JP Duminy hoping Shukri Conrad's Proteas hit a sweet note in Lord's World Test Championship final

LONDON: As we make our way to the ICC Hall of Fame gala evening on a glorious London summer evening there is a fairly large gathering of people at a road crossing. 

Traffic comes to a standstill after a father plants himself in the centre before hauling out his mobile phone to snap a picture of his family of four crossing the road. 

A first-time member of our London media contingent is puzzled. 

“What’s happening here?” “What’s so special about this crossing?”

The ICC Hall of Fame dinner is, of course, at Abbey Road - the famous studio where the Beatles recorded their final album - whilst the family were mimicking the iconic cover album depicting the legendary John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

“I'm not a singer, no … Lionel Richie maybe, but not the Beatles,” says JP Duminy, who starred in an epic contest at Lord’s - just a stone throw away from Abbey Road in St John’s Wood - when the Proteas last lifted the golden ICC mace after being crowned the No 1 Test side in the world. 

The former Proteas allrounder struck a crucial half-century in the first innings that ultimately helped form a match-winning partnership with Vernon Philander. 

“Those memories. I mean, those are special. Probably the best Test series that I've been part of,” Duminy said.

“The reason why is what we were playing for, right? I think how it was structured in that we came into that last Test 1-0 up. And we needed to win it.

 “If they drew the series, we weren't going to be No 1. So,we needed to win it.

“The ebb and flow of that Test match, it went down to the last session of the last day. And it was like a 350 played, 330 played, 350 played, 320 or something like that. 

“And then Vern... just said: ‘Give me the ball!’”

The Lord’s neutrals will certainly be hoping for a similar blockbuster when the Proteas begin their quest to wrest the golden mace from the clutches of Australia in the World Test Championship final starting on Wednesday.

Duminy is well-versed in battles with the arch-rivals from Down Under. The Baggy Greens were the opposition when Duminy struck an unbeaten half-century on Test debut in a record chase at the WACA in Perth before smashing the glass ceiling the following week in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG with a majestic 166 to seal the Proteas’ first-ever series victory in Australia. 

Mark Nicholas’ “JP Duminy, you superstar” will forever be etched in the memories of South African cricket fans. 

It was a talent spotted years before by current Proteas coach Shukri Conrad in his then guise as Cape Cobras mentor. The pair formed a special bond with Conrad nurturing a precocious Duminy, who was still a teenage pupil at Plumstead High School when he made his first-class debut for Western Province.

Duminy has certainly seen Conrad’s almost father-like influence on the current Proteas group, especially the support he has offered to the younger players in the squad such as Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen.

“I think about leaders and I think about everything that rises and falls on leadership, so when I think about Shuks, you think about the fact that there's no rubbish about him. He's going to tell you what it is. You're always going to know. There's no doubt,” Duminy said.

“I think what really stands out is his ability to connect with people. Certainly one of my favourite coaches when I was a player.

“But what I appreciated was the fact that, yes, he will praise you in the good times, but also when things are not going well, he will tell you straight. 

“But with care and love, and I think that's his greatest strength, is his ability to form connections, relationships. And you can see it with these guys.

“There's a belief that he gives you on top of your own self-belief. He encourages you to go out there and be your natural self in whatever that may be. He always errs on the side of positivity, as we know. And I think nothing's going to be different when it comes to a final.”

Duminy certainly believes the 2025 group under the tutelage of Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma have the potential to sink the Yellow Submarine this week. 

“We're just excited for this opportunity for them to put their names in the history books, really,” he said.

“It's been a long time coming in terms of a two-year process. And all the hard work that has gone in, you think about that. And it's like there's an opportunity now to do something special for that badge. So, I'm really excited for them.”