Australia

Seales and Joseph take nine wickets before Australia stage mini recovery by restricting West Indies to 57-4 at stumps.

In a performance reminiscent of West Indies’ fearsome bowling attacks of old, Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph tore through the Australia batting lineup, toppling them for a meagre 180 on day one of the first Test at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Mitchell Starc, skipper Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood saved Australia’s blushes, taking four wickets between them to send the West Indies in at stumps at 57 for four, trailing the tourists by 123 runs to leave the match delicately poised on Wednesday.

With Seales claiming a magnificent five-wicket haul and Joseph unleashing thunderbolts that left Australia’s batsmen floundering, the visitors never recovered from a catastrophic start that saw them reeling at 22 for three on a lively pitch.

“This one was pretty special for me,” Seales said.

“I have played against [Australia] once, and was injured. To play against them and get five on the first day was pretty special.

“With the new ball, the plan was to bowl fuller. We knew the batters would come hard if we gave them width, and the plan was to bowl full and as much at the stumps as possible.

“A little slower than what the Australians would have expected, and that made them play a lot more.

“Shamar was special today … He has a love for Australia. He got through the top order and made it easy for us in the middle and at the end.”

Australia, already vulnerable with Steve Smith sidelined by injury and Marnus Labuschagne axed, watched in dismay as their re-jigged top order wilted under relentless pressure from the Caribbean quicks.

Joseph got the Bridgetown carnival started in the fourth over when he trapped teenage debutant Sam Konstas leg before wicket after a review.

The 25-year-old then delivered a scorching delivery that all-rounder Cameron Green could only edge to Justin Greaves at second slip.

Seales then joined the party, coaxing a thick top edge from Josh Inglis that sent him trudging back to the pavilion for five, completing Australia’s horror start.

Veteran Usman Khawaja and Travis Head briefly stemmed the tide with an 89-run partnership, but Joseph struck again at the perfect moment, removing Khawaja for 47 – agonisingly short of his half-century – and extinguishing Australian hopes of a recovery.

The middle order offered little resistance, with Beau Webster (11) and Alex Carey (8) falling cheaply before Greaves claimed the prize scalp of Head for 59, caught behind.

Captain Pat Cummins (28) provided the only lower-order resistance before Seales returned to sweep through the tail, completing his five-wicket masterclass and leaving Australia to contemplate the wreckage of their innings.

West Indies would have fancied their chances at that point, but Starc had other plans, snapping up the wickets of Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell in an action-packed opening spell.

Cummins then had Keacy Carty caught behind on 20 before Hazlewood bowled nightwatchman Jomel Warrican out for a duck, as the Barbadian sun set on an exhilarating day of Test cricket dominated by pace.

Teenage opener Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis were recalled in their place, but they scored just three and five respectably as the tourists slipped to 22-3.

Head put on 89 runs for the fourth wicket with Khawaja, who was dropped twice before he became Joseph’s third victim of the day.

Joseph, the hero for West Indies in their famous win in Brisbane 18 months ago, then produced a beauty of a delivery that clean bowled Webster as he ended with figures of 4-46.

Head’s resistance ended when he was caught behind off the bowling of Justin Greaves, before Seales wrapped up the tail to finish with 5-60.

West Indies, seeking a first home Test win over Australia for 22 years, made a poor start to their reply when Starc removed openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell in successive overs.

Cummins then had Keacy Carty caught behind, before Hazlewood bowled nightwatchman Jomel Warrican in the space of six balls shortly before stumps.

KANYE West has resorted to paying wife Bianca Censori to wear her head-turning outfits, a source close to the couple has told The U.S. Sun. 

Bianca, 30, is never shy and has continually shocked onlookers with her barely-there outfits.

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BUSINESS PROPOSITION

But when she stepped out in New York City at the weekend in a scarcely believable candy bra and thong set paired with silver stilettos, Bianca took her wild wardrobe to the next level.

An insider, however, has told The U.S. Sun said that the controversial rapper’s “obsession” with outfit ideas for his wife has forced him to fork out up to $400,000 to make it all happen. 

