South Africa are on the brink of a historic victory in the ICC World Test Championship final, with just 69 runs needed to beat Australia at Lord’s. Batting coach Ashwell Prince described the potential win as “massive for the country,” as the Proteas look to overcome their long-standing reputation as international cricket’s perennial underachievers. With eight wickets in hand, South Africa appear poised to end their painful history of faltering in high-stakes matches.
Openers Aiden Markram, who remains unbeaten on 102, and captain Temba Bavuma, on 65 not out, led a dominant third-day batting display that has put South Africa in a commanding position. A win in the WTC final would help erase the “chokers” tag that has haunted the team for decades, particularly in ICC white-ball tournaments. Despite 18 appearances in ODI and T20 World Cups, South Africa have made it to just one final — the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean — where they narrowly lost to India.
Prince expressed the tension and excitement in the Proteas camp, saying, “This would be a massive achievement for South African cricket, not just for this match but for the long-term confidence of the team.” He added that past squads have often been strong contenders but failed to close out crucial games. “We’ve had great teams in the past fall short. Now we’re determined to rewrite that story.”
As day four approaches, Prince emphasized the importance of staying grounded and focused. He praised Markram as “someone for the big occasion” and stressed that the team’s preparation would remain consistent. “We don’t need to do anything extraordinary — just stick to the basics, stay in the moment, and take it one ball at a time,” he said. With a potential WTC title within reach, South Africa are eyeing not just a win, but redemption on the global Test stage.
