Reason Proteas wore armbands in Test

FORMER South African players will be disappointed to discover that the black armbands Faf du Plessis’ men wore at Adelaide Oval yesterday were not necessarily meant to mark the death of Trevor Goddard.

News that Goddard‚ a preunity captain of the all-white South African team‚ had died on Friday reached Adelaide on Saturday during the second day of the third Test.

Former Test batsman Daryll Cullinan posted on social media on Saturday that Goddard‚ who captained South Africa in 13 of his 41 Tests‚ was “a well-loved and respected cricketer”.

“I hope he will be acknowledged with black armbands in Adelaide tomorrow,” Cullinan wrote.

When the South Africans appeared yesterday they duly wore black armbands.

But Cricket South Africa communications head Altaaf Kazi explained that the armbands were worn at the request of Cricket Australia to mark the second anniversary of the death of Phil Hughes‚ who was killed by a bouncer while batting in a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.

Kazi was unsure how many‚ if any‚ of the South Africans were also remembering Goddard.

That would not have answered the question former Test batsman Barry Richards asked on social media: “Glad [they’re] remembering Phil Hughes. Trevor Goddard as well I hope?”

Kazi said the South African team’s standing policy was to wear black armbands only when family members or others close to the team died.

The wearing – or not – of armbands to mark the death of apartheid-era figures in cricket has become a point of political difference in the game in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Cricket SA said in a statement Goddard, 85, had been in poor health for some time. Goddard represented South Africa between 1955 and 1970. A lefthanded opening batsman and left-arm medium-pace bowler, he was one of the outstanding allrounders of his generation, making 2 516 runs and taking 123 wickets.