Latest news with #ProteasWTCFinal
IOL News
19-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad: There's so more to come from this Test team
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad enjoys the moment upon arrival at OR Tambo Airport on Wednesday. Photo: ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Media Image: ITUMELENG ENGLISH Independent Media Proteas coach Shukri Conrad feels that that there is more that the Test team have to offer, despite despite their brilliant performance at Lord's last week to clinch the World Test Championship crown. South Africa beat Australia by five wickets, a team currently ranked No 1 in the world in the ICC rankings. Fans flocked to OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday to welcome the Proteas Test team after a successful trip to the United Kingdom, where they broke the country's 27-year trophy drought. However, upon the Test team's arrival in Johannesburg on Wednesday from London, Conrad reiterated his belief that the world is yet to see the full potential of his team. 'We won comfortably in the end, and I still don't think we played as well as we can play. I mean, Aiden's (Markram) probably played his best Test knock. I don't think South Africa's seen a better Test innings. KG (Ngidi), Lungi (Ngidi), all of these,' Conrad said. 'I can name the guys that have performed in this Test match, but there's so much else sitting in this change-room that scares me. 'It excites me at the same time as to where we can go with this group. 'I'm really looking forward to the next couple of years.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The Home of South African Cricket📍🏢 Our ICC World Test Champions arriving at the Cricket South Africa Head Office following their historic conquest of the World Test Championship 🏆🔥. #WTCFinal #ProteasWTCFinal #WozaNawe — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 18, 2025 One of the key elements of this Test team that has played a key role in the side bringing the ICC mace back home is the trust that they have in each other. From the coach Conrad to the captain Temba Bavuma and the rest of the team, there is belief and backing that every individual is capable of getting the job done when called upon. Conrad highlighted that not a lot was said when SA were bowled out for 138 in the first innings or in any instance where the team had their backs against the wall, which could be attributed to the responsibility placed in every individual in the team. Moreover, just as at Lord's last week, different players stood out and made significant contributions throughout the two-year cycle leading up to the final. A triumphant reception awaited the Proteas at O.R. Tambo International Airport, where crowds gathered to give the national team a hero's welcome after they were victorious at the World Test Championship. 📷: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers#Proteas #cricket… — IOL News (@IOL) June 18, 2025 'I think we knew we were behind, but again, the hallmark of this team is the ability to stand up, and different guys can stand up when the occasion demands,' the SA coach said. 'When you need your Rolls-Royce to come purring down the street, then he does that, and I'm talking about Kagiso Rabada. There was no talk. 'But even before then, a nine-over spell, I've never seen Lungi bowl as much as that in his life. 'But that spell of Lungi (where he took 3/35, including the big scalp of Steve Smith) pretty much turned over the Test match in our favour. 'The world's best batsman (Smith), he stood between us chasing 280 and maybe 380, and Lungi's spell, again, on the back of criticism and all of these things... 'Our guys just know when to stand up, and this is the hallmark of this team. Different guys do it when it is required of everybody.' Although some of the stalwarts such as Rabada will be rested, the Proteas are back in action soon in a two-Test away series in Zimbabwe. The first clash starts on June 28 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18-06-2025
- Sport
- First Post
South Africa receive huge welcome home after first ICC win in 27 years: 'Haven't seen people like that at airport before'
