'You are not going to get rid of chokers tag': Mark Boucher, claims Temba Bavuma's South Africa can transform Test cricket with WTC Final victory
South Africa (AP/PTI)
Former South Africa cricket head coach
Mark Boucher
believes a victory for the Temba Bavuma-led South African team in the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's on June 11 could revitalize Test cricket in South Africa.
The team secured their first-ever WTC final appearance after winning seven consecutive Tests and topping the 2023-25 cycle points table with a 69.44 percentage.
South Africa is currently preparing for the crucial one-off Test with a warm-up match against Zimbabwe at Arundel.
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"A lot of people have criticised South Africa, which is not really fair. You play what's in front of you, and with all due respect, the sides that we've played against, we probably should have beaten, and we've done that.
So we find ourselves in a final," Boucher said.
"But I wouldn't say that it has got the crowds going in our country. Everyone's very excited about it now, as the opportunity arises, a lot of people are going to travel over to London, spend all their Rands, and go watch what should be a good match. If we win it, I think that could be the turnaround for Test cricket in our country," he added.
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The Lord's clash marks the second ICC title match appearance for the men's team following their runner-up finish in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup.
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The women's team has also finished as runners-up in consecutive T20 World Cups.
"We're playing for a trophy, so I guess a lot of people are saying no [we can't win], but I think it's a different feel in Test match cricket. It's played over a longer period of time, and you've just got to win big moments in the game as well. Yes, there will be that tag [chokers] that gets thrown our way until we win a trophy," Boucher stated.
"You're not going to get rid of the tag.
Is it deserving of these youngsters coming through? No, it's almost like they're carrying the burden of what happened in previous years, which is always going to be tough on them, but they're the ones in control of their futures at the moment," he continued.
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Boucher expressed confidence in opener Ryan Rickelton and batsman Tristan Stubbs for the upcoming final.
"Ryan Rickelton has been playing nicely for Mumbai Indians (MI), and he was actually on the tour that we went to England (in 2022) as well.
He's actually played quite a few games in England as well, so he'll know the conditions," he remarked.
"And Tristan Stubbs has come back and played a lot of domestic cricket and basically forced his way into the Test side because of the runs that he's got. On paper, Australia will probably feel that they've got a better batting line-up than what we have, but have we got the attitude to go out there and, in a one-off game, just leave it all out there? Absolutely," Boucher concluded.
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