COMMENT: It's nothing new, they've done it before
PROTEAS celebrate the wicket of Australia's Marnus Labuschagne on day two of the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's. | BackpagePix
MANY may look at South Africa's batting performance at Lord's on Friday and be surprised, and some may even be shocked that this batting unit, one that is heavily criticised, has been able to get the team within 69 runs of the country's first world title.
However, for those who pay close attention to detail, they will be able to remember that this unit has done this before in the recent past.
When India toured South Africa four years ago, after thumping the Proteas by 113 runs during the Boxing Day Test in Centurion, where they bowled the Proteas out for under 200 runs in both innings, the Proteas bounced back in style to win the series 2-1.
It all started at the Bullring where Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma chased down 240 runs to level the series and concluded at the picturesque Newlands in Cape Town where Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen helped South Africa chase down another 200 plus target to seal the 2-1 series victory over a team that was ranked number in Tests at the time.
Elgar, Petersen and Van der Dussen might not be a part of this group at Lord's; however, it was still a Proteas batting unit that was labelled as 'inexperienced' and as the 'weak links' in a team that had a bowling unit filled with superstars, including Kagiso Rabada.
Despite all the labels, the side was able to clinch a series victory, a victory that forced world cricket to sit up and take note of the Proteas test side.
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