It was a day that will live forever in the memories of South African cricket fans. On 14th June 2025, Kyle Verreynne drove Mitchell Starc through cover point and South Africa had brilliantly overturned a first innings deficit against Australia, to be crowned World Test Champions.
As Temba Bavuma’s men battled the Aussies and the odds, wherever they may have been in the world, South Africans found ways to ensure they did not miss a single ball. Anticipation growing, but nerves shredded, ever conscious perhaps, that they had seen their side in touching distance of glory before, only for it to be snatched away at the death through a series of unfortunate events (as Lemony Snicket might have said, were he a cricket lover). But not on this occasion, thanks to Aiden Markram’s ton, Bavuma’s resilient 66 and of course, a superb bowling attack spearheaded by Kagiso Rabada.
We are delighted to say, thousands of those Proteas fans found their way to us at Guerilla Cricket. A trickle at first, but then an irresistible surge. They just kept coming. As we relayed each ball, we were conscious that a moment of sporting history, equal to those achieved by South Africa in other sports, was about to transpire at Lords. Many of our new South African friends got instantly into the spirit of our approach, with messages to us and each other on YouTube. Funny, nervous, sympathetic, insightful, desperate and ultimately triumphant, we read them all. Or most of them at least. There were a lot.
South African fans alight on Guerilla Cricket during the WTC Final
Whilst we primarily cover England matches and international tournaments, we are proud that our audience is delightfully diverse in well, just about every way. Typically, we can expect around 2 -3% of that audience to be South African whatever games we are covering. By the fourth day of the World Test Championship Final, that percentage had grown to 25%. We reckon across our YouTube Channel and our website stream, some 15,000 South African fans around the world had tuned in to Guerilla Cricket to cheer their team home and share their relief and joy. And why not? Finally South Africa’s Test Cricket team had magnificently delivered.
Their achievement stands alongside those in other sports. Four Rugby World Cups for a start, in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023. Etched into longer term memories is Nelson Mandela in his No 6 Springbok rugby shirt and cap presenting the Webb Ellis Cup to Francois Pienaar after the epic 3 point win at Ellis Park in 1995. It was the first final to require extra time too, so can lay claim to being the first ‘barest of margins’ wins against the poor old Kiwis.
Throw into that glory roll, swimmer Tatjana Smith’s Olympic medals and world record in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, albeit held in 2021. Add too, Wayde van Niekerk’s 400m World Record in 2016 that broke Michael Johnson’s 17 year 400 meter record to win gold in 43.03 seconds.
But in cricket, ultimate triumphs had been thin on the ground, beyond the 1998 Champions Trophy and a Commonwealth Games medal the same year, plus the 2006 highest run chase in ODI history as Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher helped power the Proteas past Australia’s 434.
World Cup Semi-Finals in 1999 and 2015, a Quarter Final in 2011 and a World T20 Final just last year, had all given rise to the, somewhat unjust, ‘choker’ epithet. But Temba’s 2025 men blew that away and consigned it to history.
Now, we are on the eve what promises to be an exciting White Ball series between England and South Africa. The Proteas are a force to be reckoned with in any form of cricket at the moment and are hot on the heels of a series triumph against Australia (again!).
Previewing the England vs South Africa series in the Bishop and Bear
To mull over all things South Africa (cricket wise at least) our latest guest in Guerilla Cricket’s virtual pub The Bishop and Bear, was South African cricket expert and host of The Full Quota Podcast, Tim Dale Lace.
We seem to recall that the last time Tim popped into the old B&B, we were castigating South Africa for putting everything behind the SA20 and fielding weak Test teams and yet, here they are, World Test Champions, World Cup Semi Finalists, WT20 Finalists and have just beaten Australia on their own patch in ODIs. So the big question for Tim was “What are his Proteas doing right and surely we must now be discussing them as part of a ‘Big Four’, muscling proudly in with the big money boys India, England and Australia?”
Tim’s insight into the impact of coach Shukri Conrad and the positivity he has injected into all parts of the South African game are well worth a listen as you enjoy your drinks in the convivial surroundings of the internet’s favourite cricket boozer. We look at both team’s chances, players to watch out for and of course, give our predictions. Do join us here for a drink and to hear what those predictions were. You are most welcome, as indeed you will also be for every ball of the series to come. For that, find us here:
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