Aiden Markram’s superb unbeaten-century has put South Africa on the cusp of a dramatic triumph in the World Test Championship final against Australia after decades of heartbreak in major tournaments.

At the close of the third day at Lord’s, South Africa were 213 for 2 in their second innings — needing just 69 runs to win, with eight wickets still in hand.

Markram, dismissed for a duck in the first innings, stood firm on 102 not out, while South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma was unbeaten on 65, battling through a hamstring injury. The pair have put together an unbroken 143-run partnership in their quest for what would be the second-highest successful chase in a Test match at Lord’s