Last Updated:
Matthew Hayden praised South Africa for their crucial breakthroughs in winning the World Test Championship final against Australia.
Pat Cummins after losing the World Test Championship final (AP)
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden praised South Africa for making crucial breakthroughs that led them to win the World Test Championship final on Saturday.
“The legacy of Australian cricket, with its results and performances in ICC events, shows how much this team excels on the big stage. I can’t even remember the last time Australia lost at Lord’s; it’s been about 22 years of dominance here.”
“So, for this South African team, which is relatively inexperienced compared to Australia in this World Test Championship cycle, this result is phenomenal. Take someone like Lungi Ngidi — almost unplayable in the first innings, and then in the second, he dismissed Steve Smith when it mattered most.”
“That moment was huge. Smith is such an iconic figure in the Australian setup, and from there, South Africa kept the momentum going. That’s what finals are about — finding a way,” Hayden concluded.
Australia captain Pat Cummins conceded his team faced an insurmountable challenge after their World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa at Lord’s on Saturday.
Cummins’ side, the defending champions, were heavily favoured to prevail against a South African team lacking prominent stars.
However, they succumbed to a five-wicket loss as South Africa, spearheaded by opener Aiden Markram’s superb 136 and captain Temba Bavuma’s 66, successfully chased a target of 282 before lunch on the fourth day.
Australia held a 74-run first-innings lead but were unable to decisively pull away from the Proteas. South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada returned impressive match figures of 9-110.
“Things can change pretty quickly,” Cummins admitted at the post-match presentation. “Unfortunately, it was a bridge too far.”
Steve Smith’s first-innings 66 was the only half-century by a specialist Australian batsman in the match.
Smith, however, dislocated a finger dropping a slip catch and is now a doubt for the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados on 25 June.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov… Read More
- Location :
London, United Kingdom (UK)
- First Published:
