The New South Africa: More Likeable, But Still Only Second Best

The hollow and forlorn dream of South Africa becoming the No. 1 Test-playing nation has crumbled under the weight of a national side pathologically incapable of achieving excellence.

After a successful tour of Australia in which they initially had the measure of their opponents, it seemed as if they woke up one morning and realised that they were within reach of their goal, before taking a leaf out of the Gail Devers “How to fall at the final hurdle” book.

For reasons that are difficult to fathom, arguably the best side in international cricket (on paper at least) has been humbled in three successive tests by an Australian side that is seriously inexperienced and has a number of key players desperately out of form.

Why? It has more to do with mental attitude than ability.

South Africa are paralysed by self-doubt, while the Aussies are either too dumb or just so full of self belief that they can’t see the obvious. Either way, the result is the same.

In years gone by, we Aussies would have revelled at the sight of the Saffers floundering within sight of success, but no more.

Something has happened that not even Nostradamus could have foreseen—they’ve become likeable.

No one knows how or when it happened, but there’s no denying it. The side that toured Australia over Christmas were tough, hardened competitors as always, but they went out of their way to be the perfect guests and good sports.

The tour ended with the completely incongruous sight of Graeme Smith receiving a standing ovation at the SCG.

What did Smith do to earn this accolade—score a double ton, take ten wickets? No, he just went out to bat with a sore wrist. Incredible.

The man who, three years before would have been on most Aussies’ list of top 10 most objectionable sportsmen (probably at number one), was being applauded as a visiting hero.

What brought about this change?

Nothing more than a fair and honest approach to the sport and a single minded determination to revitalise the bruised and battered spirit of the game that had endured such punishment in the spiteful Australia-India series of the previous year.

It is something that he and his team have achieved in spades.

There is a lot to admire about the new brand of South African cricket, but the more things change, the more they stay the same.

It seems you can’t escape who you really are inside and when it comes to South African cricket, that’s second best. Whenever glory is within their grasp, the institutional memory kicks in and failure awaits, ready to once again nestle those poor Saffers to its bosom.

It’s kind of sad really, but while their new, likeable, persona makes it a bit more difficult to laugh at their disappointment, it doesn’t make it impossible. And so laugh we shall—for now.