South Africa's emotional WTC triumph: Proteas win first major cricket trophy in 27 years

LONDON (AP) — Chokers no more.

The South Africans consigned the label to history when they ripped the World Test Championship mace from Australia's callused grip inside four days of a riveting final at Lord's.

South Africa wore a new tag on Saturday — champion — by claiming its first major cricket trophy in 27 years when it wrapped up a five-wicket win.

The last 69 runs required on day four were confidently knocked off by the Proteas in just over two hours — only three boundaries — with Australia typically fighting all the way to the inevitable end.

South Africa moved from a portentous 213-2 overnight to a winning 285-5, the second highest successful run chase in the 141-year test history at the home of cricket.

Victory laid to rest ghosts of heartbreaking losses on big ICC stages that have haunted South Africa for decades. The venues and dates are infamous in South Africa cricket, among them 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 Africa sports, when its cricket underdogs grabbed the advantage and finally didn't let go against a red-hot Australia.

“Whilst we were batting, we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word, choke," Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said. “It's been years since we've overcome a final. We've been etched in history, we're part of something that has never been done. It's special in a lot of ways.”

The stunning result bodes well for South Africa's preparations for its home ODI World Cup in 2027. It's a different format, but the Proteas' mindsets won't be burdened by not having won a global trophy since the Champions Trophy’s precursor in 1998.

Australia didn't give up the WTC mace easily, relentlessly attacking the stumps and trying to prey on any South Africa butterflies. The Australians used up their three reviews in vain within the first 90 minutes and took the new ball but were blunted by a flat pitch. The serial champions lost an ICC final for only a fourth time in 14 chances.

“They were fantastic in that fourth innings,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said. “There wasn't a lot in the wicket but they didn't give us a chance.”

The Proteas were staunch, losing only three wickets on Saturday. One of them was Aiden Markram, the colossus Australia could not topple until it was too late.

He resumed the day on 102 and was out for 136 when only six runs from victory. He spent six hours, 23 minutes in the middle. Australia didn't celebrate his wicket. Instead, players slapped Markram on the back and congratulated him on his match-winning knock as the Lord's crowd stood and applauded.

“Growing up, Lord's was the one venue I wanted to play at,” Markram said. “To do it at a final and win is something really special.”

About 15 minutes later, Kyle Verreynne hit the winning run, a drive into the covers.

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

Markram was man of the match. Teammate Kagiso Rabada had nine-for in the match.

South Africa's target was set at 282, considered too far. But in a batting unit far less experienced than Australia’s and considered a weak point, Markram and Bavuma chanced on ideal batting conditions on day three Friday and exploited them mercilessly. The turning point was Bavuma dropped in the slips on 2 by Steve Smith, who broke his finger and didn’t return to the match.

South Africa was criticized by some before the final for its supposedly easier road in the 2023-25 WTC cycle — it didn’t face Australia or England in a series — but it has won eight straight tests, its second longest streak in history.

Bavuma, the Proteas' first Black captain, said he was inspired by his country's Springboks, winners of the last two Rugby World Cups and led by their first Black captain, Siya Kolisi.

“I am not a big rugby fan but I watch those guys and the biggest thing I admire is their success and how they have embraced what South Africa means,” Bavuma said. "We are unique in a lot of ways, our present and future is shaped by our past, but the way they have gone about it to capture the hearts of everyone has really made us love them.

“That is something we have spoken about, doing something special. It is a chance for us to rejoice in something, forget our issues and come together. For this group of players, there are a lot of doubters but the way we played wiped that out.”

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma holds the winner's trophy and celebrates with teammates on the podium after their win in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma celebrates with the winner's trophy after their win in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

South Africa's David Bedingham, left, and Kyle Verreynne celebrate after their win in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

South Africa's David Bedingham, left, and Kyle Verreynne celebrate after their win in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

South Africa's David Bedingham, left, and Kyle Verreynne celebrate after their win in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

South Africa's David Bedingham bats on day four of the World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The New York Giants hired John Harbaugh as coach on Saturday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move had not been announced. The sides began working on a contract Wednesday night when it became clear that Harbaugh was the right fit.

Harbaugh joins the Giants 11 days after he was fired by the Baltimore Ravens, who made the playoffs 12 times with him in charge and won the Super Bowl in the 2012 season. They fell short of the postseason this year because of a missed kick at the buzzer in Week 18, leading ownership to make an change and put Harbaugh on the market.

General manager Joe Schoen and the Giants pounced, bringing on a proven winner with significant NFL head-coaching experience. Harbaugh was flown in on co-owner Steve Tisch’s private plane earlier this week, spent several hours at the team facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey, spoke with young quarterback Jaxson Dart and got wined and dined at nearby Elia Mediterranean Restaurant.

With the courting process complete, Harbaugh is now tasked with turning around the beleaguered franchise that has made just two playoff appearances over the past 12 years and not made it past the divisional round. Todd Monken could follow him from Baltimore to be offensive coordinator, unless he takes a head-coaching gig in Cleveland or elsewhere.

Harbaugh got the job over the likes of Kevin Stefanski, Mike McCarthy, Raheem Morris and Antonio Pierce, leapfrogging some of expected front-runners who got shuffled back as soon as the 63-year-old became available. The chance to work for stable ownership and Dart made New York an attractive landing spot over other places such as Tennessee, Atlanta and Miami.

The Giants have talented pieces in place on either side of the ball, including running back Cam Skattebo, receiver Malik Nabers and left tackle Andrew Thomas on offense, plus pass rushers Brian Burns and Abdul Carter and nose tackle Dexter Lawrence on defense. They have the fifth pick in the draft to add to that stockpile.

Changing the culture of losing that has pervaded the Meadowlands for the better part of the last decade is now on Harbaugh’s shoulders. Counting playoff games, the seven coaches who followed 2007 and ’11 Super Bowl champion Tom Coughlin have gone 45-105-1, a winning percentage of .300.

Harbaugh is 193-124 in 317 games in the league, a .609 winning percentage, since taking over the Ravens in 2008. He spent the previous 10 seasons as an assistant with Philadelphia, mostly as special teams coordinator and then defensive backs coach.

Schoen, after finding out from Tisch and co-owner John Mara that he was returning for a fifth year as GM, said the search would not be limited to just offensive- or defensive-minded options. While Harbaugh comes from a special teams background, he provides the kind of all-around coaching Schoen was believed to be looking for, along with a championship pedigree and a reputation that should garner him immediate respect within the locker room.

This is Schoen’s second hire after bringing Brian Daboll with him from Buffalo, where both were assistants with the Bills, in January 2022. Ownership fired Daboll on Nov. 10 after the Giants lost eight of the first 10 games in his fourth season as coach.

Mike Kafka coached out the string as the interim replacement after being promoted from offensive coordinator, and the team lost five in a row before winning its final two games to finish with a 4-13 record. Kafka interviewed but was never a serious candidate for the full-time job.

Almost no one was compared with Harbaugh, giving the Giants an off-field win that might be their biggest of any kind in several years.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

FILE - Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks on from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, File)

FILE -Baltimore Ravens owner Stephen J. Bisciotti, right, holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy as he and head coach John Harbaugh celebrate the team's 34-31win against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

FILE - Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh speaks during a press conference after an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)