WTC Final | ‘It’s a different feel in Test match cricket’ - Former South Africa wicketkeeper confident of team shedding the choker tag

‌Former South Africa player and coach Mark Boucher sounded confident about his side’s prospects in the World Test Championship final emphasising that Test matches play over a longer period of time and allow teams enough time to cope with pressure and win the big moments. The Proteas are gearing up to take on defending champions Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s from June 11.

"We're playing for a trophy, so I guess a lot of people are saying no [we can't win] but I think it's a different feeling in Test match cricket," Boucher was quoted as saying to ESPNcricinfo. "It's played over a longer period of time and you've just got to win big moments in the game as well. Yes, there will be that tag that gets thrown our way until we win a trophy. You're not going to get rid of the tag. 

“On paper, Australia will probably feel that they've got a better batting line-up than what we have, but have we got the attitude to go out there and in a one-off game, just leave it all out there? Absolutely."

Boucher was also critical about the discussions happening around cricketing circles about South Africa’s easy passage to the summit clash of the marquee event. The Proteas had topped the WTC 2023-25 points table with eight wins from 12 matches with seven of those eight wins coming against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies and Pakistan who were ranked from sixth to ninth in that order. 

South Africa did not have tours to England, Australia or India in the current cycle with their only challenging overseas assignment coming against New Zealand. They lost the two-match series 2-0 after sending a second-string side due to a clash in schedule with the SA20, the premier domestic T20 league in the country.

"A lot of people have criticised South Africa, which is not really fair," Boucher said. "You play what's in front of you and with all due respect, the sides that we've played against, we probably should have beaten and we've done that. So we find ourselves in a final. 

Boucher also hoped that a win at Lord’s for South Africa would help turn around Test cricket in the country which is currently in dire straits. With the dwindling returns from the longest format of the game, Cricket South Africa had to turn to SA20 to once again usher in the crowds and salvage their revenue. 

“But I wouldn't say that it has got the crowds going in our country. Everyone's very excited about it now as the opportunity arises, a lot of people are going to travel over to London, spend all their Rands and go watch what should be a good match. If we win it, I think then that could be the turnaround for Test cricket in our country," he concluded.