The ‘moment’ has passed. The Proteas squad has been home for almost a week and attention has moved to the next challenge, Netherlands and India. Cricket South Africa even issued a statement of ‘congratulations’ to Temba Bavuma and his squad. But the itch hasn’t been adequately or sufficiently scratched.
Why does it seem to me that SA are and always have been a very formulaic team that tries to talk, walk and play professionally with not enough instinct and flair that we see from PAK, IND, AUS, AFG, ENG etc. ? I can't make sense of ' the management directed us to chase the total under 15 overs so we did', that is not something a team with a feel for the game would ever say and if they were scared to be bowled out for less than 85 then they don't deserve to play in the semis anyways. Even the NRR rules were such that loss of wickets had no importance.
This is such a soft take on what is an absolute shambles from top to bottom.
If you're looking at this from my point of view, a 100% outside the system spectator, who is expected to pay his way to enjoy this sport either at the gate or a DStv subscription then you would want accountability on the following:
- corruption over the last 10 year. How much money was stolen? Who is going to jail?
- poor results. We don't win World Cups. We just dont.
- insidious politics / public bullying and shaming (QDK most recently)
Why should I watch? What am I getting out of this deal other than being told to pay up, shut up and accept the results that never change.
CSA doesn't like us. It's not interested in us and it's obvious.
You and other cricket writers have been so busy molly coddling this team, praising their "system" of scoring 160 against everyone from Sri Lanka to Ireland and then "bowling well", quietly talking up their chances at the WC, yet failing to acknowledge, let alone criticise, their lack of ambition which has been on full display for months if not years.
The plain truth is that our cricket setup is not focused on winning. It's focused on politics. The rugga boys realised that you only solve the political problems from a platform of winning. Hopefully cricket, and its writers, will catch on sooner rather than later.
we goofed, for the 3rd time at a cricket world cup, we goofed that single to loose to Australia in the 90's, England, then again when we hosted the CWC, Shaun Pollock not understanding the table of runs, forgetting in the heat of the moment +1.. We lost to Sri Lanka, but had the umps waited 10 min we would have won the game, it pissed heavy for a few seconds, then it stopped, I was next door at work, waiting to edit the result for Morning Live...
Then we had the goof of goofs, not sure how or what happened, did everyone on the touring party have the same brain fade, of course you bat fast if batting 2nd, or if batting first, score as many as you can, and bowl the heart out in the 2nd innings.. The NRR is a beautiful but cruel aspect of the game, a very confusing part, that is poorly explained by the "voicers" on tv...Like watching them butcher DLS..
Cricket is a team game, and every member of the team from the head of CSA to the kit manager must carry this failure, as everyone is just as culpable, someone should have said something on the day we batted like we had taking sleeping aid.. That slow bat was painful to watch, like watching a car wreck, nothing you can do, you just know it is going to end in tears..
Why did they bat slow? Did the whole team, the coach, the analysts, the physio... Kids as young as 6 understand the concept of NRR, I just don't get how we can 3 times goof.. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride...
None of the players on that tour are new to the game, they are all old hands, and yet no one took leadership, no one it seems cared enough to take a hit, to stand up and say I don't care what happens next, but I know the NRR is important and we have to win quick.. They were too scared about taking the knee or BLM, or about what to have for breakfast..Or did they get the order right at the laundry service.. The team was distracted..
it seems that the minnows were there for the sole purpose of NRR boosting, why else have such weak teams, 45 games is a lot of games, and some of the results so one sided..
Team management??? Do we have the right talent leading or is the national team a retirement home for retired players to find a cozy living, they are not contributing much to any sort of success.. It seems a jobs for pals.. Ex players that never prepared for a life after the game, "don't worry, we will provide a cozy lifestyle for you, free iphone, free mac laptop, free travel, and a decent salary... And don't worry if you fail... Nothing will happen", and nothing will happen...
Why does it seem to me that SA are and always have been a very formulaic team that tries to talk, walk and play professionally with not enough instinct and flair that we see from PAK, IND, AUS, AFG, ENG etc. ? I can't make sense of ' the management directed us to chase the total under 15 overs so we did', that is not something a team with a feel for the game would ever say and if they were scared to be bowled out for less than 85 then they don't deserve to play in the semis anyways. Even the NRR rules were such that loss of wickets had no importance.
This is such a soft take on what is an absolute shambles from top to bottom.
If you're looking at this from my point of view, a 100% outside the system spectator, who is expected to pay his way to enjoy this sport either at the gate or a DStv subscription then you would want accountability on the following:
- corruption over the last 10 year. How much money was stolen? Who is going to jail?
- poor results. We don't win World Cups. We just dont.
- insidious politics / public bullying and shaming (QDK most recently)
Why should I watch? What am I getting out of this deal other than being told to pay up, shut up and accept the results that never change.
CSA doesn't like us. It's not interested in us and it's obvious.
You and other cricket writers have been so busy molly coddling this team, praising their "system" of scoring 160 against everyone from Sri Lanka to Ireland and then "bowling well", quietly talking up their chances at the WC, yet failing to acknowledge, let alone criticise, their lack of ambition which has been on full display for months if not years.
The plain truth is that our cricket setup is not focused on winning. It's focused on politics. The rugga boys realised that you only solve the political problems from a platform of winning. Hopefully cricket, and its writers, will catch on sooner rather than later.
we goofed, for the 3rd time at a cricket world cup, we goofed that single to loose to Australia in the 90's, England, then again when we hosted the CWC, Shaun Pollock not understanding the table of runs, forgetting in the heat of the moment +1.. We lost to Sri Lanka, but had the umps waited 10 min we would have won the game, it pissed heavy for a few seconds, then it stopped, I was next door at work, waiting to edit the result for Morning Live...
Then we had the goof of goofs, not sure how or what happened, did everyone on the touring party have the same brain fade, of course you bat fast if batting 2nd, or if batting first, score as many as you can, and bowl the heart out in the 2nd innings.. The NRR is a beautiful but cruel aspect of the game, a very confusing part, that is poorly explained by the "voicers" on tv...Like watching them butcher DLS..
Cricket is a team game, and every member of the team from the head of CSA to the kit manager must carry this failure, as everyone is just as culpable, someone should have said something on the day we batted like we had taking sleeping aid.. That slow bat was painful to watch, like watching a car wreck, nothing you can do, you just know it is going to end in tears..
Why did they bat slow? Did the whole team, the coach, the analysts, the physio... Kids as young as 6 understand the concept of NRR, I just don't get how we can 3 times goof.. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride...
None of the players on that tour are new to the game, they are all old hands, and yet no one took leadership, no one it seems cared enough to take a hit, to stand up and say I don't care what happens next, but I know the NRR is important and we have to win quick.. They were too scared about taking the knee or BLM, or about what to have for breakfast..Or did they get the order right at the laundry service.. The team was distracted..
it seems that the minnows were there for the sole purpose of NRR boosting, why else have such weak teams, 45 games is a lot of games, and some of the results so one sided..
Team management??? Do we have the right talent leading or is the national team a retirement home for retired players to find a cozy living, they are not contributing much to any sort of success.. It seems a jobs for pals.. Ex players that never prepared for a life after the game, "don't worry, we will provide a cozy lifestyle for you, free iphone, free mac laptop, free travel, and a decent salary... And don't worry if you fail... Nothing will happen", and nothing will happen...