my eyes, Australia losing an ICC final. Never imagined it and it seems everyone wants South Africa to win except the Australians.”

Another said: “Am I watching the Proteas right now, am I witnessing the end of potential and promise become realised at long aching last?!”

A graphic showing South Africa's struggles before today. Photo: Prime Video

A third wrote: “This time for Africaaaaa.”

A fourth said: “South Africa on verge of creating history! After 26 long years, with so many heartbreaks in between, SA are going to lift an ICC Trophy. Entire world would be happy for them barring Australia.”

Another said: “I want South Africa to win the final comfortably, man — this time, just for South Africa.”

It was South Africa’s day and Test match at Lord’s, while from an Australian perspective, the shock defeat means a period of soul-searching and some tough calls must surely now commence.

Originally published as South Africa finally bury demons with WTC mauling of Australia at Lord’s