Since South Africa’s return from international sporting isolation, two teams have tormented the county’s sporting heroes and sports-mad public alike – the All Blacks and the Baggy Greens.
Lead by a succession of hard-nosed captains and spear-headed by some of the best players in history, Australia has been the cricketing nemesis of the Proteas and the team South African fans most ‘loved to hate’. ODIs and Tests between the teams have produced some of the most memorable games in cricket history.
Even though fans hated playing second fiddle to the Baggy Greens, their acknowledgement of Australia’s cricketing excellence ranged from grudging respect to open admiration.
Every tour and game was fueled by a feeding frenzy of media hype, lead by the parochial Aussie press that always seemed to be one step ahead of their less combative South African counterparts.
So when Australian captain Michael Clarke, flush with the success of winning back the Ashes in commanding style, announced that the Australian bowling attack was the best in the world, cricket fans put the popcorn on the stove and settled down to watch another media battle fought out alongside the Test series.
But try as much as they might to toss a match into the box of fireworks, they just could not ignite the spectacle everyone expected.
From his first interview Michael Clarke was quick to acknowledge South Africa’s Number 1 Test ranking and gave due credit to the Proteas and their seam attack, while backing his own to prove they were better. Hardly the ‘arrogant’ approach South Africans expected.
Then the first Test arrived and Aussies continued on their dominant way and handed the South Africans a cricketing lesson the likes of which they had not had in many years, as they demolished the Proteas with all the grace and subtlety of an imploding building, with Mitchell Johnson plunging the T-bar into the detonator box.
Australia had certainly won the battle and earned the bragging rights and were bound to use the post match interviews to hammer the point home. But Michael Clarke proved to be as dignified and gracious a winner as he was a loser the last time the two teams met in Australia with the Proteas victorious.
Yes, it was good to beat the Number 1 ranked team in the world but, he was quick to point out, it was a lot closer and felt a lot tougher out in the middle than the scoreboard suggested. His measured humility in victory was a surprise to many.
In other interviews before the second Test, Clarke was always sure to credit the Proteas for being the top team in cricket while just as firmly, with no hint of arrogance, backing his own players to do the job. He certainly took the wind out of the sails of the South African media and public who were hoping for more contentious sound bites from the Aussie captain upon which they could build a bonfire of banalities. But Clarke did not oblige. Conversely, Proteas captain Graeme Smith attributed the Australian’s impressive bowling to the unexpected assistance they received from the Supersport Park track, which begged the question, why had the South African bowlers not benefitted from the same pitch?
The second Test delivered a reversal of fortune of Hollywood proportions with the Proteas bouncing back in fine style. Again, Michael Clark was as gracious in defeat as he had been in victory a week earlier and his no complaints, no excuses leadership certainly impressed South Africans, if the comments on social media could be used as a gauge for cricket fans in general.
David Warner’s ill-considered speculation that Dale Steyn’s mastery of reverse swing was somehow aided by the manipulation of AB De Villiers’ gloved hands was the spark the media and fans had been waiting for and they blew it gratefully for all they were worth hoping it would ignite into the overdue media inferno that Aussie cricket tours often are. Unsurprisingly, the impetuous Warner was fined 15 per cent of his match fee by the ICC. It was a very pleasant surprise however, when Michael Clarke announced to the press that not only had the Aussies taken action, within their team structures and policies, over Warner’s comments but Clarke had personally admonished Warner and left him in no doubt about how unacceptable his comments were deemed. He also said that he would make the point of meeting with Graeme Smith after the series and explaining that he and team management considered Warner’s allegations to be out of line.
All the while, Clarke’s own batting form was not setting cricket pitches on fire. When asked by the press where a fit again Shane Watson might fit into the lineup, Clarke honestly answered, “Based on form? In my place.”
With everything to play for in the third Test, David Warner raced off to his usual explosive start. The second wicket fell in the second session and the underperforming Clarke strode out to the wicket. A rejuvenated Morne Morkel, borrowing from Mitchell Johnson’s silver bodyline playbook, peppered Clarke with short deliveries. Clarke left alone, ducked, dodged, bobbed and weaved with resolute patience but still could not avoid all of Morkel’s 145kph red missiles. He got rapped on the forearm, producing an immediate and painful purple welt that would bruise up and be tender for some time. He ducked into one delivery that glanced off his shoulder and thudded sickeningly into the side of his neck. The pain must have been excruciating but Clarke never flinched or complained. He simply gritted his teeth and continued to get his body behind every delivery and ride out the firestorm.
Such is the steely determination of the man they incongruously call ‘Pup’, that he not only survived the Morkel barrage but batted himself through the pain and into form, reaching his half-century along they way.
In the high-stakes arenas of modern sport, where ‘professionalism’ is all too often held up as a shield to excuse the increasing incidents of bad sportsmanship and cheating, gracious and dignified sports people are few and far between.
Michael Clarke is on 66 not out as this article is finished and anything could still happen in this deciding Test.
But win, lose, draw or tie, Michael Clarke has won the unreserved respect and admiration of South African cricket fans. Whether he goes empty handed or wearing the laurels of victory, Michael Clarke will leave South Africa with his integrity enhanced and his head held high and the value and importance of that outshines and outlasts the luster of any sporting trophy.
Thanks for your first ever article on Rugby-Talk, ufo!
cheers gbs…
thanks for publishing it… we’ll see how it’s received…
2 @ ufo:
Hehehe
You are the Author, I won’t get into shit…
Very nice article UFO.
Michael Clarke is top class… as a player and as a Captain.
He reminds me of Steve Gerrard.
I hope he makes his hundred tomorrow..
robzim wrote:
How, both speak with a strange accent?
