Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood break ICC final records with a stunning 10th-wicket stand in the World Test Championship final against South Africa, pushing Australia’s lead beyond 200.

Lord’s Morning Drama Turns Into Aussie Resilience Show

The scene was Lord’s, where Australia had finally finished the second innings of their World Test Championship final against South Africa, waiting at an exposed 144 for 8. The hopes were low, the pressure was high, and Kagiso Rabada had Nathan Lyon LBW moments later for a mere 2. A fast implosion appeared all but inevitable at that point. But what happened next was nothing short of miraculous.

Starc and Hazlewood Defy the Odds

Enter Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Both headstrong and determined, the pair surprisingly mounted their own resistance. Confronting searing pace and probing lines, they put on a stunning 59 for the 10th wicket. Not only did they blunt the South African attack, but they got Australia from its sub-200 slumber — a psychological, as well as tactical, victory.

Breaking ICC Final Records Like Never Before

Now they have the highest-ever 10th-wicket partnership in an ICC final, overtaking the 41 that Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson put on in 1975. It was also the third time that Starc and Hazlewood have had a 50+ partnership for the last wicket — a feat they join New Zealand’s BJ Watling and Trent Boult in.

starc’s Heroics Shine Under Pressure

And Mitchell Starc held his ground with a stoic half-century — 50* off 136 balls, 5x4s. Hazlewood eventually perished to Aiden Markram just before lunch, but the damage was done. Australia’s surprise tail-end resistance has given their lead serious ballast and taken the momentum.

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Australia had piled on 282 runs on a demanding day and two sessions for play. Rabada led the bowling with four wickets, but it’s Starc and Hazlewood’s composure under pressure that was arguably more important — maybe even match-changing — in a game that’s still anyone’s to take.

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This wasn’t just a tail-end revival; it was a masterclass in grit, patience, and breaking records when it mattered most. With high drama still on the horizon, the WTC final is now poised for an epic finish that could swing either way.

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