History is on the line for the Proteas this week as they take on Australia in the ICC World Test Championship final — a showdown being hyped as our most important Test match since rejoining international cricket post-apartheid.
As writer Darrel Bristow-Bovey put it on X: “It’s just occurred to me that if we win this, we’ll be test champions in both cricket and rugby at the same time. Surely that will make us the greatest sporting nation that ever existed?”
The match kicked off on Wednesday at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London — a far cry from the potholed streets of Langa, Cape Town, where captain Temba Bavuma once played informal cricket. Now, he’s leading South Africa’s charge on the real deal. Talk about a full-circle moment! The match is expected to finish on Sunday, but that all depends on how the teams perform.
The Proteas opted to bowl first in bowler-friendly conditions, and boy, did Kagiso Rabada deliver. The fiery fast bowler took five wickets, rattling through the Aussie lineup to help dismiss them for 212. But SA’s batting got off to a rocky start, slumping to 43/4 by stumps.
Going into day 2, Bavuma and David Bedingham mounted a 64-run stand that offered hope. However, a fiery spell from Pat Cummins devastated the Proteas, who were dismissed for just 138. Australia’s second innings started shakily, before a rescue act by Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc pushed them to 207. That’s set South Africa a target of 282 — and as Day 3 unfolds, all eyes are on the Proteas’ chase.
This isn’t just a match; it’s a moment. Winning this would be South Africa’s first ICC trophy in the longer format — and with $3.6 million (yes, million!) in prize money on the line, there’s a lot to play for beyond pride.
Meanwhile, the fans have shown up massively — both in London and online. As Bavuma said, “To get over the line would be a massive feather in our cap, not just for these players but for Test cricket and for the whole country.”
Let’s go, boys! 🇿🇦
