Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Cricket has come a long way in 25 years
Powerful teams which emerged since 1992 have come to represent the entire population, writes SAMEER NAIK
ALI BACHER remembers the day he captained the South African Test cricket team for the first time as if it were yesterday. But it was 47 years ago. “It was an emphatic victory (against bitter rivals, Australia) in Port Elizabeth,” he recalled at his home in Sandhurst, Joburg, this week.
“We won the fourth Test by over 300 runs. The Aussies simply had no chance. We weren’t arrogant, we were just silently confident.”
Bacher was at the peak of his international cricketing career. He had been handed the captain’s armband for the Test squad and recorded an emphatic 4-0 series victory against Australia in his first series as captain.
“Some people say the South African Test team of 1970 was the best team this country has ever produced, ” he remarked.
But Bacher’s dream of leading SA to another Test series victory would be short lived.
A few months later the International Cricket Council (ICC) would ban South Africa from international cricket because of apartheid.
It was 21 years before SA was re-admitted.
This meant Bacher’s career as an international cricketer had come to an end.
“In life there are good and bad moments. That’s just part of life. Obviously I was disappointed but there was nothing I could do. Life had to go on.”
It wasn’t until April 1992 that SA would be given the chance to compete in a Test match in the international arena and played the West Indies in a one-off Test match at the Kensington Oval at Bridgetown in Barbados from April 18 to 23.
Despite a remarkable debut Test century by Andrew Hudson, South Africa lost by 52 runs.
The team, captained by Kepler Wessels, sported players who included Peter Kirsten, Richard Snell, Allan Donald and the late Hansie Cronje.
This month marked the 25th anniversary of that historic day.
Bacher, who was CEO of the United Cricket Board at the time, said he had fond memories of the historic Test match against the West Indies.
“We lost that Test match because we were overconfident. We were well placed going in to the final day of the Test match. I think we needed about 100 runs to win and we blew it.”
Bacher said the West Indies had noticed SA’s over confidence the night before the final day of the Test match.
“The West Indies Cricket Board had invited us to join them for a party on the night of the fourth day of the Test match. I had never seen players like Hansie Cronje and Kepler Wessels smiling so much. They were normally very serious players. All of the players were smiling and were so happy.
“Brian Lara told me a few months later that he and his teamates had noticed the cheeriness of the South African team that night and they wanted to wipe the smiles off their faces.
“On the final day the West Indies knocked us over. Curtly Ambrose took six wickets and Courtney Walsh took four.”
Bacher said a part of him was glad SA lost the Test match.
“We were isolated for 22 years and then out of nowhere we were going to knock over the West Indies at their home? That’s unrealistic. It wouldn’t have done us any good. We probably would have come back to SA thinking we were world champs. Deep down I wasn’t unhappy.”
Cricket South Africa’s CEO Haroon Lorgat agreed with Bacher.
“I recall my first lesson in Test cricket was that a Test match is not won until you have finished the job. We ended up losing the match on the final morning after getting ourselves into a winning position,” said Lorgat.
“It was a significant occasion and perhaps fitting that, taking the political context of the time, our first Test match was against the West Indies. It showed us that even though we had some experienced cricketers at firstclass level, Test cricket was at another level.”
Lorgat said he had watched with great joy as Hudson racked up that debut century.
“For any player to score a century on debut is special and for Hudson to have performed the feat on such a significant and emotive occasion was something very special.”
SA’s loss to the West Indies would be followed by a 1-0 series victory against India.
Over the next 25 years, SA would become one of the best Test teams in the world. Today South Africa sits second in Test world rankings.
Neither Bacher nor Lorgat is surprised by the progress made by SA’s Test squads.
“If you go through the history of SA cricket, our greatest ever achievement in Test cricket was when we beat Australia three consecutive times in their own backyard. We beat them in 2008, 2012 and then in 2016. In my opinion that is one of SA’s greatest achievements,” said Bacher.
“Another great achievement was their performances in India since 1996. Not many teams can win Test matches in India, but SA has a great record. They have a 31% win record. Only Pakistan has a better percentage win rate.”
Lorgat said SA cricket had come a long way since returning to the international stage.
“I don’t think many of us realise, let alone give credit to, how far we have come over the past 25 years. Firstly, that was an all-white team whereas we now have a team that is much more representative and which appeals to all sectors of our population including women.
“We have since enjoyed many heroes who would easily match the best players to be found anywhere in the world,” said Lorgat.
Bacher said each player representing SA today deserves to be in the squad on merit.
“There is a representation of different people in the team. It had taken a long time, maybe too long, but the important thing is that it has happened.”