The sugary set ended up costing Kanye $100,000, per the source. 

The source claimed the idea was pitched earlier in the week and Bianca refused point-blank unless her husband paid up.

Ye, added the insider, is dressing her up in the most extravagant outfits to not only keep his “edgy persona” firmly in the public eye, but to make sure everyone thinks “she’s the sexiest woman alive.”

It’s not the first time Bianca’s body has doubled as a billboard.

Last week in Los Angeles, she strutted through the streets in a sheer nude bodysuit with no bra and furry white boots. 

The outfit left little to the imagination—and jaws on the floor.

“Bianca has figured out how to turn all this into her advantage,” the source told The U.S. Sun. “A lot of the outfits aren’t to her taste. But she tells him she will wear them – if she’s paid.”

PAY TO PLAY

Kanye was reportedly upset initially but is now happy to oblige.

He allegedly wanted to offer his wife of two years a yearly salary. 

But the Australian born beauty prefers to be paid on a “per look or event” basis.

“She’s essentially monetizing her image,” added the source who believes she has made almost $3 million since the arrangement started and was paid $120,000 to join her husband in a naked dress at the Grammys in February.

Bianca allegedly draws the line at anything political and some ideas have been turned down.

She doesn’t want to be tied to some of the distasteful social media posts which have effectively seen Kanye cancelled in most parts of the world.

There was an alleged attempt to wear something with a political message tied to his disgraced friend Sean “Diddy” Combs – but it was shut down immediately.

But the 30 year-old knows just how valuable she is to keeping him relevant and in the spotlight. 

“She knows she’s essential to his image,” the source continued. “She wants her slice of the cake. She’s being smart about it.”

The U.S. Sun revealed in April that Bianca was being approached by numerous fashion houses to work in ambassadorial roles, only for the advances to be knocked back by Kanye. 

And we also disclosed earlier this month that she officially launched her first U.S. company, Bianca Censori Inc.

The paperwork was filed in California, but Bianca registered her full name as a business entity in her hometown of Alphington, one of Melbourne’s wealthiest suburbs.

“She knows exactly what she’s doing,” a second insider says. “She’s turning every outfit into a paycheck. Kanye’s obsessed with styling her, but she’s the one calling the shots. 

“Bianca is a celebrity in her own right now. The truth is he needs her. Without her bold looks and presence, people wouldn’t pay nearly as much attention to him. 

“She is in control and making serious money doing it.”

The U.S. Sun contacted a representative for Kanye and Bianca.

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WAILUKU, Hawaii — The Rams returned to Southern California nearly a decade ago intent on capturing the heart of NFL fans in Los Angeles.

Now, with two Super Bowl appearances, one championship and a still glistening-like SoFi Stadium, they have their eyes set on a larger territory: the world.

The Rams’ trip to Maui last week for a minicamp was their latest foray into building a global brand.

“In the journey to growing your brand globally, there’s never an ‘Aha, this is a perfect moment,’” Rams president Kevin Demoff said as he stood on the field at War Memorial Stadium after a workout attended by several thousand fans. “But I think this is a great step.”

The Rams’ reach is expanding well beyond the United States.

As part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, the Rams in the last decade were granted rights in Mexico, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

In February, the NFL announced that the Rams in 2026 would be the home team for the first NFL regular-season game in Australia. The game against a still-to-be determined opponent will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

On Thursday, Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner, offensive lineman Steve Avila and tight end Davis Allen left Hawaii to travel to Melbourne for a family-friendly fan combine that was expected to draw thousands at Margaret Court Arena.

“While many many people travel to L.A. and we have many of our international fans come to a game at SoFi every year, putting it in somebody’s backyard makes it that much more accessible,” said Stephanie Cheng, the Rams’ head of international and special projects.

The Rams have sent ambassadors abroad before. Former running backs Steven Jackson and Todd Gurley made trips, and former safety Nick Scott accompanied the Super Bowl LVI trophy on a tour of Australia and Mexico.

