Latest news with #Rabada
IOL News
16 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Marco Jansen: My role is making the ball swing and talk for Proteas
MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN Marco Jansen (picturerd) discusses his role in leading the Proteas bowling attack alongside Kagiso Rabada, emphasising their strategic approach to exploiting bowling conditions and his awe of Rabada's prowess. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL Image: Michael Sherman/IOL While it's difficult not to be awestruck at times with Kagiso Rabada bowling at the other end, Marco Jansen is in no doubt about his job of leading the Proteas bowling attack. Jansen was speaking as South Africa received a hero's welcome on Wednesday, after the Proteas beat Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's, in London, over the weekend. The tall left-arm quick once again proved the perfect foil for Rabada as the pair claimed eight wickets together in the first innings as Australia were bowled out for 212. That set the tone, and despite a match that ebbed and flowed throughout the contest, the Proteas ultimately emerged convincing five-wicket victors to claim their first piece of major ICC glory (not counting the 1998 Champions Trophy). 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 Jansen in Awe of Rabada's Mastery on the Field 'I have a job to do and I have a responsibility to make the ball swing and talk and try and get as many wickets as possible, especially with the new ball,' said Jansen. Bowling with Rabada though, is still sometimes a surreal experience, the 26-year-old explained. 'That guy is good, hey. Every time he gets a wicket, I just... There are a couple of moments or times where he took wickets where I just sort of stood back, sort of like taking in the whole scene, what's happening and stuff like that, reminding me when I was in school, seeing him on TV doing similar things and then sort of snapping out of it in an instant and starting celebrating. 'I think to myself, this is unbelievable. But also at the same time, remembering or telling myself that I also have a job to do. 'I can't just take everything in and just be there and go along for the ride if that makes sense.'
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
South Africans welcome home Test champions the Proteas
Temba Bavuma captained the Proteas to a five-wicket triumph over long-time rivals Australia at Lord's last Saturday to end a 27-year major trophy drought. He and coach Shukri Conrad were the first to greet cheering supporters, with both holding the Mace they received for being crowned champions. Each player then carried a bouquet of flowers while shaking hands with some supporters, hugging others and signing autographs. Opening batter Aiden Markram recovered from a first-innings duck to hit 136 in the second innings and pave the way for a victory in London with a day and a half to spare. Paceman Kagiso Rabada took nine wickets in the final to be another key figure as South Africa triumphed for the first time since lifting the 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy (now Champions Trophy). Among those who greeted the team on a cool, sunny winter morning in the South African commercial capital were accountant Brian Gabela and receptionist Mandy Tshabalala. Gabela, 35, said: "I had to be here and welcome the boys home. They have suffered so many heartbreaks during the past two decades. Now we are champions of the world. "I was pessimistic when we trailed by 74 runs after the first innings, but a magnificent second knock from Aiden Markram turned the tide." Zimbabwe next Tshabalala, 37, travelled to the airport with her son, Monthati, and admitted she was also worried after Australia built a first-innings advantage. "I have been supporting the Proteas since I was a child and it has been sad seeing them come so close so often without bringing home a trophy. "Apart from his studies, my high school son spends many hours each week keeping up to date with the Proteas. His favourite cricketer is Kagiso (Rabada)." The triumphant team and coaches will hold a press conference at the Johannesburg headquarters of Cricket South Africa later on Wednesday. South Africa are next be in action on June 28 when they face northern neighbours Zimbabwe in the first of two Tests in Bulawayo. Bavuma will lead the team, but Markram and Rabada are being rested. Among five uncapped players called up are Titans duo Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Lesego Senokwane. Pretorius, 19, made a huge impression in a recent domestic four-day competition, striking three centuries in five appearances and averaging 72.66. Senokwane also impressed with the bat in the competition, hitting 559 runs, including two centuries. Both players have been chosen after recently making their debuts for South Africa A against the West Indies A. After the Tests, South Africa will play Zimbabwe and New Zealand in a seven-match Twenty20 tournament in Harare. © 2025 AFP
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Maphaka, Yusuf waiting in the wings as Proteas bowling stocks look rosy in defence of World Test Championship title
Kwena Maphaka, the youngest Proteas Test cricketer, celebrating his first wicket after dismissing Pakistan's Babar Azam. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix THE World Test Championship final at Lord's last week was once again a Proteas fast-bowler exhibition as Kagiso Rabada led from the front, returning a nine-wicket haul to help South Africa claim all 20 Australian wickets. Going into the London encounter, there were a lot of questions with regards to Rabada's ability to stand up from the drug scandal he faced leading up to the match, and boy did the 30-year-old silence his doubters against the No 1-ranked Aussies. He took five wickets in the first innings, his 17th Test fifer, and followed with a four-for in the second as he narrowly missed out on what would've been a great 10-for at the Home of Cricket. In the process, Rabada broke Allan Donald's Test record (330) to move to fourth on the Proteas all-time leading wicket-takers' list on 336, behind only Makhaya Ntini (390), Shaun Pollock (421) and Dale Steyn (439). At the opposite end, the 2.06m-tall Marco Jansen fired his thunderbolts as the lanky left-armer took key wickets in the final. Lungi Ngidi, having been backed ahead of Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch despite having last played Test cricket in August, delivered the wickets of Steve Smith, Beau Webster and Pat Cummins in the third innings of the match, setting up the victory for the Proteas. Apart from the five quicks mentioned above, the question then becomes, if there are quality reserves, when it is time to rest the regulars? South Africa have an abundance of fast bowlers who are neck-and-neck with the regular quicks, including the likes of Anrich Nortjé, Gerald Coetzee and Nandré Burger, who were not involved at Lord's for a host of different reasons. 