Chokers no more: For South Africa, the past stayed in the past

The Age

20 hours ago

Bavuma, who conceded he'd batted against the wishes of his coaches while hobbling with a hamstring injury during his critical innings of 66, said he tried not to let the Australian onfield digs of being 'chokers' get to him.
'This morning one of their players threw out the fact we could get bowled out, lose our eight wickets for 60 runs. I definitely heard that,' he said. ' I definitely heard that.
'Aiden kept using the word 'lock in' after every over, 'let's keep locking in, let's give them nothing'.
Resuming with 69 runs to win and eight wickets in hand on Saturday, the captain's dismissal early had triggered some familiar twitching in the South African camp. The loss of Tristan Stubbs shortly after kept the match alive longer than fans might have liked.
But this time, there was no collapse. No mix-up. No error in calculation or nerve.
When the winning runs came — a thick cover drive from Kyle Verreynne that burst through and brought the players sprinting on — they weren't just celebrating a match won. They were celebrating a narrative turned on its head.
It was on Friday when South Africa's fate took a remarkable turn. And here's the kicker: 26 years to the day since Herschelle Gibbs infamously 'dropped the World Cup' at Headingley, sparking Australia's resurrection en route to the final. On June 13, 1999, Steve Waugh's now-immortal line burned itself into South African sporting lore. On June 13, 2025, Opening batsman Aiden Markram and Bavuma rewrote that story.
The relatively unheralded lineup began to rewrite that script. Markram's poised 136 was a masterclass in patience and precision. He and his captain — a player whose own rise was marked by overcoming doubt and adversity—crafted a vital partnership of 147 runs that steadied a potentially fragile chase.
'It'll be great to not have to hear it again,' Markham said of the 'choker' tag. 'To have got the job done and get rid of that is quite a big thing for this team.'
His innings embodied the transformation of a team historically burdened by pressure into one capable of withstanding the weight of expectation.
South Africa's sporting fans have been conditioned to success, with the Springboks lifting rugby World Cups in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023. Golf, too, springs to mind, with Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen. But for cricket, the narrative was far more complicated—success had been elusive, overshadowed by near misses and self-inflicted wounds.
The 'chokers' tag may not vanish overnight, but it might have met its match — in a team that stayed present, held its nerve, and rewrote history. For once, the past stayed in the past.
The choke never came. And South Africa, finally, stood tall.