Former South African captain and recently inducted ICC Hall of Famer Graeme Smith has applauded South Africa as they are close to World Test Championship victory. After two days of bowlers from both sides did well, taking 28 wickets, it was the Proteas batters who stepped up against a strong Australian side to end their 27-year ICC trophy drought.

Speaking on ICC’s Digital Daily alongside Crystal Arnold, Smith said, “We’ve seen such ups and downs, ebbs and flows in this Test match. The game going back and forth, and South Africa fighting back from 75 behind in the first innings, bowling well, getting themselves back in the game.”

“It’s been an outstanding batting performance. I think your instinct always tends to lie when you’ve seen the pitch play a certain way for the first two days, your instincts are always going to back that Australian pace attack on that surface. And then today the pitch just looked like it really lost its life. And South Africa had to toil hard to get those two wickets. But in the end, what an innings from Aiden Markram, and a partnership as well (with Temba Bavuma),” he shared again.

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“Bavuma the captain came in and you just kept saying ‘extend that partnership, extend that partnership’. And that’s what they’ve done. And 69 runs to go for a World Test Championship,” he further added.

However, South Africa opener Aiden Markram took on the Australia attack and scored an important century on Day 3 of the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s as well. He, along with the captain Temba Bavuma, held their nerves in the chase. Smith also felt Markram would hold the key in the chase as well.

“I actually picked him at the start of this innings. I said, ‘If South Africa are going to go on to do this, he’s the man’ because he scores. He takes the game on and you’ll keep the scoreboard ticking all the time. And he’s certainly done that today. It’s an occasion like this to see him own it and to perform. Coming off a nought in the first innings, coming out second innings under pressure,” he stated.

“The performance that he put in, (it) was incredible to watch right from the get-go. He looked at good positions. He had one punch of the back foot. You thought, ‘Okay, the man’s here today.’ Him and Temba will be feeling drained tonight. They still have got 69 to get. But I think tonight it’s important to celebrate a great partnership and an incredible hundred,” he again shared.

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However, Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram continue taking on Australia on Day 3 with some stunning stroke play. Bavuma also scored a fifty before getting out.

“It was always important. Temba’s been I think South Africa’s most consistent batter, he’s looked in control. First over he obviously felt good, went up and over cover, and obviously battling the injury as well. And I think we mustn’t underestimate that he’s fought on through a sore hamstring, and really putting his country first and building that partnership with Markram.” he explained.

Meanwhile, Smith also kept a close eye on Australia, where their captain Pat Cummins also claimed a six-wicket haul. However, Smith believes some defensive fieldsets allowed South Africa to carry on as well.

“I think the attack did everything they could. Maybe (Nathan) Lyon could have been a touch wider into the rough a bit more. He (Australian captain Pat Cummins) had quite a defensive field at times with point back and square-leg back. And I think especially with Temba’s injury, they maybe needed to force the play a little bit when they still needed 150 runs to get. But other than that I think you have to give credit to the South Africans. I mean, I don’t want to take away from their performance, today with Aiden and Temba in particular was outstanding.”

“I think we’ve fought extremely hard over the last two to three years to really build South African cricket up again, from various people have got involved and see the team performing well on the global stage. Everyone wrote South Africa off before this game, disappointed South Africa were in the final. And now they sit on the brink of an opportunity to win that Final against a great Australian team. I think this will really lift the game again in South Africa – Temba holding the mace and what that will mean for the people back home,” Graeme Smith concluded.