Since cricket luminary, Ross Purdon, returned home to Port Alfred from London last week, he’s finding it hard to wipe the smile off his face.
And who can blame him?
For the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) member had a front-row seat to witness the Proteas etch their name in to the history books by winning the one-off ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against fancied Australia at Lord’s, by five wickets on the fourth day on Saturday June 14. The win in the final earned them the WTC mace.
It was the first time in 27 years South Africa had lifted ICC silverware. The Proteas, by beating the defending champions, had once and for all buried the “chokers tag” after being bundled out of consecutive ICC World Cup tournaments since 1992. South Africa had won the mace before under retired Graeme Smith in 2012 – but under a different format.
“Euphoric” was how Purdon who attended the full four days, described the feeling when wicket-keeper batsman, Kyle Verryne, hit the winning runs to take his team to victory over Australia by five wickets, having chased down 282 runs successfully.
“I jumped off my chair of course and applauded,” said Purdon.
Lord’s Cricket Ground is a hallowed institution full of old-school etiquette. So in light of this, how did other MCC members react to Purdon’s animated response?.
“Well I must say they were very happy that we won … and understood my reactions … they didn’t support the Australians either,” said Purdon.
Purdon said he did not sit in the main MCC members’ area. I had some guests with me, whom I couldn’t take with me in to the main area, so we sat in the Warner stand also reserved for MCC members and guests.”
“Lots of beer was drunk that night I can tell you,” he said – still smiling.
“It was a really proud moment for me too … witnessing history … all the Proteas players were being interviewed and their wives and kids were a long time on the field taking in the moment; and that was truly special,” said Purdon.
The “perfectly manicured ground” was heaving with South Africans throughout the four days. “It truly felt like a home ground for South Africa with all the singing and support.”
Purdon said an unusual sight was seeing the Proteas take up the home team’s dressing-room instead of the visitors’ change-rooms, “so yeah it’s odd, but great to see (Kagiso) Rabada’s (five wickets) and Aiden Markram’s (century) names on the honours board in the home team’s change-rooms”.
Did Purdon expect the Proteas to pull it off, given the fact so many pundits had written them off?
“We saw the players getting off the team bus on the first day of the Test … and you could just sense they looked sharp and fit. They really seemed ready to take it on.
“We didn’t feel so good when the Proteas only managed 138 in their first innings and we thought that Australia’s lead was crucial,” said Purdon. “They bowled excellently in Australia’s second innings to restrict them to 207. But when (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc got going with that partnership (59) we thought they had taken the game away from South Africa,” admitted Purdon.
Purdon said the toss was an important one to win given the conditions at Lord’s – the third day is often good for batting once the overhead conditions had eased off – and so it proved to be.
A masterful innings of 136 by opener, Aiden Markram, in chasing 282 for victory, steered South Africa to a historic win. They still needed 69 on the fourth morning for victory – “and we didn’t celebrate until the final runs were scored because 69 was still a fair number of runs to get”, said Purdon.
He had special praise for Proteas’ captain, Temba Bavuma. “ It is very difficult to be leading and be under the pressure he’s had to face up to – he led very well as captain and he’s batting has been special”. Purdon described Rabada’s match figures of 9/110 as “truly special”.
“And Aiden Markram will remember this WTC final for the rest of his life.”
“I’ve been to many stadiums but the 2025 Lord’s Test final with the Proteas winning the mace, must rank as the best I have ever experienced,” added Purdon.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, July 3, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
