‘It inspired me’: Corbin Bosch was motivated by watching Proteas win Test title

Having watched the national team’s victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final from the sidelines last month, all-rounder Corbin Bosch said he was motivated to stand up and deliver when he got his next chance to play Test cricket.

Bosch, who made his Test debut against Pakistan in December last year, was in the squad for the global final in London but did not play in the match.

However, with some senior players being rested, Bosch took full advantage of his opportunity in the first Test against Zimbabwe which ended on Tuesday with South Africa securing a 328-run victory in Bulawayo.

Historic performance with bat and ball

He was not the only player to deliver – debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder hit centuries – but 30-year-old Bosch played a key role with both bat and ball.

In the Proteas’ first innings, he contributed his maiden Test century (100 not out) and in Zimbabwe’s second innings he took 5/43.

He became the first South African to score a ton and bag a five-wicket haul in a Test match since Jacques Kallis achieved the feat against Bangladesh in October 2002.

“It’s super special. I haven’t come to grips with it quite yet… but it’s an honour to be mentioned in the same conversation as Jacques,” Bosch said.

‘I want to be on that level’

Despite missing out on selection for the match XI in the World Test Championship final, Bosch said being in the changeroom at Lord’s had been inspirational.

“The game at Lord’s really inspired me a lot. Watching how KG (Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada), Marco (paceman Marco Jansen) and a bunch of the Australian bowlers went about their business in that game was incredibly special,” Bosch said.

“It actually inspired me and made me realise how good these guys really are… and it made me believe that’s where I want to be and what I want to aspire to in my cricketing career, to be on that level where those guys were, delivering day in and day out.”