South Africa returned home to a grand welcome after winning the 2023-25 WTC final, which ended a 27-year ICC trophy drought. South Africa defeated Australia by 5 wickets to lift their first ICC title since 1998. read more The South African cricket team returned home to a hero's welcome on Wednesday morning after winning the 2023-25 edition of the World Test Championship (WTC). This is their first ICC title in 27 years, and hence the celebrations. The team landed at Johannesburg airport, where they were greeted by a massive crowd of fans, including South Africa's sports minister and CSA officials. South Africa receive hero's welcome This emotional reception came just four days after their historic five-wicket win over Australia in the WTC final at Lord's, London. It was a moment the South African team and their fans had been waiting for since they last lifted an ICC title in 1998, which was the Champions Trophy. The Temba Bavuma-led side was seen wearing their new 'Champions' t-shirts when they landed home. A Hero's Welcome! 🇿🇦🏆 Minister Gayton McKenzie rolled out the carpet as our ICC World Test Champions touched down on home soil today! 💚 A proud moment for the nation as the Proteas return with the mace and history made at Lord's! 🏆#WTCFinal #ProteasWTCFinal #WozaNawe — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 18, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The team went to Cricket South Africa's head office after their reception at the airport. Speaking at a press conference, Bavuma said he was overwhelmed by the love and support from everyone back home. Bavuma admitted that he had never seen so many people coming to cheer for the team at the airport before. 'It is quite overwhelming. We haven't seen people like that at the airport before. As players, you don't really realise what you've done but when you start to interact with people and see the emotion, it gives you a proper insight into what we've done. We are proud as a team but we are even more happy and proud that we've made our people proud,' Bavuma said. Bavuma also spoke about how the team achieved their victory in the South African way. 'If you look at this team and the guys at the helm, we have done it the proper South African way. That's unique to this group. We have embraced everything that it means to be South African,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Home of South African Cricket📍🏢 Our ICC World Test Champions arriving at the Cricket South Africa Head Office following their historic conquest of the World Test Championship 🏆🔥. #WTCFinal #ProteasWTCFinal #WozaNawe — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 18, 2025 South Africa create history South Africa relied on teamwork throughout their World Test Championship cycle. They had nine different players who won Player of the Match awards between 2023 and 2025, and 15 players either scored a century or took five wickets. In the final against Australia, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, and David Bedingham contributed with the bat after Kagiso Rabada-led bowling attack did their job with the ball. South Africa's long wait for an ICC trophy had become a painful tale, with heartbreaking losses in many key matches over the years, including the 1999 ODI World Cup semi-final and the 2024 T20 World Cup final. However, Bavuma and his men have finally rewritten the history books for the Proteas.
Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Proteas Homecoming: Airport filled to 3 tiers, old school teammates in crested jumpers, ‘crying or flu' quip by Ngidi and a call to name 9th month SepTemba
The Cape Town international airport was packed to the rafters for three tiers as Temba Bavuma's Proteas landed home after winning the World Test Championship. In a chaotic reception, the ICC trophy winning South Africans were stopped every few metres as Marco Jansen signed every single autograph request and 'OH Temba Bavuma' choruses rung with the whole airport joining in after the cricket team broke the dark spell of 27 years. It's not quite the World Cup of 50 overs, but TV channels emphasised on the word ICC, a trophy that has been storiedly elusive. United in grief of several defeats, the multi racial nation citizens trooped in from faroff places to greet the Proteas. #ProteasWTCFinal #HomeComing #ProteaFire — A Runner With A Struggling Cheque Account (@OfficialVeli) June 18, 2025 Notably, former school teammates of the Champion Proteas showed up in old crested jumpers, and fancy jackets inscribed with new face prints from Lord's, with Paarl school former openers in attendance. Assorted school teams of Bavuma and Markram also came to cheer as the Proteas wearing classy Champion tees lined up and Bavuma lifted the mace again. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie had rolled out the red carpet, and joined a bunch of fans in singing the Temba-song. A young white fan, Daniel, a diehard Bavuma fan, told Newz Sport, 'Temba, even under pressure – he taught us that he can win it for us. He showed us that we Proteas can win. So now even we think we can win.' Daniel, who has met Wiaan Mulder 4 times, had skipped school though his school teacher quipped on Twitter saying he might need to serve detention. But he was one of many signifying how this triumph could unite a bitterly divided nation of racial tensions. For Daniel had simply won SA the trophy that had eluded generations. We Here 🙌🙌🙌🙌 — A Runner With A Struggling Cheque Account (@OfficialVeli) June 18, 2025 Lungi Ngidi told journalist Likho Mpama he had brieflyspoken