Lord's hums to 'Ole, Ole, Ole' as WTC Final kicks off in style

THERE is a hush around the famous old ground. Everyone is waiting in eager anticipation.

- ZAAHIER ADAMS

The coin goes up in the air. Heads is the call. It feels like an eternity before it hits the Lord's turf.

Match referee Javagal Srinath picks it up and walks over to Temba Bavuma.

The Proteas captain has called correctly. A big cheer goes out from particularly the Mount Stand, which has been transformed into Castle Corner here at St John's Wood.

Bavuma alludes to it when the skipper says "we can hear the South African accents in the stands" after opting to unleash his quicks Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen first.

The ICC have hauled out the greats from both teams' legendary eras of the past. Hashim Amla and Matthew Hayden, sporting a cowboy hat of such magnitude it would put Chuck 'Walker Texas Ranger' Norris' to shame, were called upon to walk out the ICC golden mace.

Even Boeta Dippenaar was spotted, dressed in his full 2005 "438" ODI kit, while Brett Schultz is still a cult hero after all these years.