Last March, safety Quentin Lake visited Japan. Though he was not there in an official capacity with the Rams, the fourth-year pro attended fashion week, an Ohtani-crazed Dodgers game against the Cubs and participated in other cultural activities.

Lake’s father, Carnell, a former NFL safety, played a 1996 exhibition game for the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Chargers at the Tokyo Dome.

During Lake’s own trip, he worked out with Tokyo University defensive backs.

“You would think in Japan, they don’t know football over there,” Lake said. “But they were doing drills and I was genuinely impressed. They’re playing football there in pads and helmets and I was like, this is insane. … That really gave me an appreciation that football is expanding.”

Rams safety Quentin Lake recently got a taste of how popular football is in Japan.

(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)

Jamison Collier, who describes herself as “just a super fan,” serves on the Rams’ fan council in Australia.

Collier’s husband, Zachariah Sepulveda, grew up in Orange County, “so his whole family supports the Rams,” she said.

The couple played together on a mixed rugby team. But one day, after seeing a team playing American football, Sepulveda decided he wanted to play. After one season, he encouraged his wife to try a training session.

“I was hooked,” she said.

Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata, an Australian who grew up playing rugby, made it to the NFL through the league’s International Player Pathway Program. Now, he is a Super Bowl champion.

The Rams’ scheduled game in Australia has created new fans, Collier said.

“Having Jordan Mailata play for the Philadelphia Eagles was a great way for the league to get exposure in Australia,” Collier said. “But the Rams have really capitalized on that by being, ‘Oh, well, look at that, we’re going to come play.’

“So people that were kind of just getting their foot in the door of watching the game have gone, ‘OK, well I don’t have a team. The Rams are coming. They’re my team,’ which is how a lot of people tend to get into a team. Over here, it’s one that’s close to your home, or the first game you go to.”

The Rams are not the only team expanding their brand in Australia. The Eagles, the Seattle Seahawks and the Las Vegas Raiders also have marketing rights.

Charlotte Offord, general manager of NFL Australia and New Zealand, said the NFL fan base has grown from 5.7 million to 7.5 million in nearly three years.

The Rams were the first team to open the market, and have grown it through player appearances, social media channels, books, watch parties, flag football and cheerleading clinics.

“Australian fans love sports so much, but they want the authentic product,” Offord said. “And so it’s not about an Australian talking about the Rams to another Australian. They want an American voice. They want the authentic players, the real players… which really brings to life the Rams brand.”

By setting up a Super Bowl watch party in Australia a few years ago, and then winning the game, the Rams “couldn’t have asked for a better entry into the market,” said Lucas Barclay, vice president and general manager of the 160over90 agency that helps market the Rams.

And Los Angeles as the “gateway” to the United States for Australians taking direct flights also gives the Rams an advantage, he said.

“The majority of people fly through L.A.,” he said, “and therefore L.A.’s become known as that team, that if you’re going to an NFL game or want to start to discover or uncover the NFL, then the Rams themselves are the team to do it.”

As the Rams prepare for their 10th season in L.A. since returning, they are anticipating another potential Super Bowl run.

Demoff noted that the fans who wore Rams T-shirts and jerseys as 5-year-olds in 2016 are now teenagers. In 10 years, those fans could be season-ticket holders to see the Rams play at a stadium that will also host the World Cup next year and the 2028 Olympics.

“I don’t think you look at the first decade and say, ‘Check, we did that,’” Demoff said. “We’ve had amazing growth, and when I look at all our metrics in terms of fandom and growth, I would say they’re certainly where we had hoped they would be.

“But I still think we can push for more.”

Locally and globally.

The goal is to be “the world’s team,” Demoff said.

“To be truly part of Los Angeles, you have to be part of the globe,” he said. “And as we’ve looked at our international efforts, we’re excited about the foothold and what we’re trying to gain, but there’s a lot more work to do.”

“I watched the game again last week and I walked a lot of that game.

