London, June 14 (IANS) After South Africa ended 27 years of knockouts hoodoo in senior tournaments with a five-wicket win over Australia at Lord’s to win the 2025 ICC World Test Championship (WTC), opener Aiden Markram said winning the mace through his match-winning knock has made for one of the most special days.

Markram’s majestic 136 in the second innings after bagging a duck in the first innings, led the way for South Africa to chase down 282 on day four’s play and lift the ICC WTC mace for the first time and end a trophy drought stretching back to the 1998 Champions Trophy (previously known as the Knockout Trophy).

“Haven’t scored more important runs. Weird how things worked out after a duck in the first innings. Need a bit of luck, spent some time in the middle and find runs, glad things worked out. Reception will stick out. Lord’s is the place every Test cricketer wants to play. To play a final here is incredibly special. Plenty of SA fans who’ve made through, plenty at home too, it’s one of the most special days,” said Markram in the post-match presentation ceremony.

He further talked about his batting approach in the chase. “It’s always one side of the sword – to absorb, but when you look at the wicket and quality of the bowling, you have x amount of balls to face and have to try and maximise scoring off those balls. Lyon’s one of the best, have had plenty of banter, if this went to day five and it kept spinning, he’d have been a handful.”

Markram, who was named Player of the Match, also shared a 147-run stand with skipper Temba Bavuma, who made 66 despite a left hamstring strain. “To be honest, a lot of it came from him (in continuing to bat). He’s led us from the front for the last two-three years. He didn’t want to walk off the field yesterday, found a way to score really important runs, played an innings lot of people will remember,” he added.

Head coach Shukri Conrad said he was ecstatic for the guys and dedicated the championship win to everyone associated with South Africa. “To be able to deliver this is truly special. We got the best of the batting conditions. 280 was always going to be a stiff task.”

“But the two pros Aiden and Temba stood tall and took us through. I was the one who said Temba shouldn’t bat (after the hamstring injury), but the partnership was critical, and they know better than the coaches.”

–IANS

nr/ab