South Africa put ‘chokers’ tag to bed after Australia remind Proteas of their big-game history

The Proteas started day four at Lord’s in a commanding position, needing just a further 69 runs with eight wickets in hand.

On paper, it was a rather elementary chase for any cricket side.

But South Africa’s history in these matches, which includes 14 semi-final defeats, was always going to offer a glimmer of hope for the Aussies.

The perennial winners made South Africa earn every run in, including making mention of their contrasting history in crunch moments.

“The tag of us being chokers; that came about this morning,” triumphant Proteas’ captain Temba Bavuma said.

“One of their players threw out the fact we could lose our eight (wickets) for less than 60 runs.”

Bavuma was the Aussies’ early scalp but they took within seven runs of defeat to remove matchwinner Aiden Markram.

Markram told Bavuma and his proceeding partners to “lock in” and “give them nothing” as he crushed Australia with a clinical 136.

Markram denied the chokers tag being the motivator of his innings but was eager to shake its heavy weight from the South African shoulders.

“It would be great to not have to hear it again, that’s for sure,” he said.

“In terms of it motivating you, I mean there’s always going to be external things that can motivate you but it’s not the sole purpose for playing.

“To get the job done and get rid of that is quite a big thing for this team I feel.”

While the tag itself wasn’t driving Markram – his role in South Africa’s last World Cup heartbreak was.

Markram captained the Proteas in the Twenty20 World Cup final loss last year and watched on powerlessly as they fumbled that run chase.

That game raced through Markram’s sleepless mind on Friday night and how he couldn’t relive that same futility again on day four.

“I thought a lot about the T20 World Cup last night and how hopeless I felt on the side after getting out,” he said.

“I said, ‘I don’t want to be sitting there again’. It gave me a bit of motivation to stay at the crease for as long as I could.

“I never once thought about the achievement and what could come with it. It was always about getting the job done and trying to win.”

Markram knew the World Test Championship was always going to be the Proteas’ greatest challenge.

Unlike the white-ball finals, he said conquering cricket’s purest format demanded depth and persistence.

“It’s as big and as tough as it gets, so all the questions that have been asked in the past have now fortunately been answered,” he said.

“The Test one, in my opinion, was always going to be the toughest one; it’s many days of playing good cricket.

“Whereas in a T20 or in one-day cricket nowadays, you just need one person to put their hand up to get the win.

“It was always going to be the toughest, it was always going to be a full team effort to get over the line.”

The scene over the fence at Lord’s as South Africa lifted the World Test Championship final mace painted a telling picture.

Bavuma said he was inspired by what the South African rugby team had done culturally and hoped his team’s victory could have a similar impact.

“South Africa; we are unique in a lot of ways, our present and our future is shaped by our past,” Bavuma said.

“I think the way they’ve (Springboks) gone about it to capture the hearts of everyone has made us love them.

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“Us within the cricket (team), it’s something we’ve spoken about, to really do something special, that word special I keep using it.

“For us as a country to rejoice in something, kind of forget about our issues and really come together.

“I think for the group of players, there were a lot of doubters … I do think the way we’ve played we’ve wiped all of that out.”