“I wasn’t actually that good, I didn’t have too many involvements – it was probably my third professional game.

“I wanted to look at what the atmosphere was like, how I was as a player then, how I have changed and improved, and just take it in as an experience because I know in a few weeks that is coming.”

Skelton, who moved to La Rochelle from Saracens in 2020, is the only overseas-based player in Australia’s squad for their warm-up Test against Fiji on 6 July.

Standing 6ft 8in tall and weighing nearly 23 stone, Skelton was asked whether his power could be a way for the Wallabies to get on top of the Lions forward pack.

“I will just try and be myself,” he added.

“They have some great players, but we have also got some weapons in this team.

“It is about trying to fulfil that as best we can come those big games.

Australia have dropped Marnus Labuschagne for their opening Test against the West Indies with Steve Smith also missing through injury.

In their places, teenage opener Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis come in for the series opener in Barbados, which starts on 25 June.

Labuschagne opened the batting for Australia in their World Test Championship final defeat by South Africa last week but finished with scores of 17 and 22 to continue his lean spell.

The 30-year-old has not made a Test hundred since the fourth Ashes Test of 2023.

“Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team. He understands his output hasn’t been at the level we, or he, expects,” said selection chair George Bailey.

“We will continue working with him on the areas of his game we feel he needs to rediscover. We continue to value his skill and expect him to work through the challenge positively.”

Smith, meanwhile, dislocated his right little finger on day three of the final at Lord’s.

Though he has avoided surgery and travelled to the Caribbean, he must wear a splint for up to eight weeks but could return for the second Test in Grenada in July.

“Steve needs more time for the wound to heal so we’ll give him another week’s rest and assess his functionality after that,” Bailey said.

“We have made the decision to give Josh and Sam the opportunity to replace Steve and Marnus. We are excited to see them get the chance to further their fledgling Test careers.

“In his only opportunity in Test cricket to date, Josh was outstanding in Sri Lanka, showing great intent and ability to put pressure on the opposition.”

CAPTAIN COOK’S ship, HMS Endeavour, which the adventurer used to explore Australia, has been identified after a 250 year long mystery.

The vessel was the first European ship to reach Eastern Australia, in 1770, and went on to circumnavigate the main islands of New Zealand.

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It was then sold, renamed the Lord Sandwich and was last seen in the US in 1778, during the American War of Independence.

During the war, the ship was scuttled (intentionally sunk) to create a blockade to prevent French ships from entering the harbour and supporting the American forces. 

And it has now been confirmed that a shipwreck off Newport Harbour, Rhode Island, USA, called RI 2394, is in fact the HMS Endeavour.

In a new report the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) announced the verdict, after 25 years of studying the wreck.

“This final report is the culmination of 25 years of detailed and meticulous archaeological study on this important vessel”, said museum director Daryl Karp.

“It has involved underwater investigation in the US and extensive research in institutions across the globe.”

“This final report marks our definitive statement on the project.”

The ship was hard to identify because anything that would have been of value, such as a bell, would have been stripped from the boat before it was intentionally sunk.

However, experts were able to determine that the shipwreck is the lost ship by comparing it with plans for the Endeavour.

For example, they discovered timbers which matched with the placement of the main and fore masts of the ship.

Additionally, measurements from the wreck corresponded to those taken during a 1768 survey of the ship.

Analysis of the ship’s wood also revealed that it had come from Europe, which is consistent with records show that the Endeavour was repaired there in 1776.

ANMM archaeologist, Kieran Hosty, said: “We’ll never find anything on this site that screams Endeavour. You’ll never find a sign saying ‘Cook was here’. 

“We will never see a ship’s bell with Endeavour crossed out and Lord Sandwich inscribed on it.

“We’ve got a whole series of things pointing to RI 2394 as being HMB Endeavour. 

“The timbers are British timbers. 

“The size of all the timber scantlings are almost identical to Endeavour, and I’m talking within millimetres – not inches, but millimetres. 

“The stem scarf is identical, absolutely identical. 

