Life down under turns topsy-turvy
NOT too long ago, it was hip to be an Australian cricketer. Everybody wanted to bat, bowl and field like them, and their ability to “mentally disintegrate”, or sledge, their opponents was legendary.
Even if some of us do not care to admit it, South African cricket supporters envied them. They were the epitome of real cricketers, and cricket associations around the world were looking to ape their system and structures.
Fast forward two decades or so and Australian cricket lies in tatters. The great old enemy on its knees.
Allow us to gloat for just a moment. Our very own Proteas have been the most recent architects of their spectacular demise.
Not too many teams go to Australia and win cricket series. South Africa have now achieved this on three consecutive tours down under.
But most impressive is the manner in which captain Faf du Plessis’ troops have pulled off the sweet series triumph with a match to spare.
The home side have not been at the races in this series, except for the early part of the first test in Perth where they allowed South Africa to slip out of their grasp. And like the good old Aussie sides of days gone by, South Africa took full advantage of that let-off and counter-attacked relentlessly until Australia were ground into the dirt in Hobart.
As the dust settled, coach Russell Domingo looked a quietly satisfied man.
The former Warriors coach and son of the Eastern Cape rarely gets the praise he deserves. Just recently, he presided over the Proteas’ 5-0 mauling of Australia in South Africa.
And now, in the ultimate form of the game, the version the purists love, Domingo could land another decisive right cross to the jaw of his back-peddling Aussie counterpart, Darren Lehmann.
His team are 2-0 up in the series and the final test will play out in Adelaide, ironically the home of Australia’s and the world’s greatest-ever batsman, the late Sir Don Bradman.
Domingo and company will be gunning for an unprecedented series whitewash.
And Australia? Well, for a change, they might be trying to model themselves on our cricketers as they attempt to dig themselves out of an ever-deepening hole.