Delhi: Former South African cricket team captain Graeme Smith praised his team’s batting against Australia at Lord’s, as he has come close to winning his first ICC trophy in 27 years. The World Test Championship (WTC) now requires only 69 runs to win the final of the 2025, and South Africa’s Adon Markram (102 not out) and Temba Bavuma (65 not out) have won an unbeaten partnership of 143 runs.
Talking to the Digital Daily of ICC, Smith said, “We have seen a lot of ups and downs in this Test match. The game has been reversing again and again, and South Africa made a strong comeback after 75 runs behind in the first innings, bowled brilliantly and brought itself back in the match.”
He further said, “This has been a great batting performance, when you see such a behavior of the pitch in the first two days, your tendency always reacts on the same basis and supports that Australian pace attack.”
Smith also said that the edge of the pitch looked less on the third day. However, South Africa had to work hard to take two wickets. He appreciated the important partnership between Markram and Bavuma, which brought South Africa close to victory.
Smith said, “I had really chosen him at the beginning of the innings. I said, ‘If South Africa has to win this match, he is a player. He scored, remains aggressive and keeps the scoreboard, and he does it today. Such an opportunity when the player proves and performs, especially in the first innings, after being out on the first innings, such a game in the second innings.”
He said, “The demonstration he performed was fantastic from the beginning. Seeing his backfoot punch, he was in full mood. He and Temba will be very tired tonight tonight. He still needs 69 runs, but tonight it is necessary to celebrate a great partnership and a great century.”
Let us know that the partnership for the third wicket of Markram and Bavuma has brought South Africa into a strong position, where they are leading to win the first ICC Trophy after 1996.
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