“This stem scarf is also a very unique feature – we’ve gone through a whole bunch of 18th-century ships plans, and we can’t find anything else like it.”

However, the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project previously said the identification is “premature” and has not yet ruled out that the Endeavour could be another shipwreck .

Only 15 percent of the ship remains and researchers are now focused on what to do to preserve it.

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South Africa end their wait for one of the major ICC titles by beating Australia by five wickets in the WTC final.

South Africa have secured their first major title by beating defending champions Australia by five wickets in the final of the World Test Championship at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

The Proteas knocked off the remaining 29 runs they needed before lunch on Saturday – sealing the win with more than a day and a half to spare, and sparking emotional celebrations in front of a packed crowd.

They moved from a portentous 213-2 overnight to 282-5, the second-highest successful run chase in the 141-year Rest history at the self-proclaimed home of cricket.

Australia did not give up the WTC mace easily, relentlessly attacking the stumps and pressuring a South Africa side with an infamous history of blowing winning positions on big ICC stages.

But South Africa was staunch and composed, only three boundaries in more than two hours, and lost only three wickets on Saturday in an air of inevitability.

“We’ve come a long way as a team, as a country,” an emotional Keshav Maharaj said. “We always say we want to be good people and play good. We’re moving in the right direction as a cricketing nation.

Referencing South Africa’s last title of any kind, the 1998 ICC Champions Trophy, Maharaj fought back tears in adding, “After 27 years of pain, to finally get over the line is super emotional. We’re so grateful to have Temba (Bavuma, captain) to get us over the line.

“Diversity is our strength, so to see the crowd, they stand for the meaning of our rainbow nation. To lift the trophy is going to unite the nation even more.”

The desperate Australians used up all of their three reviews in vain within the first 90 minutes, but fought to the end. They took the new ball but were still blunted by a flat pitch.

Markram was the colossus Australia could not topple until it was too late.

The opener resumed the day on 102 and was out for 136 when only six more runs were needed. He spent six hours, 23 minutes in the middle.

About 15 minutes later, Kyle Verreynne broke the tension by hitting the winning run, a drive into the covers.

Markram and captain Temba Bavuma set up the victory with an unbeaten and chanceless partnership of 143 runs the day before. They could not finish what they started, adding only four runs together before Bavuma edged Pat Cummins behind for 66, one more than he had overnight.

Tristan Stubbs was castled on 8 by Mitchell Starc with 41 runs needed and South Africa was too close to the finish to be denied.

But Markram could not have the pleasure himself. With six runs needed to win, he was caught at midwicket by Travis Head off Josh Hazlewood.

Australia did not celebrate. Instead, players slapped Markram on the back and congratulated him on his match-winning knock as the Lord’s crowd stood and applauded.

They stood again when the end finally came, a rout of red-hot Australia with five sessions to spare.

South Africa’s history on the ICC’s biggest stages has been infamously cruel. The venues and dates of their most heart-breaking losses include Birmingham 1999, Dhaka 2011, Auckland 2015, Kolkata 2023 and Bridgetown 2024.

But London 2025 will go down as one of the greatest days in South African sport, when its cricket underdogs grabbed the advantage and did not let go against one of the great Australia Test sides to seal the title that ranks alongside the ICC’s Cricket World Cup and the T20 World Cup.

South Africa were criticised before the final for its supposedly easier road — it did not face Australia or England in a series in the 2023-2025 WTC cycle — but it has won eight straight tests, its second-longest streak in history, and half of them away from home.

Well-oiled South African fans had filtered out of Lord’s yesterday evening buoyantly going through their repertoire of songs after a blissful day of batting.

They shuffled through the gates on the fourth day decidedly more sombre, with the sobering reality there was still 69 runs to get.

Ashwell Prince, South Africa’s batting coach, acknowledged getting some sleep before Saturday’s date with destiny might prove difficult for their players.

So, almost inevitably, there were some sweaty palms and a few jitters. At least until the runs required trickled down to single figures when consternation turned to celebration.

