Why Bavuma's efforts still and will always matter for South Africa

It still matters.

For a long time into the future, it’s going to continue to matter and South African cricket can count itself fortunate it has Temba Bavuma around to ensure these significant firsts for a Black African batter and the first Black African Test captain of the Proteas are being achieved by him. 

Bavuma knows it matters and he wants it to matter.

“With everything that I do, there is that perspective — it is important and significant,” he said on Friday night. 

Friday’s 171 not out against the West Indies at the Wanderers, was Bavuma’s second Test hundred, seven years after his maiden one that magical afternoon at Newlands.

But it was the first by the first Black African captain. Up in the Wanderers’ President’s Suite, sat Ali Bacher and Graeme Pollock, who played in an era when people who looked like Bavuma were not allowed near what the then government deemed the official South African team. 

So Friday, as he smashed Alzarri Joseph over point for four — “I was never going to keep that shot on the ground,” Bavuma chirped — it mattered, as the first Black African captain of South Africa, that he scored that hundred. 

“Being a black African cricketer, it allows a lot more black African batters to come through and dream that they too can play at the Proteas and have their names entrenched in the history books. It’s special from that perspective,” said Bavuma.

So the social significance remains important, and from that point of view it is the equal of the 102 that he made against England in Cape Town. 

From a match situation of course, it was better.

South Africa was in trouble when he arrived at the crease.

For two thirds of his innings, the West Indies had the upper hand; 8/2 became 32/3, which became 69/4 and then 103/5.

It was physically and especially, mentally demanding.

The skill required to keep the West Indies at bay was exceptional, with Bavuma’s opposite number, Kraigg Brathwaite, highlighting how well Bavuma left the ball. 

“It is a key point because often in my Test career, I’ve found myself in those situations coming in at five or six where it's 10/2 or 20/4 and you have to soak up the pressure and when the opportunity comes, release it.

“I have done that well in my career, albeit I didn’t have any big scores to back it up,” said Bavuma.

Well he has one now and he’s keen to make it bigger on Saturday.

“My mindset was to stick to what I was doing, the hundred was not the objective. The objective was to get to the end of the day, the hundred just came along the way. Tomorrow will be the same.  I’m not about to give my wicket away at any time. I will keep knocking the ball around and get the lead past 400.”

Since Bavuma’s maiden century, a lot has changed in South African cricket, the country as whole and for Bavuma.

“There have been a lot more downs than ups (since the first hundred). I keep learning about myself every day, the type of person and cricketer that I am. I’ve tried to take everything in my stride, to keep my chin up and stay true to myself.

“That Temba was very naive of everything around him, now I have a better understanding of myself and my surroundings, the pressures and challenges of me being in international cricket.” 

“I’m sure the young Temba, who made his debut for South Africa will be very proud of the Temba that he is today, with everything that has happened, to keep my head up, keep afloat and to keep finding a way to move forward.”

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