A jubilant winning Proteas captain, Temba Bavuma, is optimistic that their triumphant victory against Australia at Lord’s in the World Test Championship (WTC) final will inspire other national teams to win.
This, as the Proteas, who have often endured the chokers tag, registered a five-wicket victory against the Aussies to ensure that they lift the Test Mace after 27 years.
Bavuma was addressing the media in Melrose Arch, following the team’s hero’s welcome from London at the O.R. Tambo International Airport earlier today.
“We would like to be the start of the team that encourages and inspires other teams to start winning trophies.
It’s something that the guys who’ve been wearing the Proteas batch for a while that we speak about, that connects us,” said Bavuma.
The captain said the team is proud to have made the nation happy, adding that they didn’t expect such a big welcome at the airport.
“We’re proud, obviously, as a team that we’ve been able to achieve something like this.
But we’re happier and even prouder that we’ve made our people proud.
You look at our team, the guys at the helm, we’ve done it the proper South African way, and I think that’s unique to this group, we’ve embraced everything that means to be South African,” explained the captain.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie, applauded the team, coach Shukri Conrad, Cricket South Africa, describing them as true champions.
“To CSA, you guys have taken a lot of criticism, but you kept on going on.
“On behalf of the government of national unity, thank you for believing in your strategy. Enoch Nkwe (CSA Director of National Teams) thank you for your leadership. Shukri, we have the best cricket coach in the whole world, we believe in you, and will never make you go. There was a lot of unfair criticism against our captain, even by people who don’t know a game of cricket. To Temba, this country is truly rich because you’re a citizen of this
country, you’re a fantastic captain,” remarked the McKenzie.
Meanwhile, Conrad dismissed insinuations that the team had an easier way to the finals, as they avoided some of the big nations in the world.
“We might not have played England or Australia in the build up to the final, but we managed to play Australia in the final, and we wouldn’t have wanted it the other way. We always feel that we belong at the main table, we never even felt like we were underdogs, it’s never a conversation that happen in our team talks. Everybody dubbed Australia as the huge favourite probably on the back of their experience, more than anything else. We’re one of the main cricket teams in the world, like II said we’re the test champions now,” explained the coach.
