Smashing shots, rasp cuts, glowing drives, dead bat defences and what not- there’s a lot that Madiba’s Proteas (men’s) unit has impressed the cricket world with, whether its playing fast paced knocks or the Blocathons.
But at the bedazzling WTC final venue, not all from the Rainbow Nation have come to taste ecstatic success.
It will take one the class and composure of a monk to play like one during an event as prestigious and astonishing as the final of the WTC (World Test Championship).
South Africa, truth be told, will be raring to go in this one!
The above told, there have been quite a few who’ve channelised their inner talent here at Lord’s thus giving the crowd on ground and fans back at home something to savour.
That being told, what do the stats concerning some premier SA men look like when it comes to performing with the bat at Lord’s?
And who do you reckon is the man with most runs from South Africa’s stable on the list in this particular respect: Sir Jacques Henry Kallis is not the answer.
South Africa batters with most Test runs at Lord’s
Graeme Smith
Smith was a goldsmith of sorts in terms of taking huge strides forward with an astoundingly good batting average here at Lord’s.
While the brave left hander, seemingly connected with the game with the key desire to excel and push his Proteas forward succeeded in that mission as his career blossomed, he also tried to make the most of leading the score charts with the bat as an example.
He scored at Lord’s 411 runs including two great centuries and most importantly, 259 runs in 2003 being his best score, as on date.
Rather interestingly, the former Proteas skipper took just one, i.e., his opening match itself at Lord’s to score his 259, still widely considered as the finest ever batting effort seen from the perspective of a young (or rising) gun.
Hashim Amla
There was always this elegance and yet simplicity, the touch of class and yet, at the same time, unflappability like Amla, he’s one a kind.
The modern-day great and someone who once struck a triple century in this format of the game scored 284 vital and precious Lord’s runs. He took just six Test innings in that series to score 284 runs at Lord’s.
Moreover, the great Hashim Amla enjoys being an utterly deserving and fine batting example to many youngsters here at Lord’s in having taken only six innings to score his run tally at the ground. Ultimately, he struck two centuries here at one of cricket’s greatest venues with a highest score of 121.
Dave Nourse
From the onset of 1907 to 1924, hugely under-appreciated South African batting legend scored at Lord’s no fewer than 390 runs. This included not one but two fifties and a batting average of 27. He was calm under critical moments for the team and an absorber of pressure in that age of the game where blind big hitting wasn’t the order of the day.
Bruce Mitchell
This was a Protea cricket career that was built on the aspect of longevity and yet, it’s really sad that the modern cricket fan is not all that aware of the great Bruce Mitchell. For someone who scored 3,400 plus, Mitchell, a Transvaal based cricketer earned respect from different members playing the sport for his ability to persevere under pressure.
He scored 371 Test career runs, at this point, at Lord’s. Moreover, he took just six outings with the bat here at Lord’s to strike runs at a Test average of 74 here. 74. Let that sink in.Dev Tyagi