Play it where People are Comfortable!

And why Italy vs Vanuatu was biggest game of the Year.

    Bewildered and overwhelmed are common emotions amongst a generation of cricket lovers attempting to keep up with the global game currently. Even as someone whose livelihood depends on it, it’s unhealthy to attempt to do so. Just a glance at the PSL, perhaps. And the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh scorecards. Ireland against Afghanistan, of course.

    The most wondrous rabbit-hole for Cricket Tragic, however, is the gloriously complex qualification process for the World Cup in 2027, which is already underway. The ramifications of one recent encounter between Italy and Vanuatu were glory and oblivion with ICC funding of $800k per annum at stake. That’s ‘real’ cricket, played by people who really care.

Another game of very ‘real’ cricket finished at the weekend. If you missed it, that would be understandable. The Gauteng Lions became the outright first-class champions of South Africa for the 26th time with a quite brilliant victory against Western Province which reached its climax on Sunday, the fifth day of the final.

    It was a compelling and fascinating match, as were the contestants within it, and they will remember it for the rest of their lives. The longer, and harder, you work at something, the more rewarding it is. From 35-5 on an overcast first morning on a green pitch, the Lions staged repeated fightbacks to triumph by 99 runs.

    Delano Potgieter only played because the number one all-rounder, Wiaan Mulder, wasn’t fit to bowl. He not only repaired the first innings collapse with 81 but then dominated the second innings with 155* as the Lions overcame a first-innings deficit of 87 to set WP a formidable target of 308 in the fourth innings. The Lions were effectively 70-7 at the nadir of their second innings.

His calm mastery of a wilting attack would have been inconsequential without the batting contributions by bowlers Codi Yusuf (34), Malusi Siboto (32) and last man Tshepo Moreki who survived 38 balls while 40 crucial runs were scored for the 10^th wicket before making his second half-century as nightwatchman in the second innings. 

    Potgieter is 27-years-old and has played just 35 first-class games. He has scored his runs at an average of almost 35 per innings and has taken his 113 wickets at 21.5 apiece. They are extraordinary figures, notwithstanding his games in the ‘B’ section or otherwise named second tier of the game.

As mentioned in this column last week, multi-day cricket is most dearly loved by the majority of professional players who know that it presents the best platform to express their best selves. Individual and team mistakes can be rectified and comebacks from adversity are always possible, as the Lions displayed at the Wanderers.

    Potgieter wasn’t the only one to grab the opportunity. The big stage brought out the best in ‘veteran’ 30-year-old Moreki who batted in a life-dependent manner before claiming 5-65, his maiden five-fer. That’s what big occasions can do to players who have mainly ploughed their furrows in small fields.

    The final was screened on Supersport which was both welcome and necessary with barely 300 spectators on any day. Website statistics overwhelmingly suggest that small attendance figures do not reflect a lack of interest. In a world of non-stop sporting entertainment, the minor products need to work harder than ever to stay alive and relevant.

The marketeers and budget managers at the SA20 spent many millions of rands promoting the tournament, and the dividends have surpassed hopes and expectations by a distance. In many ways they had no choice but to ‘gamble’ in spending that money with the potential sponsor riches clearly in sight. Cricket South Africa do not have the luxury of such an obvious target in sight. It requires sharp and incisive foresight.

    The encouraging audience figures provided by live-streamers, Pitchvision, for early rounds of the 4-Day Series also confirm cricket followers are engaged by first-class cricket. The challenge for CSA is, obviously, monetisation. But they have a good product and a willing audience, albeit not one which is encouraged or prepared to make the effort to attend in person. Sorry to say this, again, but the Wanderers is not a user-friendly venue, especially for families.

    I have said this for many years, South Africa’s role-model for the staging of first-class cricket exists in New Zealand. Excellent administration has seen the Wanderers, Supersport Park and, thanks to an excellent sponsor in Hollywoodbets, Kingsmead able to survive as venues through business diversification. But other specialist cricket venues are on their knees.

    If they struggle to attract meaningful crowds for Test matches then they are unlikely to sell more than a couple of thousand tickets for four-day games, even with a committed marketing plan and modest budget. The blockbuster limited overs games won’t exist without the foundation of four-day cricket, so cut the logistical cloth to fit the product. Play them at smaller, cheaper venues where 500 spectators can make themselves comfortable without bucket-seats and provide ‘atmosphere’ without being swallowed by concrete stands.

    While the Wanderers hosts business and corporate functions to pay the bills without the extreme expense of opening and ‘securing’ the entire stadium, the Lions could play first-class matches at Clubs like Pirates and Old Eds. Just a thought. Again.      As the country’s cricket lovers prepare for the CSA T20 competition, it is worth remembering that Lions and former Proteas coach, Russell Domingo, and national Test captain, Temba Bavuma, both compared last week’s contest at the Wanderers to the intensity of Test cricket and both hailed it amongst their favourite career moments. It really is worth taking the format more seriously. Essential, actually.