Credit: ICC
Allan Donald, hostile, angry, if not always, but often as seen on the pitch, and undoubtedly, aggressive too would be proud. Extremely proud. And there's a reason. The man who became a peril nightmare for batters back in the day, often combining unplayable fast bowling with scary stares to batters would exchange all of that aggro for a wide-eyed smile.
And he would not only offer a smile but a hug. A bear hug. He'd do that today the minute he'd notice Kagiso Rabada. The reason is simple. The consequence - far reaching in the context of South African cricket.
As of a few hours ago, during the hotly contested opening day of the World Test Championship final, Kagiso Rabada overtook Donald in terms of the most number of wickets in Test cricket, thereby usurping a red hot product of quintessential Protea fast bowling.
In so doing, Rabada claimed his wicket #331, playing his 71st Test match for South Africa, whilst it took Allan Donald 72 Tests to claim Test wicket number 330.
However, in what was a truly outstanding and inspirational spell of fast bowling from Rabada, the greatest current Protea fast bowler in any line-up, irrespective of whether Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODIs), Australia found their batting journey cut short, thanks to an explosive spell from the right arm bowler.
Rabada's list of victims on Day 1 of the unquestionably important Test match final at Lord's being just as vital as his own bowling talent; Khawaja, Green, Webster, the highest scorer for Australia, Cummins, their captain and also, Starc down the lower order had no answer to his terrific line and length.
It's one thing to go past the wicket tally of a bonafide legend like Allan Donald but something quite different to have done so in such a precious contest like the ongoing WTC final. Top it up with a game-changing fifer, which the die-hard fan would certainly like Kagiso Rabada's spell to be at the end of the contest.
For where it stands at the moment, it would be rather interesting to see how the Protea respond to the situation out there - they are already four down with not even fifty on the board.
But the man responsible for the tiger's share of their joys with the red ball in hand is the tiger of fast bowling himself: Kagiso Rabada. Surely, he's not the highest Test wicket-taker yet for his team but he's roaring and getting ahead toward the path of that goal, one already accomplished by legends like Steyn, Pollock and Ntini before him.
And right now, the contest is on. Very much so. And it seems, we are just getting started.
