AND, finally, at long last, South Africa can dream. Believe. Not with trepidation but hope.
As a sun-kissed glorious early Summer day at London gave way to lengthening shadows, from South Africa's perspective, it kind of acted as the opposite effect. After more than three decades of shadows, on and off the pitch, the men's team are on the verge of basking in the sunlight.
Some of the ghosts of horrors past may finally be put away or burned at the stake.
The Rain Rule from 1992. The other Rain Rule from 2003. Being on the receiving end of both world-class knocks as well as generational shellackings in other ICC events. Heinrich Klaasen from last year.
Four days out from the 16th anniversary of that semifinal against Australia in the 1999 World Cup, South Africa men's side took the last step it needed to win their first ICC title this century.
When the Proteas come out to bat on Saturday, they will do so in the knowledge that the summit to conquer Mount ICC has never seemed closer. They need 69 runs with eight wickets in the bank.
The sweet balm of victory about to be applied on the pain of 33 years of hurt and agony.
It will of course not to be easy. It's not be meant to be easy at this level, not against Australia who will keep chipping away, keep believing because it's what they do.
If South Africa are cricket's great underachievers, Australia are cricket's great trophy collectors. They hoover them up at the rate of one every other week. In fact, coming into the game, they had lost only one global final since 1997 (the 2010 T20 to England).
At lunch on Day Three, it seemed that that record would continue. Australia had frustrated Temba Bavuma (more on him later) & Co. thanks to a seemingly never-ending last wicket partnership.
A target of 230? Tricky but fine. A target of 282? Historic territory and that's before you provide the context of this being a generational Australian bowling attack against a batting unit not exactly known for its prowess.
But step forward Aiden Markram and Bavuma. The former, who averages over 60 against Australia, cut the new ball and did his bit to put the wheels on the scoring early doors. But Bavuma's fight showed South Africa the way. He was batting on one good leg — he had strained his hamstring very early on — but that didn't stop him from running hard and still scoring freely on both sides of the wicket.
Sure, the strip was largely non responsive apart from some variable bounce on the lower end of the spectrum but both batters had to occupy the crease to reap the benefits. Cross-batted shots were shelved, singles were always an option, shots weren't premeditated and boundaries were never off the table. In short, it was a typical, no-frills chase.
It was, at some level, a repeat of the Proteas' two successful run-chases against India in early 2022. There, it was Dean Elgar's industry and Keegan Peterson's flair.
Here, it was Bavuma and Markram's attitude and execution. To understand why both batters were largely untroubled throughout their partnership, it would be necessary to talk about all the dot balls they played. They left balls, they didn't go searching for deliveries outside off stump and played with a straight bat to even balls angling into middle and leg stump on several occasions.
One such delivery from Josh Hazlewood was driven down the ground by Markram for four.
The one feature of their batting, though, was the running. Off the 167 runs they scored between them, only 64 came in boundaries. Off the rest, there were 61 singles, 19 twos and two threes. It spoke of a clear plan as well as playing the field.
Their unbroken stand is worth 143 but the skipper and Markram will want it to remain unbroken till the end.
69 runs separate them from destiny. 69 runs separate them from a land that was promised to them more than three decades ago. 69 runs separate them from permanently burying the tag of chokers.
Saturday, then, could be their greatest cricketing day, yet.
