Rabada produced five of them, a characteristic cover drive among them, but the best was probably the one-legged back foot ‘channelling his inner Brian Lara’ drive, that sought the ball hurtling to the cover boundary.
He took risks in that period, stepping away from his stumps to give himself room. With 12 to get, his looked like a man who wanted to seal the deal in two blows. Off the next two balls he faced, he pumped a baseball-like pull straight down the ground for four, followed by a stunning cover drive.
It was left to Marco Jansen, to finish the job against the heroic Abbas, an outside edge through the third man.
Hugs in the dressing room, screams from a crowd who’d spent much of the partnership offering prayers and biting finger nails, as the ‘To win’ box on the score board ticked down. Rabada finished on 31 not out, Jansen 16, the pair of them were magnificent.
The bravery to play in that manner, speaks to a side whose evolution has been thrilling to witness.
When Cricket South Africa sent a “C team” to New Zealand, there was talk of South Africa disrespecting the Test format. But look at how Rabada and Jansen fought, and Aiden Markram played and Temba Bavuma led and there is little doubt about their desire.
The attendance at SuperSport Park has been superb and suggested that South Africans are far from disinterested in the longest format.
Now South Africa get to prove a point at Lord’s, after a year in which the national men's and women’s teams made it to the finals of their respective T20 World Cups. It is another example of the grit and determination of the country’s players.
Rabada and Jansen produce thrilling partnership to seal World Test Championship final for Proteas
Image: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
The Proteas will be at Lord’s in June next year. The route there came via three days and three hours of the most dramatic Test cricket it is possible to play, and ended with a cool nudge to third man for four by Marco Jansen.
He and Kagiso Rabada shared the ballsiest 51-run partnership imaginable to leave Pakistan, who had fought back so superbly thanks to Mohammad Abbas in the morning, crestfallen, and earned the Proteas a two-wicket win which booked their ticket for the World Test Championship final.
But it made for painful viewing.
From lunch, when they resumed on 116/8, needing 32 to win, SuperSport Park — and a crowd officially pegged at 3,600, but probably double that — lived and breathed every ball. A ‘leave’ was cheered as heartily as a block, every run roared, every boundary, made the main stand shake.
Rabada produced five of them, a characteristic cover drive among them, but the best was probably the one-legged back foot ‘channelling his inner Brian Lara’ drive, that sought the ball hurtling to the cover boundary.
He took risks in that period, stepping away from his stumps to give himself room. With 12 to get, his looked like a man who wanted to seal the deal in two blows. Off the next two balls he faced, he pumped a baseball-like pull straight down the ground for four, followed by a stunning cover drive.
It was left to Marco Jansen, to finish the job against the heroic Abbas, an outside edge through the third man.
Hugs in the dressing room, screams from a crowd who’d spent much of the partnership offering prayers and biting finger nails, as the ‘To win’ box on the score board ticked down. Rabada finished on 31 not out, Jansen 16, the pair of them were magnificent.
The bravery to play in that manner, speaks to a side whose evolution has been thrilling to witness.
When Cricket South Africa sent a “C team” to New Zealand, there was talk of South Africa disrespecting the Test format. But look at how Rabada and Jansen fought, and Aiden Markram played and Temba Bavuma led and there is little doubt about their desire.
The attendance at SuperSport Park has been superb and suggested that South Africans are far from disinterested in the longest format.
Now South Africa get to prove a point at Lord’s, after a year in which the national men's and women’s teams made it to the finals of their respective T20 World Cups. It is another example of the grit and determination of the country’s players.
READ MORE
Low on quality but high on drama; SA and Pakistan have served up a feast in the first Test
Ali Bacher concerned by dominance of cricket ‘big three’ India, England and Australia
Markram finds solace from helping teammates even when runs don't flow
Mesmerising Abbas flattens Proteas
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos