Yesterday,s Nationwide power outage must have dimmed the Proteas vision for the second test.
If the Proteas thought that they could go through the motions in this test and then win and allow their top players to rest in the third test to be held in Cape Town, well they had better rewrite the script.
In the matter of a few overs after lunch on the first day, they had amassed the magnificent score of 124 ALL OUT. YES IT IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We never learn, talk a good game and yet to deliver, besides one mad one day game, against Australia, which was memorable and discussed in my blog Cricket World Record South Africa vs Auz.
Against Sri Lanka, we were hammered and could not wait to come Home and the bombings were a blessing for the Proteas and this excuse was perfect and Home we came. It should be remembered that South Africa had its fair share of bombings in the past and we told the World that there was nothing to fear.
What difference a generation makes!
Then against Auz, we were put firmly back into the also ran Nations status, from second best to last besides the real minnows. Talk about playing BRAVE cricket, please no more talking, only courage and determination. Stop making World Cup advertising and worrying about the $$$$$$$$$$$$, play for your Country.
Against india, bowled out for 84!!!!! and lost the first test comfortably, allowing India to win their first Test in South Africa. The excuse was they we were under prepared, Laugh out Loud, a Home series and under prepared, ten days rest prior to the test and days later the adverts are flighted on TV, give me a break. Arrange a game against any side and play, commercial activities first and also please don't expose any players to weaker opposition in case they should fail.
Luckily we rallied and the Indian's capitulated and a face saving series defeat was avoided and all was well again.
In the second and third test when India was playing poorly and the Proteas, bowling much better, speculation abounded about how many runs lead we will make and should we declare when we score 550 runs, only want to bat once and so on.
Go and read the score books, we were always bowled out shortly after a lead of +- 70 runs was amassed or wickets fell at such regular intervals that
How many new batsman have been brought into the squad, their in lies our greatest weakness. No reshuffle the pack and hope like hell.
I do admire the Aussie side, top players are out, new ones brought in, they had a hard game today against dear old England, but still win. Co-incidentally, England were also second in the rankings prior to their five nil whitewash.
Aussie have now won twelve tests back to back, yes 12 -0 and don't look like stopping, South Africa are today playing their fifth test in a row and are citing mental fatigue for the wonderful batting performance. Well deary me, what next more pay for less play and vacation time.
I shudder to think what is going to happen in the West Indies, very short memories, we didn't progress when it was held in South Africa, due to a miscalculation with Messrs DUCKWORTH -LEWIS and in a tearful display in rained out Durban, Polly was blamed and eventually the Captaincy taken away from him. What about Management and the many Coaches and other free loaders.
In the Second Test against India in Durban, we had sixteen players in the traveling group, yes 16, more than was taken on long three month tours overseas prior to being excommunicated from world sport. But wait there is more, that a guess how many Top officials/Managers/Coaches/Doctors there were, come on try.
A last comment, what do John Smit, and Graham Smith have in common besides that their names are almost the same and they are the Captains of the Springboks and Proteas respectively.
At post match interviews the excuses are exhausted, but the up side is, that you don't have to prepare your speech!!!!
Now that I got that off my chest please come and visit my beautiful Country, You have not been anywhere until you have been to South Africa.
African Elephant
Noordhoek Horse Riding
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