Aiden Markram knows this final build-up week pretty well. The tension and excitement of it all bottled into one.
Markram, of course, has gone through this all before when he led the Proteas – the only men’s South African captain ever – in the T20 World Cup final against India in Barbados last year.
Here at Lord’s though, where the Proteas are preparing to face Australia in the World Test Championship final starting on Wednesday, he drops down to Temba Bavuma’s lieutenant. But that does nothing to diminish the importance of Markram’s calming influence on a group of players where the majority are tasting the rarified atmosphere of Lord’s for the first time.
“It’s got that (final) feel about it, for sure,” Markram told reporters, on the outskirts of the Lord’s outfield.
“But it is a different feeling, to be very honest. I think it’s because it’s a one-off game where there hasn’t been this sort of consecutive build-up to it. So, it does feel slightly different, at least for the time being.
London, the Proteas have arrived! 🇿🇦
It’s time for the #WTCFinal showdown! 💪#WTC25 #ProteasWTCFinal pic.twitter.com/VrAde0xbRn
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 8, 2025
“Maybe the night before, all of a sudden it might all align. Obviously, we spent the previous week down in Arundel and it was far more relaxed and guys were zoning in on their skills and there wasn’t so much hype around in that town.
“Now that we’re here at the stadium, obviously, once you step foot on it, you know the reason you’re here for. It gets us really excited for it, of course, and a few more days of hard work and it’s going to be an exciting game to come.”
Markram has limited playing experience at the famed St John’s Wood ground, having only appeared in a single Test and ODI here before, but he does appreciate the prestige of the occasion.
“From a personal point of view, I haven’t done too well here, But all in all, you leave here and you’re a really happy person,” he said.
“Everyone wants to play their cricket here. Walking into the changing room, walking down to the field with the people, all those sorts of things.
“Mostly the history and you know how many of the greats of the game have played here. For us to have that opportunity to play on the same field and share that changing room that they once sat in is quite a cool thought.
“To play in a Test match here is really special and obviously for it to be a final is probably the cherry on top.”
Having had the misfortune of the majority of the warm-up match against Zimbabwe in Aurundel washed away, the Proteas were keen to get some time out in their legs after arriving in London.
Despite the threat of overnight rain, the sun battled its way through the clouds on a blustery day which allowed Shukri Conrad’s team to have a lengthy session at the Nursery Ground nets.
Furthermore, Markram stated the Proteas were tapping into seamer Dane Paterson, who has played for the local county Middlesex here at Lord’s this season, for his intel on the expected conditions.
“He’s got lots of knowledge now, having spent quite a few months here. So batters are tapping into him from how the bowlers try to structure their bowls from certain ends and stuff like that with the slope.
“And obviously the bowlers are chatting amongst each other about if the slope makes a difference and if so, how it make a difference and all those sorts of things. So yeah, he’ll be our banker in terms of knowledge and guys will certainly be tapping into him throughout the Test match.”
