Bladders on hold, eyes on history

WTC FINAL Bladders on hold, eyes on history Bharat Sundaresan Share Tweet

Such is the tension of South Africa's charge at Lord's that even bathroom breaks must wait. ©Getty

On Friday evening, the South African players timed their bathroom breaks based on the breaks in play. Whether it was at drinks or when their captain was being treated for his hamstring.

Not because they were asked to do so. But more due to the need they felt as a collective to maintain the same rhythm inside the dressing-room that Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram had built up in the middle of Lord's. It was that kind of partnership after all. The types in a big match which demand for every member of the team to play their part. Even if it means having to hold their bladder.

Even though assistant coach Ashwell Prince didn't quite admit to this South African dressing-room being largely superstitious, it turns out most of their predecessors were. To the extent that you weren't allowed to change your seat at any point during a Test match or a tour. Whether it was a seat on the team bus or a seat in the pavilion. At the risk of even being told off for doing so.

From all reports, there's a bit more leniency now for any indiscretion of that nature. At least for now. It might not be the case tomorrow as South Africa head closer to their holy grail. With only 69 runs left now, and the two batters in the middle in complete control when they finished proceedings on the third evening, it'd only be those with the slightly weak bladders who might have to worry about an inopportune bathroom break. Or so you'd predict if this was any team but South Africa.

But this is South Africa, and till the time they actually get over the line, there's no choice but to bring up that fact. In addition to recalling, for the umpteenth time, the numerous wobbles they've had over the years when it comes to closing the deal in a crunch game. The latest being the dramatic collapse just under 12 months ago at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

It's also safe to say that it's perhaps only their own history that stands in the way of South Africa creating history at Lord's on Saturday.

Also, probably the only way out for Australia to capitalise on now after having given their all in vain on Friday. For, the pitch hasn't played ball the way they'd have wanted it to. Neither has the ball or the weather for that matter. After 14 wickets on each of the first two days, only four of them fell on Day 3, on a surface that's dried up and slowed down.

It meant that the world-beating Australian attack which looked insurmountable a couple of days earlier, was made to look rather pedestrian, courtesy of a sensational partnership between Markram and Bavuma. Following a rather tepid and timid display with the bat in the first innings, there were expectations for South Africa to show a bit more intent in their run-chase. And so they did, not so much by throwing their bats around and trying to impose themselves on the Aussies. But instead by acknowledging the improvement in batting conditions, and making the most of them.

Maybe this is a good time to talk about the changing attitudes in modern-day batters around the concept of a run-chase. Yes, this is the ultimate format. Yes, it's much more difficult to bat in the fourth innings and against a red ball in mostly deteriorating conditions. But batters of this generation are brought up on a diet of run-chases and therefore are no longer intimidated by the concept of mowing a large target down, regardless of what format it is or where they are playing. Breaking down targets and finding ways of conquering them is how they seem to be wired now, with the concept of batting time to save a Test now the unnatural aspect of Test batting for most.

One of the reasons why we've started to see so many more successful run-chases in Test cricket, a fact that even Australia's assistant coach, and recently named ICC Hall of Famer, Dan Vettori, agreed with.

It was evident in the matter-of-fact manner in which Markram went about his innings, milking singles and twos, and picking off the occasional boundary without ever trying to change his game. That meant Australia, who pride themselves on bowling dry overs and strangling the opposition, weren't allowed to bowl the number of maidens they're used to. It also meant that Markram and Bavuma controlled the tempo of the contest, even as Pat Cummins continued to move his bowlers around, even giving Beau Webster and Travis Head a go at one stage. It didn't help that the Australian captain had to marshal his troops in the absence of his deputy, Steve Smith, who suffered a complex dislocation to his little finger while attempting a catch at slip. At one stage, Cummins had Usman Khawaja in one ear and Marnus Labuschagne in the other as he pondered his next move. He just stood there staring into the distance before bringing himself back on to bowl.

Like he will on Saturday, trying to play grinch again in what at the moment seems like South Africa's date with destiny. There will once again be no movement in the South African dressing-room, and once again be no unforced bathroom breaks. Even if it will be the kind of day that will test their nerves and their bladders.

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