The Proteas have returned to South African soil as newly crowned ICC World Test Champions, bringing home the prestigious mace after a dramatic victory at Lord’s this past weekend.

As excitement builds across the country, HOT 1027 Breakfast caught up with renowned sports journalist Derek Alberts, who was in London to witness the historic win first-hand. Speaking from the UK, Alberts described the experience as “easily the greatest sporting moment of my life.”

The crowd at Lord’s told its own story — a sea of green and gold that stunned even the locals. “There were more South Africans than Aussies by far,” Alberts shared. “It was insane. Even the English were on our side!”

South African fans travelled from across the globe — including a friend of Alberts who flew 40 hours from New Zealand — to be part of the action. Their presence was more than felt, lifting the Proteas to a fourth-day finish that had the nation holding its breath. Chasing 69 runs with eight wickets in hand, South Africans didn’t dare celebrate until the final run was scored. “We’ve had the heartbreak before. We waited until the very end,” Alberts said.

There was visible relief from the team as the final run crossed the boundary, particularly from Aiden Markram, who had much to prove — and did. “The monkey’s off our back,” he reportedly told Alberts during post-match celebrations.

The match reminded fans and critics alike why Test cricket remains so powerful — full of emotion, pressure, and pure sporting theatre.

Catch Derek Alberts’ full interview about South Africa’s unforgettable triumph below: