Shukri Conrad has always done it his way

And now, the end is near

And so I face the final curtain

My friend, I'll say it clear

I'll state my case, of which I'm certain

I've lived a life that's full

I traveled each and every highway

And more, much more than this

I did it my way

Regrets, I've had a few

But then again, too few to mention

I did what I had to do

And saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course

Each careful step along the byway

And more, much more than this

I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew

When I bit off more than I could chew

But through it all, when there was doubt

I ate it up and spit it out

I faced it all, and I stood tall

And did it my way

This may be the chorus of Frank Sinatra’s legendary song, but it could easily be Shukri Conrad’s mantra heading into the biggest day in South Africa’s cricket history in more than a decade at Lord’s on Friday.

Conrad has made bold calls ever since he took charge of the Proteas Test team.

From installing Temba Bavuma as captain to recalling Dane Paterson from the bowels of English County Cricket only to drop him after bagging consecutive five-fors, Conrad has ‘done it my way’. 

Paterson’s omission from the World Test Championship Final here at Lord’s caused particular consternation, especially with the 36-year-old seamer having prepared for The Ultimate Test by playing at Lord’s for Middlesex the past two months.

Instead, Conrad placed his trust in Lungi Ngidi as the third seamer, which raised significant eyebrows due to Ngidi having pulled last on his Test whites in Port of Spain back in August 2024. 

Ngidi’s rustiness showed in the Australian first innings with the 29-year-old sending down a pile of dross from the Pavillion End as he conceded 45 runs across two four-over spells. 

The knives were out not just for Ngidi, but also for Conrad who many felt had finally overplayed his hand. 

The trust factor in the current Proteas’ dressingroom cannot be underestimated though and after a good night’s rest and a few words of encouragement from his teammates and coaches, Ngidi stood up and delivered the finest spell of his Test career on the second day.

With the WTC Final fast slipping out of the grasp of the Proteas, Ngidi pushed his body to its absolute limit by sending down nine consecutive overs after tea.

Crucially, he also swapped to the Nursery End, where Kagiso Rabada had gained all his success from on the opening day, to claim figures of 3/35 in a rousing afternoon session.

"It's been a very long time since I've played Test cricket, ten months, and that's okay with me," Ngidi told the BBC.

"Obviously I know why I was selected. It doesn't make a difference to me: opinions, or whatever it is. I was just struggling with a bit of rhythm from this side, swapped ends, and I felt a lot better."

"Once you get a moment like that, you don't want to really let it go because it could change the game.

"So I just kept going until my legs pretty much told me that's enough now. I was planning on going a little bit more, but once you start making a few errors that could let the team or the opposition in, then it's probably time to call it."

“Obviously, it's been a very long time since I've played Test cricket — about nine months, 10 months, something like that. And that's with me. I obviously know why I was selected.”

Conrad also knew why he had placed his faith in Ngidi. Perhaps even the most cynical could start having some faith that Conrad does indeed have the Midas touch.