Temba Bavuma is now closer than ever before in his quest to guide the Proteas to their first ICC trophy in 27 years. The team is firmly on the verge of clinching the World Test Championship.
Chasing 282 runs set by Australia to win, South Africa is on 213 for two at the end of day three and needs just 69 more runs to become champions in what has been a spectacular WTC final at the home of cricket, the Lord’s Cricket Ground in England.
Markram comes through for the team
It took a majestic century from Aiden Markram (102 not out) and a gutsy 65 not out from captain fantastic Bavuma. The Proteas skipper pushed his half-century through the pain. he had sustained a hamstring injury shortly before tea when he had scored just seven runs.
Assistant coach Ashwell Prince admitted that during tea, he and the medical team had a big call to make on whether to retire Bavuma. But the 35-year-old diminutive star batsman insisted on keeping his end of the bargain.
“We had a big call to make at tea because we weren’t just worried about Temba but the effect it might have on Aiden and disrupting his rhythm if they weren’t able to run the twos and even some quick singles. But it was obviously the right decision, it worked out, didn’t it?” Prince said.
South African test cricket history
“Their partnership was right up there in the history of South African test cricket, especially if we get the job done. It will be massive; not just for the team but for the whole country and what we are trying to achieve in test cricket.
“Temba has had to fight throughout his career, but this could be his defining moment.”
Bavuma has faced more than the usual amount of scrutiny and unfair criticism after his 2014 debut. This meant he became the first black African batsman to represent the Proteas in Test cricket.
South Africa has suffered decades of disappointment in the One-Day International and T20 World Cups. But the Proteas are now in sight of winning a first major final since triumphing at the 1998 ICC Knockout, the forerunner of the Champions Trophy.
