“We know the importance of starting well and trying to get ahead of the game early, there’s no second dip at it. We got to make sure we hit the ground running,” said Aiden Markram ahead of the World Test Championship final.

Speaking to the media after South Africa’s latest training session, Aiden Markram spoke about the importance of making a strong start as the Proteas get ready for the World Test Championship final against the current holders of the trophy Australia.

Markram made it clear that there’s little room for slow starts.

“We know the importance of starting well and trying to get ahead of the game early, there’s no second dip at it we got to make sure we hit the ground running,” stressed Markram.

His message was simple but important. South Africa needs to set the tone from the first session on Day 1.

In the last series that they met, the Aussies always had better starts to the sessions which put pressure on the Proteas. The first Test in Brisbane lasted just 2 days. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc were simply brilliant with the ball and the South African batsmen just couldn’t seem to figure them out.

The final 2 Tests in Melbourne and Sydney showed that Australia are not just very good with the ball but also with the bat scoring 575 in the Melbourne Test and 475 in the Sydney Test.

“Few of us have faced each of them and their bowling attack and a few guys haven’t faced much of them. That team especially the batting lineup is quite different to the batters that we have here. So guys will draw from past experiences that they played against them whether it be white-ball cricket or red-ball cricket and try to get familiar with that as quick as they can,” said Markram.

Looking at these previous 3 results shows how key it is to start well, it sets the tone for the game and with the hosts starting well, it helped them dominate the visitors.

However, this time it’s different. The appointment of Shukri Conrad has been a key instrument in the Proteas’ red-ball success. Having won 7 Tests in a row he has helped install a winning mentality in the squad as well as a never-give-up attitude.

This is do-or-die for the Proteas, with a lot of the players having something to prove. Looking at the likes of Temba Bavuma who has been criticised his entire career, with many saying he is not good enough to play for his country. A win for him as the captain would solidify him as one of the greats in South African sport.

A win at Lord’s would not just be a personal achievement but a statement for Bavuma and his men. This is more than a final; it’s an opportunity to rewrite narratives, silence critics, and add their names as one of the best sporting teams South Africa has ever seen.

Australia, with its impressive track record and incredible players, will undoubtedly be the favourites. But this match will not be decided by who is the better team on paper. It will be decided by who wants it more.

In many ways, Australia can be seen as the Goliath of cricket with their experience and power. But South Africa is the David in this story. A team carrying the hopes of a nation, led by a captain with everything to prove.

At Lord’s, the stage is perfectly set for the underdog to rise and if the Proteas can land that first blow then maybe, just maybe, David will beat Goliath once again.

Full press conference: