By John Robbie
I love sport and in particular when it demonstrates excellence. Because sport is a microcosm of life we often find ourselves talking about the bad and the ugly rather than the good.
However, every so often sport re-asserts itself and reminds us just why we love it. At times like these, you sometimes float in a moment when you feel like you are in a sort of sporting Nirvana such is the level of performance you are watching. I had one of those moments on Thursday.
It was the ODI between India and Australia in Hyderabad and it was the decider. The T20 tsunami has hit and in its wake many are saying that the 50-over version is dead. Show them a tape of this game and they will rush to join us on the side that believes T20 is but a giggle, a lowest common denominator that has ideas above its station. The stadium was packed and the fans eagerly awaited Sachin Tendulkar and his attempt to be the first player to make 17000 runs in this form of the game.
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The Aussies were terrific in their knock. Clearly the track was a belter but 350/4 looked well over par. The Indians went for it with Sehwag looking the more dangerous and the Little Master content to play a supporting roll. They were ahead of the worm, but soon lost wickets.
"Same old, same old" we felt and then it happened. Having lost Gambhir, Singh and Dhoni cheaply, the score was teetering at 162/4 when Suresh Raina joined Sachin and the cricket gods started to smile. The two set about the bowling in a manner that was scarcely believable. The batting was an amazing mix of orthodox and wildly creative, but as the milestones fell, like at the Wanderers on that famous day, you started to believe in miracles. In the end, Tendulkar fell for 175 with a couple of overs to go and India fell three runs short. What a game, what a crowd and what a player. Tendulkar is now 36, but on the evidence of his batting he could go on to be the first player to score 20 000.
Watching the magic made me think of Dr Tim Noakes and his calls about managing top players. He certainly got it right at the last rugby World Cup and by Jake White listening and acting on his advice, we won it. Now the senior players are yet again on tour and Noakes has predicted a rapid falling off in performances next season. If he is right again then please factor "rest" in for the build-up for 2011. Stupidity is not learning from the past.
Even without the stars the Boks have a wonderful side. So many youngsters and so much talent. Whether it is right to play them as a separate Dirt Tracker side is debatable as surely novices should be gradually bled into the top side not thrown to the lions - or Tigers? Maybe the selection was unfair but it is also a test of ability and character. The result is less important than the lessons learnt.
Our rugby is flying at the moment evidenced by that marvellous Currie Cup final last week. Progress on transformation is also clearly being made with more and more fully deserved selections being made. Pieter de Villiers and his team are doing a great job.
Given the history of the last few years it's like Sachin Tendulkar's innings in Hyderabad, almost too good to be true.
John Robbie hosts the morning drive on Talk Radio 702, from 6am-9am, Monday to Friday
- This article was originally published on page 22 of The Star on November 07, 2009
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