CRICKET Legends in the making?

Graeme Smith’s team is the best SA side of all time, according to Ali Bacher.

He should know: he captained the 1970 side, which in the eyes of many has held that unofficial and magical title for more than 40 years.

The 1970 four-test thrashing of Australia by Bacher’s side continues to give satisfaction to those who remember it. They grow misty-eyed in particular over the second test in February in Durban, where the Springboks (as they then were) won by an innings and 129 runs, after posting a record 622 for nine declared.

In particular, the old-timers single out the sparkling 103-run partnership between Barry Richards and Graeme Pollock in just an hour after lunch.

But how quickly was that 622 made? Though they finished the first day at 386 for five, it comes as a surprise to find that the Springbok run rate for the completed innings was 3,7 per over. That was quick for the time, but it was pedestrian compared to the scoring in SA’s second innings in the third test last weekend in Perth: 569 runs at a rate of 5,08 per over.

As for the individual batsmen, Pollock is rightly remembered for his magnificent 274, then the highest test score by a South African. But his strike rate (runs per 100 balls faced) was 68.

Richards nearly achieved the rare distinction of a century before lunch on the first day of a test (he was 94 not out) and finished on 140 at a strike rate of 85.

But that 140 was scored only marginally faster than Smith’s 84 in 100 balls last weekend — and they were both slower than Hashim Amla (196 runs at a strike rate of 88) and AB de Villiers (169 at 91, not far off a run a ball).

The brilliant 309-run victory on Monday gave SA the series — the second successive away win over Australia — and confirmed us as the top team in the world.

But until Smith and Amla switched over to the offensive after tea on the second day, you could have argued that Australia were ahead in the series (to use a boxing analogy) on points.

We had to battle to salvage a draw in Brisbane, and in Adelaide it was only the heroics of Faf du Plessis, who batted all day in the second innings, that saved us from a crushing defeat.

Just after tea on Saturday in Perth, we were 28 for one. Amla and Smith then blasted 173 runs in just over 25 overs. This was against an attack that had reduced us to 75 for six in the first innings.

By the end of Saturday the Australian morale was shattered.

Not even the legends of 1970 could have played with more crowd-pleasing aggression, ruthlessness and courage.