Before the start of the Newlands Test in the recent series against India, one of South Africa’s most formidable test openers, Dean Elgar said that winning this second test against India would for him be as good as winning the world cup.
This after South Africa had comfortably crushed India by an innings and 32 runs in the first outing at Centurion courtesy a swashbuckling 185 of just 287 balls with a massive 28 fours by this resilient test opener.
In his mind, winning at CapeTown would have been a befitting exit to his grinding test career with Dean often pulling South Africa out of rather impossible situations with the one word that describes this poker-faced individual called grit.
One wouldn’t be surprised with this statement as the longest format for this southpaw has been the much-needed oxygen to keep his cricketing exploits relevant.
This in an age where the razzmatazz T20 tournaments are the money spinners for most cricketers and the carrot to grab eyeballs of the so-called cricketing faithful aplenty.
Perhaps, little did he know that the second test would finish in just 642 balls on a rather sub-standard pitch where India came on top, thanks to a super bowling display from Sriraj and Bumrah making it the shortest test ever.
When a provincial cricket board has funds that are as little as genuinity in this world, one wouldn’t take matters to their heart looking at the Newlands surface.
Well, what has happened is water under the bridge and Elgar can still hold his head high as he bids adieu to his international career, having scored more than 5000 runs at a healthy average of 38, making him the eighth highest run scorer in South Africa’s elite list of test batters.
And moreover, not allowing the Men in Blue to conquer their final frontier which itself is a praise worth every feat.
Speaking of not conquering the final frontier, credit also has to be given to a new breed of South African cricketers who were equally responsible for this feat.
The likes of Nandre Burger, the tall left armer claiming an impressive 11 cherries in the series versus India and the stirring batter David Bedingham with his Mark Waugh like technique scoring a fifty on debut.
While the core of the Proteas will now test their charisma in the upcoming SA20 (a financial lifeline for the debt ridden South African Cricket Board), a rather new look team will test their skills in the two-match test series against New Zealand on their shores.
A new leader in Neil Brand with David Bedingham for company in batting and the likes of Duanne Olivier and Dane Peidt stocking up the arsenal in the bowling department, I for one will be keenly observing what this pool of talent can conquer against the Kiwis.
Again, a battle of T20 vs Test Cricket relevance off the field and an under-par South Africa vs a full-strength New Zealand on it!
