Where legends are made: South Africa are relishing being back at Lord’s to face England
(Picture: Getty Images)South Africa head coach Mark Boucher says his team have been drinking in the history of Lord’s, and are desperate to carve their own place in the ground’s history with victory in Wednesday’s third Test against England
Boucher was a legendary Proteas wicketkeeper who played the last of his 147 Tests a decade ago. He is now leading a resurgent South Africa team, and said their excitement at playing at Lord’s, where they last won in 2017, was obvious.
“If you saw when our guys arrived and walked into the museum,” he said, when asked whether his players still valued Test cricket. “We were very privileged to have a trip to the museum and all the players were just staring in awe of what was around them.
“So just watching the players reaction to walking into Lord’s. There's a lot of passion and emotions are running high. In a good way.
“I think it's a great environment to play cricket. Coming to the home of cricket, Lord’s is a special place, a great occasion.
“This is where legends are made. We walk into the changing room and you see all the names on the board. There's so many stories around those performances.
“So it shouldn't be a fear factor. It's just about us as coaches and as a coaching staff trying to give guys certain tools to deal with the pressures and emotions that you're going to feel in the morning and you can’t hide from that.
“They're going to be there. It's a great feeling, especially if you can overcome that and do well. It is something that we've definitely addressed and hopefully the guys can use the tools that we've provided and come out on top.
“As a coach you don't really have to try and get the boys all gee’d up for a game like this.”
Asked to elaborate on their trip to the Lord’s museum, Boucher said: “The guys walked through the museum, the youngsters and the guys who’ve been here before, still looking around, still looking at WG Grace’s gloves and thinking ‘I’m not sure if I could wear them today’.
“They put on a nice South African section for us. We have been successful here as well, and there are memories to be created, they would like to be part of those memories to be created. It’s a nice position as coach because you don’t have to get the boys worked up for it, they will be up for it.”
Boucher is hopeful that Kagiso Rabada will be available following injury. He will be assessed on Monday and Tuesday, with Duanne Olivier already ruled out.
