London [UK], June 11 (ANI): The 'Ultimate Test' has come for David Bedingham. A man amongst the new crop of comparatively inexperienced South African Test cricketers yet to feature in a high-profile red-ball game in the UK, but yet perhaps the most acquainted with the conditions prevailing there in the entire squad.

During the start of last year, when announced as a part of the squad featuring seven uncapped players on a flight to New Zealand for a two-match series, the 31-year-old had uttered, 'I have always loved Test cricket.....My priority has always been Test cricket.'. Ahead of the tour, the cricketing world heaped plenty of questions and criticism over South African mainstays who were a part of the country's newest cash-cow, the SA20 league.

This WTC 2023-25 cycle could not have been more memorable for Bedingham, who made a name for himself in England's County circuit while representing Durham when a South African international cap looked a distant dream. Having given the ring to Tests in an environment where multi-digit T20 deals are irresistible, Bedingham's love was reciprocated, with a fifty against a world-class Indian line-up at Centurion and a gritty 110 against NZ at Hamilton in February which gave SA a fighting chance to draw the two-match series in New Zealand which shifted perception of the inexperienced squad a bit.

Bedingham, born in George, Cape Province, ended the tour to NZ as Proteas' proudest flag-bearer for Tests, with 268 runs in four innings, including a century and fifty each. While he could compile only one more half-century during the rest of the cycle, he still ended as Proteas' top run-getter with 645 runs in 12 games, averaging 33.94, including a century and three half-centuries. To top this all off, he also got the central contract with Cricket South Africa (CSA) for the 2025-26 season.

Holding an ancestry visa of UK, Bedingham had played his county cricket as a local player aiming to make it to the England team as a South African call looked distant.

Ahead of that much-talked about series against NZ, which came after his South Africa Test debut in late 2023, Bedingham had said about his county career as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, 'I had ambitions of playing as a local in England and that's why I am trying to get the passport. If I had to try and play for England, that will still be another three or four years. So the passport is more just to live and work there, rather than actually playing for England.'

But once Proteas made a call to include Bedingham in their team, his priorities had changed to representing the rainbow nation, saying, 'My biggest dreams are playing Test cricket, scoring runs for South Africa, and maybe being able to score a hundred at Newlands because a lot of my friends and family will be here.'

Now, Bedingham, 12 Tests old, has a chance to wear the South African colours at the grandest stage of them all. The red-ball specialist could make good use of his experience of English conditions, playing half his red-ball cricket in this country. He stands at 12th spot among Durham's all-time run-getters, scoring 4,424 runs in 57 matches and 86 innings, at an average of 56.71, 16 centuries and 12 fifties. His best individual score is 279. Though he is yet to play at Lord's, he still has navigated through plenty of venues in the country while piling up runs.

Bedingham has had two standout seasons with Durham, the first one being the 2023 season, where they topped the table to earn a promotion to Division One of the County Championship for the first time since 201,6 when they were relegated to a tier below. He was the seventh-highest run-getter overall and his team's best batter, with 1,019 runs in 14 matches, 19 innings at an average of 56.61, with five centuries and one fifties.

While Durham finished in fifth spot on their Division One return next year, Bedingham dominated the charts with 1,331 runs at a stunning average of 78.29, having cracked six centuries and three fifties in 18 innings.

Before the WTC final, Bedingham made sure to get some valuable game time under English conditions once again, choosing not to rest on past laurels. He played two games against Warwickshire (58 and 45 runs) and Somerset (17 and 8) at his team's home venue of Chester-le-Street.

Now, several boxes have been ticked. Game time in the UK before the title clash, Check. Love for Test cricket. Expressed. Gaining 'veteran' level experience at the venue of the 'Ultimate Test'. Done. Getting one's statistics and respect right. Check.

South African team has plenty of stars, a resilient captain in Temba Bavuma, a flashy, classy Aiden Markram, two young stroke-players earmarked for greatness, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs. A fiery pace attack of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen. A veteran spinner in Keshav Maharaj, standing on the cusp of history himself, as he is likely to become the first SA spinner to hit 200 Test wickets.

Bedingham is in the squad, more than ready and experienced to provide the stability this match demands. His 114 first-class appearances, 8.348 runs, an average above 50, a strike rate of above 66 and 25 centuries make him a highly-trustworthy name on the teamsheet.

But he exists perhaps with a lesser star power, social media follow count, lucrative T20 deals etc attached to his name. Will a WTC mace lifting knock at the 'Home of Cricket' let Bedingham profess his love for Tests in the most remarkable manner possible? Perhaps a century and his name at Lord's honours board would add a tangible gift to his brief love letter uttered out during media proceedings almost one and the half year back. (ANI)