There were audible gasps when Cummins’ eighth ball of the morning skidded through low completely deceiving Markram.

Then four deliveries later Bavuma dabbled at one which Cummins got to seam away and edged into the gloves of wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Australia couldn’t do this, could they?

Bavuma, who played the majority of his innings limping with a hamstring twang, hobbled off. It was an appropriate metaphor for the rest of the chase.

Markram did provide flashes of aggression – cutting and pulling Cummins for four to raucous encouragement – before another Starc reality check.

Stubbs’ footwork had looked suspect to the Aussie left-arm quick round the wicket but and he bowled by a one which nipped back through his defensive prod and pad to hit the top of off.

Next ball Bedingham played and missed at a peach of a delivery from Starc which nipped away and narrowly avoided the edge of his bat.

For a few moments, the tension was palpable.

Having burned both their remaining reviews – a potential caught behind off Stubbs’ glove and flimsy lbw appeal against Bedingham – Cummins left himself no wriggle room in the event of some late drama.

But when the dependable Bedingham – South Africa’s top scorer in the first innings – settled in his rhythm alongside the ice-cool Markram the game was up for the Aussies.

Markram whipped Josh Hazlewood for four then did the same next ball for three to bring the amount needed down to single figures.

Sadly, Markram missed his opportunity to provide the champagne moment when he whipped one off his pads to Head, who barely celebrated.

Australia’s players practically to a man came to shake his hand and Markram departed to a standing ovation.

It would have annoyed Makram for a fleeting moment but soon South Africa’s players were errupting in celebration on the balcony in the home dressing room.

Verreynne fluffed a ramp – UltraEdge showing he had in fact got some bat on it – before he delivered the winning moment in a more orthodox fashion on the drive.

They are chokers no more.

Hobbling captain Temba Bavuma and hundred-hitter Aiden Markram pushed South Africa to the brink of a sensational victory over Australia in a gripping World Test Championship final at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

Bavuma, elevating the drama with a strained left hamstring, and opener Markram capitalised on ideal batting conditions on Friday.

They partnered for an unbroken 143 runs against one of Australia’s greatest bowling attacks to have South Africa 69 runs from an historic triumph.

Chasing 282 to win, the Proteas were 213-2 at stumps on Day Three in a stirring bid to win a first ICC trophy in 27 years.

Bavuma was 65 not out from 121 balls, his running restricted but not his batting technique, and Markram was 102 not out from 159, easily the highest individual score of the final.

Defending champion Australia bombarded them with four of its top-10 all-time test wicket-takers – more than 1,500 wickets in total – but they were not able to part the Proteas pair, and hardly troubled them.

In South Africa’s huge favour, the Day Three pitch flattened, offered the bowlers little and was far easier paced than the first two chaotic days, when 14 wickets fell on each. Only four wickets were taken on Friday, and none after tea.

South Africa will not go to bed entirely comfortably, though. The men’s team has a heartbreaking history in ICC tournaments of blowing winning positions. It is the reason its only ICC trophy is the ICC Knock Out in 1998.

“This would be massive for our country,” Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince said. “Both in terms of what we want to do in test match cricket and what we want to achieve going forward. We’ve fallen short in some white-ball competitions with teams that have been favourites at times. History says we haven’t done it yet, so we have to knuckle down.

“Not sure how I’m going to sleep tonight. Whether I can fall into a deep sleep, I’m not sure!”

It is certain serial champion Australia still believes, too.

“In the morning, we’ve got to come back and try and form a plan,” Beau Webster said. “The boys will be looking at any advantage we can get. Strange things happen in this game.

“We tried some new things with the bowling attack, but they were just too good in the end … and both of them were chanceless, so complete credit to them.”

The odds were in Australia’s favour when South Africa’s chase began straight after lunch.

To win, a work-in-progress batting lineup needed to equal England’s most successful-ever run chase at Lord’s from 2004.

By the time pacer Mitchell Starc removed Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder, South Africa was 70-2, but flying.

