4 days ago
From Langa to Lord's: After the historical victory, Temba Bavuma is hoping for more Test cricket
AFTER celebrating the World Test Championship trophy, Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is hoping that South Africa will be able to play more Test cricket going forward. | BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Prior to the Lord's Test the odds on Proteas captain Temba Bavuma hitting the only six of the World Test Championship final would have been fairly long.
But, then again, what would the odds have been of a young man hailing from Langa in the Western Cape leading the South African national cricket team to the Holy Grail at the Home of Cricket?
I suspect significantly longer.
FROM LANGA to Lord's: Temba Bavuma poses with the Golden Test mace at Lord's. | ICC
Image: ICC
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It's almost as if the geographical plates of world cricket have shifted this past week in St John's Wood.
But whether it was just a slight tremor or a full blown earthquake will be seen in the coming months.
The World Test Champions are only home for a few days before they cross the border for the first time in more than a decade to face their northern African neighbours Zimbabwe in a two-match series.
All the hubbub of Lord's will be replaced by the near-silence of the Queens Park Oval in Bulawayo to remind the Proteas of their actual standing in the global cricket landscape.
While there may be upcoming tours to Pakistan and India post Zimbabwe, the Proteas will not be able to celebrate their world champion status on the field with their fans at Newlands, Wanderers and Centurion until next year.
'We want to play more Test cricket,' Bavuma said matter of factly after lifting the ICC golden mace.
'We want to play against the bigger nations. So I think this will go a long way in making us a lot more attractive, and also the so-called smaller nations.'
FROM Langa to Lord's: Temba Bavuma made history by leading the Proteas to World Test Championship victory over Australia at Lord's. | ICC
Image: ICC
