Johannesburg [South Africa], June 18 : South African Test captain Temba Bavuma expressed his delight after reaching home on Wednesday after defeating Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The match was played at Lord's from June 11 to 14.
The Proteas squad was welcomed by the country's sports minister, Gayton McKenzie and by the people from across South African society, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Among those present were children from KFC's Mini Cricket programme -- the country's largest grassroots cricket initiative -- along with students from the former schools of some players, including Pretoria Boys High School, where Aiden Markram once studied, and relatives like the brother of Wiaan Mulder.
The cricketers spent time signing autographs, accepting flowers and embraces, and proudly showing off their custom-made "champions" t-shirts before heading to the Cricket South Africa headquarters in the northern part of the city.
There, they were welcomed with a red carpet and the sounds of a brass band. Nearly four days after their five-wicket victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final, the reality of their historic win is beginning to set in.
Speaking at the press conference, Temba Bavuma said it is quite overwhelming.
"We haven't seen people like that at the airport before. As players, you don't really realise what you've done but when you start to interact with people and see the emotion, it gives you a proper insight into what we've done. We are proud as a team but we are even more happy and proud that we've made our people proud. If you look at this team and the guys at the helm, we have done it the proper South African way. That's unique to this group. We have embraced everything that it means to be South African," he said, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Coming to the WTC final, on day first, Proteas won the toss and opted to bowl first. They dominated the first session with the ball, as fiery spells from Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) reduced Australia to 67/4. A 79-run stand between Steve Smith (66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours) and Beau Webster (72 in 92 balls, with 11 fours) and a 46-run stand between Carey (23 in 31 balls, with four boundaries) and Webster took Australia to 212 all out.
With the help of early two wickets from Starc and contributions from Cummins and Hazlewood helped Australia reduced South Africa to 43/4 at day one end, with Bavuma (3*) and Bedingham (0*) unbeaten. A six-fer from skipper Pat Cummins (6/28) helped Australia bundle out Proteas for 138 runs and secure a 74-run lead, despite a half-century run-stand between skipper Temba Bavuma (36 in 84 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and David Bedingham (45 in 111 balls, with six fours).
In their second innings, Australia was reduced to 73/7, but a 61-run stand between Alex Carey (46 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Mitchell Starc (58* in 136 balls, with five fours), who also put a last wicket stand of 59 runs with Josh Hazlewood. Australia was bundled out for 207 runs, leading by 281 runs.
Rabada (4/59) and Ngidi (3/38) were the pick of the bowlers for South Africa.In the run-chase, Proteas lost Ryan Rickelton early, but a 61-run stand between Wiaan Mulder (27 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Markram put Proteas on track. An even gigantic, frustrating 147 run stand between Markram (136 in 207 balls, with 14 fours) and skipper Bavuma (66 in 134 balls, with five fours) followed, rattling Australia. Despite Starc (3/63) attempting to keep Aussies alive, Kyle Verreyne hit the winning runs for South Africa to take them to their first ICC title since the ICC Knockout 1998.
Markram took home the 'Player of the Match' award.