THE HOPE AND DESPAIR OF SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA

OUR picture of Connie Hallowell on Page 1 shows the spear for which he has become famous protruding on either side of his head, and with blood streaming down his face.

And it shows Hallowell, looking for all the world like there is not a spear jutting out of his right cheek, under the eye, and out his left ear.

Aside from twitches from facial nerves, he suffers no ill effects from the ordeal, when his speargun, placed on the sea floor, went off. Eyes, ears, brain: all are intact.

We can only marvel at the forces which conspired to produce this miracle, and at Hallowell himself for having the courage to return to the water and the sport he loves.

Speaking of sport, the fate of cricket in the country hangs in the balance after Sports Minister Nathi

Mthethwa announced he had taken steps to ensure that Cricket South Africa would no longer be recognised as the governing body.

This will have a profound effect as it effectively means national teams will no longer be recognised as the representative team of South Africa.

Yesterday’s act, evidently out of desperation, follows Mthethwa’s efforts over months to get

Cricket SA to sort out its affairs.

While South Africans have long had a love-hate relationship with the Proteas for giving us emotional rollercoasters, we still cannot countenance not having a national team to cheer on.

One has to wonder at the motives of those who stand in the way of a modern good governance structure being implemented for the sport.