Staying calm will be key as South Africa seek greatness while fighting fatalism given the history of falling short.
Staying calm is the name of the game as South Africa fight fatalism with greatest prize drawing near.
South Africa has a more harsh connection with the finish line than any other team in global cricket, and possibly all of sport.
Declaring this up front is unpleasant, but necessary, as their remarkably phlegmatic head coach Shukri Conrad did when they lost to Pakistan in December at 19 for 3, chasing 148, with their spot in the World Test Championship final on the line.
In what Conrad later dubbed a “Camel classic”—a reference to the nerve-racking smoke break he’d had with a few of his players—the players duly pulled themselves together and took two wickets to win.
If the Pakistani run-chase was a memorable occasion, it pales in comparison to the exhilaration that South Africa now knows they can experience following a day of batting supremacy at Lord’s that may have exceeded their wildest dreams and ambitions. Nevertheless, they still dare not look the prospect in the eye for fear of the entire structure collapsing.
As he extended his unbroken third-wicket partnership with Aiden Markram to 143, South Africa’s batting coach Ashwell Prince was asked about the magnitude of Temba Bavuma’s effort. Bavuma spent the majority of his undefeated 65 on one leg while carrying one of the most abhorrent loads in world sport.
Prince began to reply with the earnestness that his captain’s valour merited, but he stopped himself in the middle and said, “Perhaps I ought to respond to that query after the game.”
Therefore, when South Africa’s day of destiny arrives at Lord’s on Saturday, there can and will be no counting of chickens. The least of all is against Australia, who are not only the reigning WTC champions but also, as seen by their impressive record in global finals, are as accustomed to winning in any circumstance as South Africa, which is prone to fatalism.
“The messaging has been the same throughout,” Prince said. “Make them believe that they can do it, and then just step out the way and allow them to go and do it.
“One of the things we said before the run-chase is: ‘the game will finish when it finishes’,” he said. “Whether that is tomorrow at lunchtime or whatever, the end of the match will take care of itself. For us, the most important thing is to remain in the moment. And from a batting point of view, that means play one ball at a time.”