South Africa's emotional WTC triumph: Proteas win first major cricket trophy in 27 years
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Chokers no more.
The South Africans consigned the word to history when they ripped the World Test Championship mace from Australia's callused grip inside four days of a riveting final at Lord's.
South Africa wore a new label Saturday — champion — by claiming its first major cricket trophy in 27 years when it wrapped up a five-wicket win.
The last 69 runs required on day four were confidently knocked off by the Proteas in just over two hours — only three boundaries — with Australia typically fighting all the way to the inevitable end.
South Africa moved from a portentous 213-2 overnight to a winning 285-5, the second highest successful run chase in the 141-year test history at the home of cricket.
Victory laid to rest ghosts of heartbreaking losses on big ICC stages that have haunted South Africa for decades. The venues and dates are infamous in South Africa cricket, among them Birmingham 1999, Dhaka 2011, Auckland 2015, Kolkata 2023 and Bridgetown 2024.
But London 2025 will go down as one of the greatest days in South Africa sports, when its cricket underdogs grabbed the advantage and didn't let go against a red-hot Australia.
'Whilst we were batting, we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word, choke," Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said. 'It's been years since we've overcome a final. We've been etched in history, we're part of something that has never been done. It's special in a lot of ways. Also, it's a chance for South Africa to be united. We've got a cause where we can put aside our differences and enjoy. We just have to embrace it.'
The stunning result also bodes well for South Africa's preparations for its home ODI World Cup in 2027. It's a different format, but the Proteas' mindsets won't be burdened by not having won a global trophy since the Champions Trophy's precursor in 1998.
Australia didn't give up the WTC mace easily, relentlessly attacking the stumps and trying to prey on any South Africa butterflies. The desperate Australians used up their three reviews in vain within the first 90 minutes and fought to the end. But the serial champions lost an ICC final for only a fourth time in 14 chances.
'They were fantastic in that fourth innings,' Australia captain Pat Cummins said. 'There wasn't a lot in the wicket but they didn't give us a chance.'
The Proteas were staunch, losing only three wickets on Saturday. One of them was Aiden Markram, the colossus Australia could not topple until it was too late.
He resumed the day on 102 and was out for 136 when only six runs from victory. He spent six hours, 23 minutes in the middle. Australia didn't celebrate his wicket. Instead, players slapped Markram on the back and congratulated him on his match-winning knock as the Lord's crowd stood and applauded.
'Growing up, Lord's was the one venue I wanted to play at,' Markram said. 'To do it at a final and win is something really special.'
About 15 minutes later, Kyle Verreynne hit the winning run, a drive into the covers.
Markram and an injured Bavuma set up the victory the day before with an unbeaten partnership of 143 runs. They could not finish what they started, adding only four runs together before Bavuma edged Cummins behind for 66, one more than he had overnight.
Markram was named man of the match. He also took two vital wickets, that of Steve Smith on 66 in Australia's first innings, when Smith became the highest foreign test run-scorer at Lord's, and Josh Hazlewood to end Australia's second innings. Kagiso Rabada had nine-for in the match.
South Africa's target was set at 282, considered too far. But in a batting unit far less experienced than Australia's and considered a weak point, Markram and Bavuma chanced on ideal batting conditions on day three Friday and exploited them mercilessly. The turning point was Bavuma dropped in the slips on 2 by Smith, who broke his finger and didn't return to the match.
South Africa was criticized by some before the final for its supposedly easier road in the 2023-25 WTC cycle — it didn't face Australia or England in a series — but it has won eight straight tests, its second longest streak in history.
"We've come a long way as a team, as a country,' emotional spinner Keshav Maharaj said. 'We always say we want to be good people and play good. We're moving in the right direction as a cricketing nation.
"After 25 years of pain, to finally get over the line is super emotional. We're so grateful to have Temba to get us over the line. Diversity is our strength, so to see the crowd, they stand for the meaning of our rainbow nation. To lift the trophy is going to unite the nation even more.'
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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