Former England captain Kevin Pietersen on Saturday rated Protea opener Aiden Markram's measured hundred against Australia in the World Test Championship final as the "best innings" by a South African batter in Test matches.
Aiden Markram scored an unbeaten century as South Africa edged tantalisingly close to an unlikely success in the World Test Championship final, needing 69 runs to dethrone Australia after reaching 213-2 at stumps on the third day at Lord's on Friday.
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'Guys need to work out what brings out the best in them and makes them the most free to play. Our bowlers didn't deserve to be on the losing side like this.'
South Africa will aim for their first Test victory in India in more than 15 years.
Australia's Glenn Maxwell produced an unbeaten half-century in a tense chase to help the hosts edge out South Africa by two wickets in the third and final Twenty20 International and complete a 2-1 series victory in Cairns on Saturday.
Markram gave part-time spinner Abhishek Sharma the crucial 15th over in which he ended up conceding 31 runs.
South Africa beat Australia by five wickets to win World Test Championship
Bavuma said his hamstring was 'feeling good' ahead of his return, and the South African skipper also confirmed he would bat at number three for the opening match of the three-game series behind openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram.
South Africa have rested batter Temba Bavuma for their home white-ball series against India this month after a poor Cricket World Cup, but he will captain the team in the two-Test series which starts on Dec. 26.
Abhishek Sharma smashed half a dozen sixes in his 20-ball 59 to ensure a convincing six-wicket win for Sunrisers Hyderabad and knock Lucknow Super Giants out of the IPL play-offs race in Lucknow on Monday.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
The series promises a fascinating duel between the two modern-day pace greats.
Quinton de Kock has reversed his retirement from ODI cricket and has been named in both the ODI and T20I squads for the Pakistan tour.
Going into the 18th over with 18 runs needed to win, Markram finished off the game in spectacular fashion -- hitting a four and two sixes to seal the win in epic fashion with more than two overs to spare.
South Africa will be without striker-bowler Kagiso Rabada for Tuesday's opening One Day International against England at Headingley, captain Temba Bavuma revealed ahead of the clash.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the WTC Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's on Wednesday
Phil Salt set Old Trafford ablaze with a destructive century, smashing multiple records, as England hammered South Africa by 146 runs to level the three-match T20 International series 1-1 on Friday
Top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen will lead South Africa during next month's Twenty20 tri-series with New Zealand and hosts Zimbabwe, with four uncapped players in the squad, Cricket South Africa said on Thursday.
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Hasaranga's first two strikes changed the complexion of the game. With Markram's wicket a huge partnership was averted. Pooran's dismissal nipped a growing partnership in the bud.
South Africa have eight wickets in hand and are now overwhelming favourites to finish off the job, and take the title away from champions Australia, who had set them a daunting fourth innings target of 282 in the final on Friday.
In a game dominated by big-hitters, Harshal Patel quietly carved out a slice of IPL history - becoming the fastest bowler to claim 150 wickets
Avesh Khan held his nerve in the death overs, bowling yorker after yorker to perfection, to help Lucknow Super Giants pull off a thrilling two-run win over Rajasthan Royals.
Aiden Markram handed South Africa a strong start, but fell just four short of his ton as West Indies fought back on the opening day of the second Test.
Australia, who won the preceding T20 series between the sides, lost opener Travis Head and number three Marnus Labuschagne inside four overs.
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He had cleared the first round of testing along with the rest of the South African squad last week after arriving in New Delhi on June 2.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Test played between South Africa and West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Tuesday.
Aiden Markram held on to three crucial catches, while Miller had the big fish.
Glenn Maxwell believes his spin bowling could come in handy in the Powerplay during next year's T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Aiden Markram replaced Temba Bavuma as T20I skipper of the South African national side.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the two-Test series against Zimbabwe that starts in Bulawayo on June 28 after he failed to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in the World Test Championship final win over Australia at Lord's.
Rabada spent a month on the sidelines at the Indian Premier League after testing positive for a recreational drug at this year's SA20 competition.
South Africa are confident they can chase down a spot in next year's World Test Championship final, even if they must win four of their remaining five Tests in the current two-year cycle
South Africa join Australia, India and New Zealand in the semi-finals but who their opponents will be, and where they will play next, will be answered on Sunday when the latter two clash in Dubai.
Temba Bavuma and his son Lihle celebrated with the ICC Test Championship Mace, marking South Africa's most memorable cricketing moment.
South Africa's long wait for a men's world title - could be written on Saturday. And if they succeed, don't be surprised if 'Lucky Charm de Villiers' trends again.