There was positive intent missing from the first innings, and the strike was rotated constantly. Australia managed only three maidens in 56 overs, all by spinner Nathan Lyon.

Starc could have reduced South Africa to 76-3 when Bavuma, on 2, thick-edged to first slip.

But a helmeted Steve Smith, standing closer than usual to the wickets because the ball has not been carrying to the cordon all game, could not hold Starc’s 138 km/h delivery and broke his right pinkie finger. He immediately left for a hospital, was out of the final and probably the following three-test tour of the West Indies.

Given life, Bavuma was on 9 when he hurt his hamstring 10 minutes before tea. Prince said he was adamant about continuing, but noticeably limping. The captain soothed his dressing room with pulls and sweeps and hobbled runs, each one rousing the South Africa fans. Bavuma reached his 50 off 83 balls.

Meanwhile, Markram was cutting and driving to 50 off 69 balls. The best of his 11 boundaries was a late cut off Starc expertly sliced between two fielders. His reaction to his eighth test century five minutes from stumps was muted. He had enough strength to raise his bat to all sides and receive applause and a hug from his captain.

South Africa’s celebratory end to Friday the 13th contrasted starkly with the deflating start to the day.

The Proteas would have expected to begin the chase by bowling out Australia, resuming on 144-8, half an hour after the start of play. Lyon was dismissed early and gave Kagiso Rabada his ninth wicket of the match, but tailenders Starc and Josh Hazlewood resisted for almost two hours.

Starc achieved his 11th test fifty, and first in six years. He and Hazlewood’s third 50-plus partnership for the 10th wicket tied the all-time test record.

The stand ended on 59, Hazlewood out for 17 to part-timer Markram. Starc was not out on 58 from 136 balls. He had entered at 73-7, when Australia led by 147, and combined mainly with Alex Carey and Hazlewood to conjure 134 more runs.

Those runs and South Africa’s 20 no balls appeared to put Australia beyond reach. But Bavuma and Markram had the confidence and the pitch to defy nearly all expectations.

The scale of the challenge facing South Africa when they began their innings was not quite the summit of Everest, but it certainly felt a fair way above base camp.

At the start of their innings, WinViz gave South Africa a 38% chance of pulling off the joint second-highest successful chase for a Test match at Lord’s.

England chased down the same target against New Zealand – for the loss of three wickets – in 2004 while West Indies managed a nine-wicket victory against England in 1984 in pursuit of 342.

In the 148-year history of Test cricket – in excess of 2,000 matches – there have also been just 26 occasions when the team batting last has scored the highest total of the match as South Africa require here.

Having been rolled for 138 in the first innings, and up against an Australian bowling attack with more than 1,500 Test wickets between them, it felt like big ask.

The burden of history and data did not seem to weigh too heavily on the shoulders of Markram and Bavuma, though, as bat truly dominated ball for the first time in this contest.

South Africa lost Ryan Rickleton – who chased an away swinger from Starc and edged into the gloves of Alex Carey – but it did not stymie the Proteas’ intent.

Markram and Wiaan Mulder were positive rather than tentative during a 69-run stand for the second wicket which provided a solid foundation.

Mulder had reached 27 before he rather tamely chipped Starc, who had swapped to the Nursery End, into the hands of Marnus Labuschagne in the covers.

That brought Bavuma, South Africa’s leading run-scorer in Tests since December 2019, to the crease and he had an escape when Steve Smith grounded a tough chance when he was on just two.

Smith suffered a compound dislocation of the little finger on his right hand after shelling the chance and left the field to go hospital for further treatment.

All the while Markram was quietly going about his business, during an authoritative and measured knock offering barely a chance.

He carefully picked his moments to gracefully drive, square drive and guide boundaries alongside sensible accumulation on both sides of the wicket.

South Africa’s scoring rate slowed as the match headed towards stumps, but there was still time for Markram to reach three figures in the penultimate over of the day.

Hazlewood strayed on to his pads and Markram effortlessly flicked the ball square for four before he took off his helmet to salute the crowd.