Morne counterpoint for cheats

SPARE a thought for Morne Morkel, who is playing his last international match this weekend. It is, after all, a huge game: it is the series decider; it’s at the Bullring; and, if the Proteas win, it would be the first series victory on home soil against the Aussies since readmission.

In “normal” times, the run-up to such a big occasion would have seen acres of newsprint and zillions of bytes heralding his 12-year career, his value to cricket and his team.

The reports would have been about how the Proteas wanted to give the 33-year-old the perfect farewell. About how, in his penultimate Test at Newlands last weekend, he scored his first five-fer and a career-best 9/110, an illustration that he was not one of the scoreboard superstars.

The words “consistency”, “resilience”, “determination”, “character” and “team man” would have featured heavily. Instead, all the accolades that should have gone to Morkel have been replaced by the exact opposite of what he represented: disgrace, shame, and win-at-all costs cheating.

“Sandpapergate” will be felt by world cricket as the ruling body and national boards do some self-examination. The culprits – Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft – will do their “time”.

Cricket Australia cleared coach Darren Lehmann of involvement, but the scandal has claimed his career anyway.

Proteas captain Faf du Plessis wants his team and fans to turn their attention back to this game, and to the man they will say farewell to when it is over. We hope the weekend will be a celebration of a player who embodies what cricket should always be: a gentleman’s game.

Farewell, thank you, and good luck, Morne.