Matthew Hayden sings Proteas captain Temba Bavuma's praises: 'What a champion effort'
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma defied a hamstring injury to put his team in touching distance of winning the WTC Final at Lord's. Picture: AFP
Australian legend Matthew Hayden has lauded Proteas' captain Temba Bavuma's courage that has put his team on the brink of winning the World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Bavuma battled a hamstring injury on Day 3, hobbling between every run, but soldiered on to finish unbeaten on 65. The skipper shared an unbroken 143-run stand with centurion Aiden Markram (102 not out) to leave the Proteas just 69 runs shy of their 282-run target heading into Day 4 on Saturday.
'What a champion effort. You could see early doors he was struggling with his hamstring, but he hung in there,' Hayden, who was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame last week, told Cricinfo. 'He played really good simple cricket.'
The sun shone delightfully on Day 3 at Lord's, causing the surface which accounted for 28 wickets on the opening two days to flatten out. Whereas previously there was significant sideways movement for the bowlers, the Aussie attack now had to change their tactics which allowed the Proteas' batters to prosper.
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The South African
35 minutes ago
- The South African
Proteas fans take over Lord's with 'Temba Bavuma' war cry [video]
The Proteas clinched their first major global cricket title on Saturday by defeating Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord's. With thousands of Saffas calling London home, it was no surprise that the Home of Cricket was teaming with passionate Proteas supporters from the moment the Test match got underway on Wednesday. At stumps on Day 3, the Proteas were in a commanding position. They were set 282 to win this World Test Championship final, which was Australia's to lose. In a match that saw a series of momentum shifts, it was South African who found their steele on the home straight thanks to strong batting partnership by opener Aiden Markram and injured captain Temba Bavuma. The pair contributed 143 runs to the cause, leaving the Proteas needing just 69 runs with eight wickets in hand. Despite the Proteas' awful record in ICC finals, the South African faithful could sense victory. Watch: South African fans outside Lord's at the end of Day 3. Video: South African Things Early on Day 4, Australian skipper Pat Cummins struck in the third over to remove Bavuma, caught behind for 66, to briefly lift Aussie hopes. The pressure intensified when Mitchell Starc bowled Tristan Stubbs, with South Africa still needing 41. It was up to Markram to continue steering the ship. The 30-year-old resumed his overnight score, maintaining his composure to put on a total of 136 and score the only century in the match. He fell just short of finishing the job himself, leaving David Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne to complete the chase. Verreynne sealed the win with a crisp drive through the covers off Starc, earning South Africa the coveted mace and the title of the World's best Test cricket team. It sparked scenes of celebration as South Africa became just the third team to win the World Test Championship, following New Zealand in 2021 and Australia in 2023. The Proteas do a victory lap while SA fans continue to sing the Bavuma war cry. Video: SA Things While Markram was awarded Man of the Match, pace bowler Kagiso Rabada was also acknowledged for his impressive nine-wicket haul. Kagiso Rabada also earned high praise. Video: South African Things. The Proteas' run chase was the joint second-highest in Test cricket at Lord's. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
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Top 10 stories of the day: Eastern Cape floods death toll rises
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