Nice article UFO, when will you be writing the one about Ritchie, it’ll get far more hits from all his South African fans?
Welcome to the fold UFO, it’s great to have a pro in the mix.
Excellent article, as much as I don’t like the Aussie cricketers, I have to respect them.
Hope our guys can get in amoungst them today, limit the scoring to under 400.
Nice article UFO
I’m currently reading Ricky Ponting’s biography and the respect he has for Pup is very apparent. Since making 151 in his first test, it was clear that he was going to be a special player, but Australia have had many special players, what sets them apart in the test arena is the grit of their test captains, from AB, Taylor, Steve Waugh, Pnting and now Clarke, the common denominator is tough, hard bastards that certainly can play a bit.
The big one to miss out on the honor was Shane Warne, and that was only due to off field exploits. He was groomed to take over from Tugga, and could even have taken over from Taylor, but it was never meant to be. Interestingly, reading many of the Aussie player’s books, they all rated Warnie and thought he would bring something new to the captaincy job.
I hope this is the first of many contributions that will bear your name.
Cheers
Great article UFO. Love ’em or hate ’em, one has to have grudging respect for the Aussie cricketers. And as nortierd said above, they always seem to have a mould of captains that lead from the front. As Clarke is doing right now.
The Proteas have a mountain to climb today.
@ robzim:
cheers rob… yeah… both excellent leaders, thorough gents and all round good guys…
@ NZINCHINA:
shot china… hehehe… sheesh… everything that can be written about richie has already been written… not much i could add…
very sorry he’s bust him thumb… always great to watch him play…
@ Stormersboy:
thanks bud… kind words..
yeah… i’m not a fan of their’s either… and always back our boys… and was prepared to give Clarke much stick about his bowlers comment…
but his conduct has been anything but arrogant… and he’s won my respect against the odds…
@ nortierd:
cheers nortie… will see what we can do…
yes, i agree with you 100 per cent…
i said at the time that I would have had warne as captain when ricky was appointed… warne has one of the sharpest cricket minds around… not to mention being hard-nosed… but as you say, his off-field exploits counted against him…
@ IAAS:
thanks IAAS… agree about their captaincy pedigree… but also think that clarke has brought a more media aware savvy than his predecessors…
he seems to be going out of his way give due credit and not piss south african fans off… not something that seemed to concern their previous captains…
i reckon this game will wind on to be a draw… unless mitch finds more ammo in the wicket than our guys are…
was surprised to hear dale steyn “had done nothing” between tests… really would have expected him to limber up every day just to keep supple…
and going from “doing nothing” to bowling at full tilt… it’s not really surprising his hammie was not up to it… great pity cause he was on fire…
we’re gonna have to hope morne and vern can take the extra load and kyle can take the pace of Test cricket…
still going to be a fascinating few days cricket ahead…
anyway guys… meeting a couple of mates and off to watch some cricket… in a suite nodal…!
laters gators…
that’s NOGAL…
12 @ ufo:
Good morning ufo, welcome onboard and thanks for the article will be looking out for more from your ‘pen’. Enjoy being there watching the cricket.
Just for those who don’t know, and he wouldn’t tell you himself, but UFO used to be the editor of one of SA’s premier Sporting magazines.
Just saying. The man knows his stuff.
11 @ ufo:
Just mentioned to someone here this morning that questions need to be asked of Proteas physio team with Steyn breaking down so early in this test and Parnell in the previous one. Not so sure it will be draw, sounds like the pitch is showing variable bounce already with Clarke being hit quite a bit by Morkel so Mitchell who is in fine form could be a handful and then we will have to survive against the spin later as the pith should also help the spinners at the game goes on. If Australia quickly pile on another hundred, which they should, then I’m afraid it’s game over for a Proteas win and then we will have to play with a lot of guts to eek out a draw. Some time could be lost today with rain coming in later on, so at least that could aid our efforts at taking some time away from the game, but if we are out there facing their quicks before it arrives it could mean a few extra wickets for them under the heavy skies. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday should be dry, and the southeaster may get going on Tuesday and Wednesday, so that still leaves loads of time for a result for Aus. But as we have all seen cricket can be a funny game and take a turn in a direction you least expect very quickly, even so I wouldn’t be putting a wager on a win for Proteas, just hope we can hang on for a draw.
15 @ Stormersboy:
Hello Stormersboy thanks for the background, that would explain the quality/style of the writing, it’s great to have more contributors here, even more so a Pro.
Great stuff UFO…
Been away for a week and then had my German friends around this weekend of all weekends. Missed all the rugby and cricket thus far…
Phew! They left late last night and now life is back to normal…
Well done Stormers and Bulls – keeping SA flag flying…
Now for a tour from hell…
Let’s also hope the cricket gods are with the senior Proteas and well done to the u/19 Proteatjies…
@ Bullscot:
Yes, he is in a different league to some of us “cut and paste” artists.
UFO has been a journalist in various forms for most of his life, and some of the stories he could tell are remarkable.
Certainly one of the most interesting people it’s been my privilege to have a beer (or 2) with and if we can convince him to keep contributing it would be an asset to what is now in my opinion one of (if not the) premier SA Rugby sites in South Africa.
@ Stormersboy:
Howzit SB!
I echo your sentiments. I too had the privilege in meeting him and was impressed with some of the people he has interviewed.
A great guy too… Let’s hope for many more…
He should publish his interview with Schalk Burger Snr… It was a great piece…
@ Gumboots:
Yes that would be cool.
I wonder if the rights are owned by one of the publications?
@ Stormersboy:
…yep! I think you are right…
@ Gumboots:
Newlands looking a bit cloudy. I hope we can get the ball to move around a bit better, hopefully contain them.
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