Aiden Markram believes South Africa’s frequent two-Test series in the World Test Championship cycle have inadvertently honed their skills for quick starts – a potential advantage in the upcoming one-off final. Speaking from Lord’s, Markram remarked, “A lot of our series have been two-game series, so in order to win, you can’t start slow. That’s helped us along the way… There’s no second dip at it. We have to make sure we hit the ground running and are nice and sharp come day one.”
Reflecting on their 2012 England tour, Markram acknowledged that South Africa has often taken a slow approach, allowing opponents a head start, as was the case when England reached 267 for 3 on the first day before South Africa fought back to claim the series. However, such luxuries are absent in a final and during this World Test Championship cycle, where South Africa played fewer matches, forcing them to maintain a high winning rate. Their lean schedule meant they had to win seven of their remaining eight Tests after fielding a weakened side against New Zealand in 2022.
One concern remains the team’s readiness; they haven’t played a Test in six months, and a recent warm-up game was cut short. Temba Bavuma, the most seasoned player with over 50 Tests, and batters like Markram and Kyle Verreynne, who have centuries to their names, are expected to anchor the relatively inexperienced line-up. In stark contrast, Australia boasts a wealth of experience – for example, Steven Smith alone has near as many Test appearances as several of South Africa’s top-order combined, excluding Bavuma.
South Africa’s batting frailties are often discussed, particularly against Australia’s formidable attack. Yet Markram remains optimistic, having utilised the nets to prepare for the high-pressure environment. “When you’re opening the batting, obviously your responsibility is to calm the changing room down, get the team off to a good start and get us ahead of the game,” he commented. Practising against his own “world-class” bowlers has, despite its challenges, provided valuable insights into his form ahead of the much-anticipated clash at Lord’s.
