Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen in action for the Proteas on Sunday in Centurion. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad has revealed the emotions he experienced in the final stages of his team’s thrilling win against Pakistan at Centurion on Sunday.
The Proteas won the first Test of two against Pakistan by two wickets on day four on Sunday, following an exciting and edge-of-the-seat final few hours.
Needing 148 runs to win the Test in their fourth innings, the Proteas started day four on 27/3 and had moved along nicely to 62 on Sunday morning thanks to some steady batting by Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma, but when Markram was bowled for 37 and following the dismissal of Bavuma (40) with the score on 96, Pakistan smelled blood.
The Proteas collapsed to 99/8, but a quality, unbroken 51-run ninth-wicket partnership between Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada saw the Proteas home, their qualification for next June’s World Test Championship secured.
Conrad, who has overseen the Proteas’ rise to the top of the Test game once again, afterwards revealed to the media what he had gone through during the final few overs of the chase.
“I told the guys that whatever decision they were going to take as to how they were going to go about their business, they must go throughout,” said Conrad.
“I told them, if we get close, they mustn’t fiddle around, but back themselves, however they want to play it … balls to the wall, keep doing what they set out to do. That was as much conversation there was.”
Conrad added: “There were so many emotions … arriving in the morning I knew we needed one big partnership, but then Aiden got out … and then we have this loss of how many wickets on 99 … then ‘this is pretty much gone here’.
“Then they (Rabada and Jansen) start building a partnership. Lunch comes, 32 runs needed, and you think it’s only eight fours. The mind plays tricks with you.
“But, the composure shown out there was unbelievable. They were clear … Marco was clear with his intensity, and there were visions of Brian Charles (Lara) there in KG. I can’t put this win into words; you just can’t script that.”
The Proteas and Pakistan will face each other in the second Test of their series, starting in Cape Town on Friday.
The World Test Championship takes place at Lord’s in London next June.
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