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Proteas have navigated a rocky road to the World Test Championship final

Proteas have navigated a rocky road to the World Test Championship final
Temba Bavuma (c) of South Africa during day 4 of the 1st Test match between South Africa and Pakistan at SuperSport Park on December 29, 2024 in Centurion, South Africa. (Photo by Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images)
Keanan Hemmonsbey
By Keanan Hemmonsbey
30 Dec 2024
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After winning only one of their first five Test matches in the current WTC cycle, South Africa have turned it around to qualify with one match in hand.

The Proteas are the most unlikely of World Test Championship (WTC) finalists. After five matches in the current WTC cycle, the team had won only one match. No other side had played fewer matches than South Africa in the cycle.

And yet, they have their flight tickets booked to Lord’s, where they will contest the third-ever WTC final against Australia, India or outside bet Sri Lanka. 

In addition, the Proteas achieved this with a coach who was new to the job, having led the team in only one series prior to the start of the current cycle.

But national Test coach Shukri Conrad has quickly turned the team from one with potential to a team that have a genuine shot at winning ICC silverware.

“No, I didn’t think that,” Shukri Conrad said when asked if this is where he’d envisioned the team after 22 months on the job.

“Especially not with what happened in January and February earlier this year.”

South Africa sent a severely depleted side to New Zealand at the start of the year, which, as to be expected, lost 2-0. Just before that, in the first series in the current cycle, a full-strength Proteas outfit drew a home Test series 1-1 with India.

Friendly run


Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada after taking a catch off Kamran Ghulam of Pakistan on day one of the first Test against Pakistan at SuperSport Park in Centurion on 26 December 2024. (Photo: Christiaan Kotze / Gallo Images)



South Africa’s run of fixtures was a lot friendlier after that, although there have been complaints about the schedule being too kind given that South Africa haven’t played England or Australia in the cycle. However, the team can only play what is in front of them.

The ICC sets out the Future Tours Programme with the opponents and destination outline. The only thing in Cricket South Africa’s control is the number of Test matches played between the sides, which is negotiated with the other cricket boards.

“But you also look at the schedule and think that if we had a chance, this is probably it,” Conrad said.

“People abroad will be shouting that we had an easy draw; I’m certainly not going to sit here and apologise for that. But you fancied your chances if you played well. We took it one series at a time.”

After an extended Test cricket break, in which the Indian Premier League and T20 World Cup took place, South Africa toured the West Indies and Bangladesh, winning three out of four matches on tour while drawing one against the Caribbean outfit.

The team returned home with a sense of self-belief after their first victory on the Indian subcontinent in a decade.

“It only got real when we came back after Bangladesh, and we thought we had a real chance,” Conrad added.

“I didn’t think it was possible [initially], but I thought with a bit of luck we had it in us to scare some people.”

The Proteas went on to dismantle a resurgent Sri Lankan outfit at home before sneaking a nervous win over Pakistan at SuperSport Park this past week. 

After one victory in their first five matches, they’ve turned it into seven wins in 11 Test matches, going on a six-match winning streak.

Steadying the ship


Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma plays at shot Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma on the day four of the first Test match between South Africa and Pakistan at SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa, on 29 December 2024. (Photo: Christiaan Kotze / Gallo Images)



Despite their success, the team haven’t been overjoyed with the performances. They were in a comfortable position with 96 for four against Pakistan, chasing 148 for victory, before a collapse saw the team stutter to 98 for eight in a matter of minutes. Luckily Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen had the composure to see the team home and seal their spot in the WTC final.

“It’s not ideal, the cricket we’ve been playing, but we are finding a way,” skipper Temba Bavuma said. “It speaks to the talent and character in the group. 

“As much as we are in a position where we are in the final, we’ve not been super-dominant with our performances. We definitely have not been clinical or ruthless when the opportunity has called for that.”

Conrad too is pleased that the side have improved dramatically from the start of the WTC cycle, but knows there is more work to be done to ensure the Test Mace returns to South Africa.

“Where we started out … I don’t want to take you back to Christchurch and wherever we went there,” Conrad said.

“But just the manner in which we steadied the ship and set sail. We wanted to see improved performances, we wanted to get a settled side. 

“We ticked all of those boxes, but I still feel that throughout all of that, we haven’t played anywhere close to our potential.

“We’re a lot better than what this Test match showed. If I were brutally honest, and this is not being windgat [arrogant], even in Bangladesh on good wickets we played well, but we weren’t tested. They folded.

“There were signs in Gqeberha where Sri Lanka played really well and we were up to the task,” he added.

“But this is massive. We also want this team not to know when they’re beaten and we want the opposition to know that this side doesn’t know when they’re beaten.

“We’re thrilled that we can be at Lord’s next year.”

South Africa’s final Test match of the WTC cycle is the second Test match against Pakistan at Newlands starting on Friday, 3 January. There is a Test series scheduled against Zimbabwe in June next year; however, the details have yet to be finalised. 

Conrad confirmed that the team would be looking to arrange Test fixtures against available teams to get needed practice before the big dance at Lord’s, although even South Africa’s fixture list is packed with white-ball matches up to that point. DM

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