to his mother who said she was proud of him and joked that, 'My mum is proud, that's all I needed to hear. I dunno if she was crying or maybe she's got the flu. But it sounded something in between the two.' On the years it had taken to win and the despondency after first innings he said, 'There was no choice but I pretty much had to do it, win. It's sport there's ups and downs. Its just unfortunate that sometimes the downs have been on the biggest stage. But the ups too have been on just as big a stage and look today we have a medal. It was very stressful but I knew that if I got one wicket then I would get another one. Just tried to break that momentum to break the game open. Welcome home you — Werner (@Werries_) June 18, 2025 At the CSA reception, he said, 'We can't fill those shoes of legends. But we are building a legacy of our own. No one can replace Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis. But we've got our own guys,' he said. South Africa play Zimbabwe in two Tests at end of June, and fans were busy considering logistics of travelling and supporting the team. With stadia being refurbished for the 2027 World Cup, South Africa play no Tests in their December summer this year or until later in 2026 at home. Twitter super fans Sabeeha Majid, Werner and Naeema Benjamin kept the fans updated, and there was a lot of bantering demands of those who wrote off South Africa to apologise. An apology form with multiple choice was doing the rounds. [WATCH] A young Temba Bavuma fan, who can name the whole #Proteas squad, has brought a picture of the champions for the captain to sign at OR Tambo International Airport. @vuyo_macoba reports. — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) June 18, 2025 While Keshav Maharaj who wears a tiny gold mace pendant as he is a Hanuman devotee posed formally, and Bavuma kept his now-famous shades on, Markram and Ryan Rickelton got frenzied cheers. Ring dances with all the iconic songs had been performing since early morning as the flight landed at 9 am, 25 minutes ahead of schedule. Shakira's catchy ditty in Waka, Waka readily gets plastered on South Africa's cricket triumphs by the rest of the world. It's worth many loops and had its WTC-sized resurrection, since being composed around when Australia last lost an ICC final. But the iconic 'Shosholoza' reached a crescendo when performed and broughtbthe airport to a standstill before the team arrived. Shosholoza which literally means 'keep going forward', has origins in the Ndebele language, and talks of resilience and relentlessness of hard-working miners, urged to keep chugging ahead. It's an earworm to persevere through tough times and even mundane struggles. While it stood for solidarity during the fight against Apartheid, the haunting melody has rung in unity, and Shosholoza gets sung at rugby internationals by whites, Blacks and anyone South African, forming quite an aural dome as the Springbok forward pack moves the scrum menacingly forward. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie singing #Proteas Captain's name Temba Bavuma!#WozaNawe #ICCWTC2025Final #Gayton #McKenzie — Likho Mpama (@JLikho11) June 18, 2025 South African Comedian Rory Petrez, had spent four days relaying his nail biting anxiety in his car, airing it on youtube. He found a banger on the final day, in his tweet that read: 'I'd like to also add that this is not some limited overs, skop, skiet, donner & hope for the best trophy. It's TEST MATCH CRICKET. The purist & most technical form of the game. Holy s'%#t, I'm so happy. Congratulations Proteas. I love you.' He recalled bunking school to witness the first heartbreak, now famous as '22 off 1 ball.' 'We are champions of the full whole world. We've been waiting fir this since 1992. We bunked primary school in 1992, to watch THAT match. You know THAT 22 off 1 ball match. We are waiting since that day,' he said once it was done. Rugby, cricket, music aren't the only South African passions. Their braai (barbecue) are legendary. And Petrez would chomp into a boerewors (boer = farmer, wors = sausage) roll on camera to celebrate. 'This morning I went and bought championship boerwors. It has champion written on it. And as we were winning I lit the fire and I'm eating the championship boerwors roll.' To ensure the triumph was never forgotten, the comic suggestedcnaming the 9th month 'SepTemba.' 'We need a few rules now to remember this victory to weave into our language. Firstly all rugby players from Springboks down to U7s whenever they catch the ball in the 22 you shout 'Markram'. That game in the swimming pool (water polo) you shout Marco Jansen. That ninth month of the year in every single diary and calendar. It is spellt SepTemba. And everything you buy Boerwors, or mince or chops or potatoes at the shop, you buying it 'by the KG' Rabada.' Celebrations will continue for a few more days.
