Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Hashim at the head of ‘the family’
Proteas statesman on why Vern is an unsung hero and what it means to be a guest in this world
ZAAHIER ADAMS, who is covering the Proteas Test tour in Australia, sits down with Hashim Amla have considered him a big name at that stage when he started coaching South Africa, yet we achieved many wonderful things under his guidance.
Before that we had Corrie van Zyl, who played a couple of ODIs but also wasn’t a big name. So I’ve never believed that you need an outstanding name. If the message is good and the message is clear, it can come from anybody and it is up to the players to be receptive to it. The coaching staff has been excellent in providing whatever the team needs. Having been a member of each of the Proteas sides who have achieved “The Treble” of winning three consecutive series in Australia, where does this achievement rank? Suddenly, in my mind, when we took that last wicket in Hobart it was an amazing feeling. There are not many people in their cricket careers that experience what we’ve managed to experience three times.
If you ask cricketers around the world, there hasn’t been a team that has done that in over 20 years. So to be a part of that team three times is a wonderful feeling.
Then you look at the backdrop of last season where we didn’t do well in India and we didn’t do well against England. attack in the absence of Dale.
But the real unsung hero of our bowling attack is Vernon. He’s an absolute professional. Sometimes you may look at the scoreboard and he’s not bowling that quickly, but someone mentioned to me the other day that Ricky Ponting said that Vern is the most difficult bowler he’s faced. And you would consider Ricky Ponting as one of the best No 3s to ever play the game.
So Vernon, the way he’s bowled, the way he’s conducted himself in the team as a senior member ... even the way he’s batted. We joke around lenge ourselves.
We’re also very happy with the hard work JP has put into his gully-catching. He picked three, four catches the other day and one was an absolute screamer. It has paid off at crucial times. How desperately do the Proteas want to be the first team to whitewash Australia 3-0 in a home Test series? The guys are very excited and pumped up for it. I think when we were 3-0 up in the ODI series, the word got around that it could be history if we go 5-0. That really motivated the guys.
Certainly there is that sense sometimes when the series is over, you got the trophy in the bag, but knowing there was a historical aspect to it, it rejuvenated us. It’s the same here.
We know there is a possible historical aspect to it and the guys will certainly be going for it. Are you looking forward to the pink-ball Test in Adelaide next week? I am looking forward to it. My biggest concern initially was that the New Zealanders and Australians found the ball very difficult to see. My immediate hesitation wasn’t for the top six, seven batsmen. It was actually for the tailenders.
If the top-order found it difficult to see, can you imagine a No 10, 11 facing Dale Steyn, Rabada, Morkel … and there’s no dangerous play to come off the field because it is under lights.
So my concern was them. Other than that, I am really excited to play because as the first South African team to play a day-night Test, that’s exciting. What was your gut reaction to the graffiti at the Bellerive Oval that branded you a terrorist during the Hobart Test? My initial reaction was “here we go again” because sadly it (racial-profiling) has happened before to other players and myself on previous tours to Australia.
After giving it some thought, I figured we are all merely guests in this world. All invited. At some point you get guests that may misbehave and do things that are inappropriate … and listen, nobody – including myself – is immune from this, but it’s just that some may be a bit extreme.
The key is how we deal with each other. When an inconvenience like this is done to me by another guest – for whatever reason – I am happy to let the host handle the situation.
After all, if this type of unpleasant behaviour or atti- tude is in me, then I have to rectify it immediately because this is what I have learnt from Islam.
And if those behaviours and attitudes are found in others, then it’s best for me to be patient and forgiving. As far as I’m concerned, this incident is over and I truly don’t have more to say.
Thankfully, Cricket Australia, the authorities and the police acted in a swift manner and have dealt with the issue. My current focus is on the exciting Test series on hand. Two young players of Indian origin have joined the squad for this series. Has it been easier for them to acclimatise to the team culture than it was for you a decade ago? It certainly is much easier for the guys. It has been for the last three, four years for any youngster to come into the team.
I would like to think it is a good environment for any new player to come into.
A guy can be 19 years old or 30 years old, and it is an environment that if someone comes into the circle of the Proteas family, that they are immediately welcomed.
And yes, there’s always the individual pressure they will feel to perform. But from a team perspective, whether they perform or not, they are welcome. That is a big consolation for anyone coming into the team, to know his teammates back him. So, what does Hashim Amla still want to achieve in his career? There’s no doubt that as a Test player and team, you just want to win as much as you can. Obviously in ODI cricket, you want to win a World Cup. It’s in 2019, but that’s what I would like to work towards too.