Lord's hums to 'Ole, Ole, Ole' as World Test Championship Final kicks off in grand style
Lord's was overflowing with Proteas fans on Day 1 of the World Test Championship Final in London. Picture: Zaahier Adams/Independent Media
Image: Picture: Zaahier Adams/Independent Media
There is a hush around the famous old ground. Everyone is waiting in eager anticipation.
The coin goes up in the air. Heads is the call. It feels like an eternity before it hits the Lord's turf.
Match referee Javagal Srinath picks it up and walks over to Temba Bavuma.
The Proteas captain has called correctly. A big cheer goes out from particularly the Mount Stand, which has been transformed into Castle Corner here at St John's Wood.
Bavuma alludes to it when the skipper says "we can hear the South African accents in the stands" after opting to unleash his quicks Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen first.
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The ICC have hauled out the greats from both teams' legendary eras of the past. Hashim Amla and Matthew Hayden, sporting a cowboy hat of such magnitude it would put Chuck 'Walker Texas Ranger' Norris' to shame, were called upon to walk out the ICC golden mace.
Even Boeta Dippenaar was spotted, dressed in his full 2005 '438' ODI kit, while Brett Schultz is still a cult hero after all these years.
It's a real pity Steve Waugh was not in attendance though. Waugh has traditionally riled up South Africans with his sharp tongue, particularly when he sledged Herschelle Gibbs with the infamous line 'You have just dropped the World Cup' up the M1 here back in 1999.
But his most recent barb that South Africans 'don't care about Test cricket' really hit a nerve for everyone from Cape Town to Camden that has any links to Mzansi has found their way down the Jubilee Line to witness 'The Ultimate Test' in the flesh.
The table was now set for an absorbing day's cricket.
'Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time spots. That's who I want to be.'
That was an oft saying from former NFL superstar Aaron Donald.
Kagiso Rabada (L) celebrates taking the wicket of Australia's Cameron Green during Day 1 of the ICC World Test Championship at Lord's Picture: Glyn Kirk/AFP
Image: Glyn Kirk/AFP
He may as well have been referring to Kagiso Rabada. The Proteas' spearhead has had to get a new set of headphones so loud has the noise been around him heading into this WTC Final.
But from the moment 'KG' charged in from the Nursery End with the new ball, the only noise now being heard was the chants from the 'Saffas' every time he took a wicket.
They had five glorious opportunities to stretch their vocal cords with Rabada carving his name onto the Lord's honours board for a second time with a five-star performance.
The 'gees' in the stands was now at an all-time high with the London mid-afternoon sun peaking its head out over the old Father Time weathercrane.
For a few moments Lord's may even have been The Wanderers with 'Ole, Ole, Ole' reverberating around the hallowed old ground.
Independent Media's Zaahier Adams will be at Lord's for the World Test Championship bringing you all the news, videos and podcasts. Picture: Independent Media
Image: Independent Media
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