World Test Champions Final Player Ratings: South Africa v Australia

Underdogs South Africa would secure a five-wicket win over defending champions Australia, who held all the cards before the first ball at the Home of Cricket.

Here, we take a look at how the players performed on the grandest of stages.

South Africa

Aiden Markram - 9/10
Named Player of the Match for his sensational performance. Strolling to the crease after first innings duck, Markram came up clutch to produce a match-winning 136 in the second innings, anchoring the Proteas chase of 282. The part-time spinner also snagged the crucial wicket of Steve Smith in Australia's first innings and the final wicket in their second innings, contributing with the ball.

Ryan Rickelton - 4/10
The opener carved several sparkling boundaries, but his contributions of 16 and 6 at the top of the order were not enough.

Wiaan Mulder - 5/10
Still finding his way as the Proteas No.3. Absorbed incredible pressure in the first innings, needing 44 balls for his 3. Did a holding job with the ball and delivered a stunner to clean bowl Travis Head. Was perhaps unlucky to be more amongst the wickets. A positive 27 runs contributed to South Africa's chase.

Temba Bavuma (c) - 8/10
Captain Fantastic. Led the Proteas to their maiden WTC title with aplomb. Soaked up the pressure in the first innings for a difficult 36 off 84 and scored an equally patient vital 65 in the second innings. That formed a crucial 147-run partnership with Markram during the chase.

Tristan Stubbs - 4/10
Another youngster still establishing himself in red ball cricket. Got a peach from Josh Hazelwood first up, falling for just 2, then scratched around for 8 runs in the second innings. Perhaps the prodigious talent needed to be given license to play his shots.

David Bedingham - 7/10
The stint in Country Cricket did him good. Bedingham contributed vital runs in the match, stabilising both innings with some chaos around him. Top scored with 45 in the first, then was there at the end unbeaten on 21.

Kyle Verreynne (wk) - 7/10
Was very solid behind the stumps for the Proteas. Took four catches in the match, including a blinder down legside to get rid of the dangerous Travis Head. Scored 17 runs with the bat overall and hit the winning single for a special moment never to be forgotten.

Marco Jansen - 6/10
The second all-rounder in the line-up. Disciplined and accurate in the first innings, where he bowled tight and picked up three wickets. Toiled for 18 overs in the second innings for one scalp. Made a duck and dropped a catch in the slips.

Keshav Maharaj - 5/10
With conditions favouring the quicks, the tweaker only bowled 12 overs in the match, picking up the important wicket of Alex Carey. Ran himself out for 7 in his only contribution with the willow.

Kagiso Rabada - 9/10
The Proteas' premier paceman continued his red-hot form. Took a five-wicket haul on Day 1. If he wasn't nicking them off, he was knocking them over. He worked for four wickets in the second innings for match figures of 9/110.

Lungi Ngidi - 6/10
Lumbered to the crease in a wicketless first innings and was expensive at 5.6 runs to the over. But the quick bounced back superbly in the second innings. Starting with the massive wicket of Steve Smith, Ngidi snagged two more scalps for very tidy figures of 3/38.

Australia

Usman Khawaja - 2/10
The stoic accumulator was nipped in the bud by Rabada in the final. He was caught behind for a duck after 20 balls, then scored just six runs second time around. 

Marnus Labuschagne - 5/10
Got starts in both innings, 17 and 22, and looked safe. But ultimately feathered the new ball twice to the keeper in difficult conditions.

Cameron Green - 1/10
Australia rolled the dice on the all-rounder Green, drafting him into the side as a batter after back surgery in October. It showed, as the tall man troubled the scorers for just 4 runs in total while giving slip catching practice.

Steve Smith - 7/10
Seemed to play on a different pitch to everyone else. He fidgeted his way to 66 until falling to the golden arm of Markram, a turning point in Australia's first innings. Added just 13 runs in the second innings to set a record for the most Test runs at Lord's for a visiting batter (591*). Unfortunately, fractured his finger dropping Bavuma while at a frighteningly close first slip.

Travis Head - 3/10
The counter-punch man failed to fire for his country. Perhaps unlucky to be strangled down legside for 11 on Day 1. At his second bite of the cherry, he was clean bowled by Mulder for just nine.

Beau Webster - 7/10
A fantastic start for the fresh-faced all-rounder with just four Tests under the belt. He top-scored for Australia on Day 1 with a 72 that featured many lives, bolstering Australia's total of 207. He managed nine runs in the second innings, took a great catch and managed no wickets in his eight overs.

Alex Carey (wk) - 7/10
Scored a vital 43 in Australia's innings, a vital contribution to their second-innings total. Missed a reverse sweep to find himself bowled for 23 in the first. Dropped an absolute sitter when Mulder had just one run to his name.  

Pat Cummins (c) - 9/10
Australia's talisman took six wickets for just 28 in South Africa's first innings, reaching his 300th Test wicket, becoming the fifth-fastest to do so by balls bowled. Little contribution with the bat, but he toiled with the ball and kept coming at the Proteas even when the match was lost.

Mitchell Starc - 8/10
Charged in with the new nut and rocked both South African openers. Top scored for his team in the second innings with a very handy 58, partnering with Hazelwood for 59 annoying runs for the last wicket. Came back to get three wickets in the final innings.

Nathan Lyon - 3/10
Despite being a world-class spinner, Lyon's 34 overs produced no wickets. Six of them were maidens, but wickets win Test matches. It has to be said that it was not favourable conditions for the man they call Gary.

Josh Hazlewood - 4/10
As miserly as ever, going for 1,8 and 3 runs per over in his two innings. But the big quick only bagged two wickets in 34 overs. Hung around with the bat to score 17 runs on Day 3.