Markram Achieves Milestone as First South African to Score Century in Fourth Innings at Lord’s

LONDON: During the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, South Africa’s Aiden Markram etched his name in cricket history at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Friday.

The proficient right-handed opener, after a disappointing six-ball duck in the initial innings, demonstrated resilience and skill by scoring a remarkable century. This feat places him alongside Australian players Travis Head and Steve Smith as the only batters to achieve a century in a WTC final.

Notably, Head and Smith both reached this milestone in the first innings of the WTC 2021-25 final when playing against India.

Head was the first player to score a century in a WTC final, with Smith soon following suit.

List of Century Makers in WTC Finals:
  • Travis Head (AUS): 163 off 174 balls, vs India 2023
  • Steve Smith (AUS): 121 off 268 balls, vs India 2023
  • Aiden Markram (SA): 102* off 155 balls, vs Australia 2025

It’s worth mentioning that the inaugural WTC cycle final in 2023, between India and New Zealand, saw lower scores, with Devon Conway’s 54 in the first innings as the highest individual score.

Furthermore, Aiden Markram has now become the first South African batsman to record a century in the fourth innings of a Test match at Lord’s. Since Michael Clarke’s century in 2009, his century marks the first by an overseas batter in the fourth innings of a Test at this iconic venue.

Markram’s impressive century, along with Temba Bavuma’s solid half-century, has placed South Africa in a dominant position after the third day of the WTC final against Australia. They now require only 69 runs to secure their first ICC title since 1998.