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 Nortjé, having not played the entire cycle, was not considered, while Coetzee and Burger were returning from injuries. All three can bowl 150km/h-plus, and all have Test caps under the belt, which then gives South Africa options going into the defence of their World Test Championship title. Moreover, the Proteas have rising star Kwena Maphaka lurking in the fringes of the Test-bowling unit. The 19-year-old left-arm quick has a high ceiling, and had a taste of the longer format when he earned a debut during the New Year's Test at Newlands last summer. Lions fast bowler Codi Yusuf, having had a stellar CSA Four-Day competition, and now with county experience under his belt, is also competing for a Test spot. Maphaka and Yusuf have been included in the Proteas squad for the two-match series against Zimbabwe, which is set to get underway next week in Bulawayo.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Willing to give my blood for this team: Rabada
Kagiso Rabada of South Africa poses with the ICC World Test Championship Mace after day four of the ICC World Test Championship final. Photo: ICC South African fast-bowling ace Kagiso Rabada delivered both with the ball and in spirit during the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final against Australia, crediting mental resilience and team unity for their historic victory. "There are normally two voices in your head, the one that doubts and the one that believes. The second is the one that we keep feeding, especially in big moments like this, the World Test Championship final," Rabada told reporters at Lord's. "That's why you saw the performances you saw. It's a testament to our team this season," he added. In a tense five-day encounter that spanned 10 gripping sessions, South Africa started strong by bowling out Australia for 212. However, they stumbled to 138 all out in their first innings, surrendering the advantage. A critical second-innings bowling display turned the tide again, with South Africa reducing Australia to 73 for 7 at one stage. Though Australia recovered to post 282, it was still a manageable target on a flattening pitch. Head coach Shukri Conrad praised the bowling unit — and Rabada in particular — for setting up the win. "Where did we turn it around? Obviously, that bowling performance, because we could easily have fallen asleep in the field and then they would have gotten away from us in a big way," Conrad said. "As for KG — that's why he's the superstar. He knew we had one chance at it." Rabada, however, humbly deflected the praise when asked about his stature in South African cricket. "I don't see myself as a star," he insisted, despite being fourth on South Africa's all-time wicket-takers list and boasting the best strike rate among bowlers with over 200 Test wickets. "I see myself as someone who's willing to give my blood for this team and continue working hard and improving. That's me as a cricketer, always wanting to improve and playing for the badge with a lot of pride." "I've been working extremely hard, and those second-innings spells, those are the ones that count more, when you're a bit tired. You could be behind the game, or you could be ahead of the game. This time, we're behind the game. But I think it was just about staying calm and looking at what's in front of us. That's the way I see myself."
India.com
3 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
I See Myself As Someone Whos Willing To Give My Blood For This Team: Kagiso Rabada Reacts On WTC Finals 9-fer Against Australia
South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada delivered a performance to remember in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, picking up an incredible nine-wicket haul. Despite his game-changing contribution, the pace spearhead humbly refused to consider himself a 'star.' 'I don't see myself as a star. I see myself as someone who's willing to give my blood for this team and continue working hard and improving. That's me as a cricketer, always wanting to improve and playing for the badge with a lot of pride,' Rabada said in a post-match media interaction at Lord's, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. The Proteas defeated Australia by five wickets at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground to win their first ICC trophy in 27 years. This marked a historic moment for South African cricket. Rabada's remarkable effort not only played a pivotal role in the victory but also helped him achieve a personal milestone: he is now South Africa's all-time leading wicket-taker in Tests and holds the best strike rate among all bowlers with over 200 wickets in the format. Reflecting on his effort in the second innings, Rabada added, 'I've been working extremely hard, and those second-inning spells are the ones that count more when you're a bit tired. You could be behind the game, or you could be ahead of the game. This time, we're behind the game. But I think it was just about staying calm and looking at what's in front of us. That's the way I see myself.' Markram, Bavuma Guide South Africa to Glory After Rabada's heroics with the ball, the Proteas' batting lineup rose to the occasion. Chasing a challenging target of 282, Aiden Markram played a masterful innings of 136, while captain Temba Bavuma contributed a crucial 66 to guide South Africa to a memorable five-wicket win over the Pat Cummins-led side. The match, which lasted just 10 sessions, swung back and forth. South Africa initially had the upper hand after bowling Australia out for 212 in the first innings. However, their own batting faltered as they were bowled out for just 138, handing the momentum back to Australia. But the Proteas showed remarkable resilience. In the second innings, they put Australia on the back foot at 73/7 before a spirited fightback from Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc helped the Aussies post a competitive lead. Still, on a pitch that had begun to ease out, South Africa's batters held their nerve. Markram's counterattacking ton and Bavuma's calm leadership helped the team chase down the target and lift their first ICC title since the 1998 Champions Trophy. Surprisingly both Markram and Rabada did incredibly well in the U-19 World Cup SA won in 2014. Markram led the team from front and Rabada was a breakout star.
