Trivia-busting Rabada joins elite Lord's club of two

Kagiso Rabada Joins Elite Lord’s Honours Club with Five-Wicket Haul

South Africa's fast bowler Kagiso Rabada etched his name into the history books after taking 5-51 in the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, joining an exclusive club of just two cricketers to appear on both the home and away honours boards.

Rabada's Place in History

Famously, players who score centuries or take five-wicket hauls in Tests at Lord’s have their names displayed on golden honours boards. Until now, only West Indies legend Gordon Greenidge had managed the rare feat of appearing on both boards.

Greenidge’s centuries in 1984 and 1988 earned him recognition in the away dressing room, while a knock of 122 for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1987 put him on the home board.

Rabada, having already earned a spot for his 5-52 against England in 2022 in the away room, added his name to the home honours list during the WTC final, thanks to South Africa being assigned the home dressing room for the final.

A Special Moment for Rabada

“It was cool to have it in the home changing room now,” Rabada said, reflecting on the unique achievement. During the match, his temporary name tag was added with tape and pen – a tradition before the gold engraving is done.

Lord’s officials are expected to make it permanent despite the match being played on a neutral basis, given changes made to the board policies in 2018.

Help from Stuart Broad

Interestingly, Rabada may have benefited from working with former England great Stuart Broad, who assisted the South African bowlers in preparation for the final. Broad himself is on the board at Lord’s for both batting and bowling.

“Stuart gave us a few pointers on field placings and how to use the slope and cloud cover,” Rabada shared. On day one, he delivered 84% of his balls on a good length — a career-high stat, according to CricViz.

Clinical Performance

Rabada’s dismissal of opener Usman Khawaja – squaring him up from around the wicket – was reminiscent of Broad’s own best spells.

Despite helpful conditions, the day saw 14 wickets fall, suggesting excellent bowling. “For day one at Lord’s, it was below average in terms of air movement, so Rabada’s consistency stood out,” said TMS scorer Andy Zaltzman.

Personal Redemption

The match also marked a personal comeback for Rabada, who recently served a suspension for recreational drug use. He acknowledged it briefly: “It wasn’t my best moment. Life moves on. Every game for South Africa is special.”

Climbing South Africa’s Record Books

Rabada has now overtaken Allan Donald with 332 Test wickets, putting him fourth on South Africa’s all-time wicket-takers list. Only Makhaya Ntini (390), Shaun Pollock (421), and Dale Steyn (439) are ahead of him.

“As a player, I grew up watching these legends. To be on that list is something special and I hope to continue making an impact.”

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Published by Infornews on June 11, 2025