SOWETAN SAYS | Finally, future looks bright for SA cricket

Finally, our cricket team, the Proteas, have won something of significance after years of hurt and near misses.

Temba Bavuma’s men returned to a rapturous welcome at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, carrying the much-cherished ICC World Test Championship mace – the first major trophy on the cricketing front for SA since Hansie Cronje led the team to the Champions Trophy in 1998.

The win over Australia in the final at Lord’s in London at the weekend was even sweeter because not many pundits gave SA a sniff. That’s because Australia, as usual, went into the final boasting an impressive record of having never lost a final to SA. They were led by Pat Cummings, who, too, had an incredible run as skipper, leading his country to the 2023 World Cup in India and the World Test Championship that year.

Bavuma, who has been criticised heavily in recent years and blamed for some of the team’s recent failures – such as the semifinal defeat in the World Cup in India two years ago – proved just how valuable and competent he is as a leader. Batting with a troublesome hamstring when SA came under pressure in Friday’s second session, Bavuma formed a match-winning partnership with man-of-the-match Aiden Markram to ensure SA were within touching distance of the mace.

It was a heroic effort from Bavuma, a man who, in the past, was called names, ridiculed and made to feel as though he wasn’t worthy of being anywhere near international cricket. Now he’s become the first SA cricket skipper to win a meaningful trophy for the nation.

We are happy that Bavuma has fed his doubters humble pie, but those cynics should not take the spotlight from our victorious team.

There were many heroes in the Proteas’ Test team over the past two years, paving the way to the final. They include coach Shukri Conrad, who stuck by Bavuma even when the going got tough. Kagiso Rabada, who finished with an impressive match figure of 9/110, was another great performer even after he had a drug mishap earlier this year. We hope KG has learnt his lesson and won’t allow his career to veer off because of off-the-field shenanigans.

Overall, the future looks bright for SA cricket, and last week’s victory is exactly what we needed as we look ahead to the 2027 ODI World Cup, which we will host. Going by the excitement we saw at OR Tambo yesterday, we have no doubt the Proteas have what it takes to make us celebrate fervently again in two years’ time.