TimesLIVE
09-06-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Stuart brings Broad insights to Proteas ahead of Lord's finale
Stuart Broad, in Proteas training kit — you'd never have thunk it. Not when he was irritating South African supporters, or dismissing their faves, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, more than any other bowler did with those two. Or sledging Graeme Smith or anyone else for that matter. But there Broad was on a muggy Monday afternoon at Lord's leading the chat in the Proteas bowling unit's traditional circle before training, embracing Dane Paterson, who played at his county Nottinghamshire for a couple of seasons, and talking with Kyle Verreynne, who plays for Nottinghamshire now. Generally he just looked like one of the training staff, which on Monday he was. South Africa are seeking any titbit to try to narrow the huge advantage the Australians have in terms of experience heading into the World Test Championship final that starts at Lord's on Wednesday. A taste of training at the Home of Cricket 🔥💪. We're 2 days away from the #WTC Final, and our Proteas are locked in and ready for the ultimate challenge. 🏏 #WTCFinal #WozaNawe #ProteasWTCFinal — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 9, 2025 At the invitation of Shukri Conrad, Broad on Sunday night shared his wisdom with Proteas coaching staff at dinner. 'The rib-eye was good,' Conrad chirped, 'I didn't consume any of the red wine for obvious reasons.' 'If I didn't call time with him at 10.30pm, I think he would still be there chatting with us. It was enlightening, very casual, everyone walked away from there thinking that was great, Broady included,' said Conrad. Later with the bowlers training on the side of the square, Broad had all the bowlers hanging off his every word, pointing to different areas of the storied old venue, indicating animatedly how a particular batter's balance might be affected when facing at each end because of the slope. The bowling unit is South Africa's strength. But there are many factors to consider when combining that unit for the final. It starts with how many SA will pick — four or as seems likely five, with Wiaan Mulder, offering the extra option because he can swing it. Then there's the conditions; the Lord's pitch according to the Australians is dry and will aid spin. Conrad didn't sound as convinced, but spoke of the importance of playing the spinner. Temba Bavuma reflects on his Test journey 🇿🇦. From the nerves of his debut to the defining moments that have shaped his career, it is a story of growth, resilience, and pride 🏏🔥. #WTCFinal #WozaNawe #ProteasWTCFinal — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 9, 2025 With Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen locked in and Keshav Maharaj having to play because it would be too much of a risk — even for the occasionally eccentric Conrad — not to, it leaves a straight fight between Lungi Ngidi and Paterson for the third front-line seamer. Conrad, who in the past hasn't been afraid of naming his starting team two days before the start of a Test, was tight-lipped on Monday. 'I'm not (in a position to name the side),' he said. Instead he offered a rounded answer about the ball — the Dukes one, used in England and not by either Australia or SA, who use the Kookaburra at home and for international matches in their respective countries — as another important factor to consider in selection. There's the importance of using it well when it's new, then when the lacquer, which is different between the two balls, starts to come off the Dukes, it swings more than the Kookaburra. 'You still need guys who are as effective with that ball when the lacquer comes off and it tends to swing a bit more. The bounce here with the older ball can be inconsistent and slower than what we are accustomed to.' Free State's relegation confirmed after mediation with CSA Free State will play in Division Two next season after a mediation process with Cricket SA ended on Wednesday night, with the union not incurring any ... Sport 3 days ago If swing is the dominant factor for SA's thinking, then Paterson, who's spent the last two months playing for Middlesex — making Lord's his home ground — wins the day. If the bounce is deemed more important — as was the case when Australia beat England in 2023 — then Ngidi will play. 'Those are conversations that have happened and we will structure the bowling attack accordingly,' said Conrad. Ngidi hasn't always been a favourite of Conrad's because he doesn't bowl as quickly as Conrad believes he should, coupled with concerns about his fitness. On the latter, Conrad said he was impressed by Ngidi's improvement in that area. Ngidi's last Test was in Trinidad last year and while he's been absent first with injury and then because he was put on a strength and conditioning programme, Paterson took the chance to claim two five-wicket hauls, while Rabada, Jansen and Maharaj, have continued to underline their class, which is demonstrated by all three being ranked in the top 20 Test bowlers currently. Broad may not be a selector, but it would be no surprise that if before ditching the Proteas training kit on Monday, he had one last word with Conrad, that may swing the head coach's thinking. It wouldn't be the weirdest basis for a selection Conrad's made.
