Properly-oiled South African followers had filtered out of Lord’s yesterday night buoyantly going by their repertoire of songs after a blissful day of batting.

They shuffled by the gates on the fourth day decidedly extra sombre, with the sobering actuality there was nonetheless 69 runs to get.

Ashwell Prince, South Africa’s batting coach, acknowledged getting some sleep earlier than Saturday’s date with future may show tough for his or her gamers.

So, nearly inevitably, there have been some sweaty palms and some jitters. Not less than till the runs required trickled all the way down to single figures when consternation turned to celebration.

There have been audible gasps when Cummins’ eighth ball of the morning skidded by low, fully deceiving Markram.

Then 4 deliveries later Bavuma dabbled at one which Cummins received to seam away and edged into the gloves of wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Australia could not do that, might they?

Bavuma, who performed the vast majority of his innings limping with a hamstring twang, hobbled off. It was an applicable metaphor for the remainder of the chase.

Markram did present flashes of aggression – slicing and pulling Cummins for 4 to raucous encouragement – earlier than one other Starc actuality examine.

Stubbs’ footwork had seemed suspect to the Aussie left-arm fast around the wicket and he was bowled by one which nipped again by his defensive prod and pad to hit the highest of off.