Players and support staff were in high spirits as they assembled for the final glimpse of Lord’s before they head back home to South Africa. Two days after making history by defeating Australia, South Africa’s winning ICC World Test Championship team came back to the site of their historic win on Monday when they stormed the Lord’s for further celebrations The whole 15-man team was present with the iconic mace at the Home of Cricket to commemorate their five-wicket victory over Australia that sealed the World Test Championship Final.
This was South Africa’s first triumph in an ICC tournament in 28 years. According to a report by the ICC website, the players and support staff were in good spirits as they came together for one last look at the Lords before they returned to South Africa, and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder said the celebrations had been spirited.
“It’s been a very, very good few days. Celebrations like I’ve never had before, so as a team I think we’re super chuffed and no better place to do it than at the Home of Cricket,” Mulder said in a quote carried by ICC Digital at Lord’s.
Mulder confessed he had slept little at all since coming to London, nerves prior to the Ultimate Test and celebrations afterwards still getting to him. Although Mulder confirmed that all the players and support staff had participated in the merriment, he added it had been a group of Western Province players who had taken the lead.
“I believe it’s the Western Province team, honest to God,” Mulder replied when questioned about who had celebrated most. “All of them celebrate victory very, very hard. Kyle Verreynne, Dane Paterson, David Bedingham and (batting coach) Ashwell Prince are sort of the leaders of our vibe unit, so they have been the guys that have gone the whole way.”
Mulder said he had received a flood of messages of support from home in South Africa, and he had even talked to Australian batsman Travis Head, his teammate and fellow Pat Cummins at IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad, after the win.
“I had a chat with him (Head) last night on the phone,” Mulder explained. “He was stoked for the way it went for us. Clearly, he was devastated that they didn’t win, but I believe overall, the mood of the game was really as good or as high as it could have been.
“You think of the Aussies, you always think of them as being a bit nasty sometimes, but I believe these lads are genuine champions.”.
“And how they do it, the ability that they have to bring every single day and every single minute of the game together, just highlights why they are arguably the best team, best sporting cricketing side to play the game,” Mulder said to the ICC.
