JOHANNESBURG - When was the last time you went a Sunfoil Series match? It’s the unglamorous event on the cricket calendar. Tests? Oooh. ODIs? Great colour. T20 Internationals? A circus.
On the domestic front, the local T20 competition is getting one almighty makeover next season with eight teams that will be privately owned and besides containing the country’s top national stars, will also be able to call on big names from overseas.
The Momentum One-Day Cup, which kicks off next week, is always a slow burner, but by the time of the final, sufficient excitement has been generated that people do head off to the stadium.
But the Sunfoil Series? Too much of a bother it seems for many, although you won’t find anyone who’ll question its value to the local game. It remains for domestic players the trophy they most want to win.
As with Test cricket, the demands the four-day competition puts on minds and bodies, combined with a 10-week grind, which in the instance of this season’s competition was split into two sets of five weeks apiece, make the rewards of winning so much sweeter.
South Africa is not unique in having small crowds - or in many cases, no crowds at all - attending domestic four-day cricket, even though entrance to grounds is free. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than having a braai at the Wanderers or SuperSport Park watching a few hours of cricket?
And this weekend, the final round of the Sunfoil Series throws up an enticing set of fixtures where mathematically any of the six teams could win the tournament. Last weekend was perhaps the most incredible round of four-day matches in the competition’s history, with all three matches serving up drama of varying degrees, but also offering an indication of the desperation players and coaches had to achieve a result.
The Warriors declared their first innings 100 runs behind the Highveld Lions and then Simon Harmer and Stephen Cook agreed that in order to beat the weather, which interrupted the match at various points in East London, the Lions would set the Warriors something gettable in the final innings. It led to a conclusion that saw both sides pushing hard for a win which the Lions ultimately achieved by 14 runs.
In Durban it was much closer with the Titans stumbling over the line by two wickets while chasing just 91 against the Dolphins. All of which has set up the intriguing final round of matches that start on Thursday in Durban, Benoni and at the Wanderers.
It will be a very tense four days for all six franchises, the players, administrators and coaches. It would be fitting if more than a smattering of people went through the gates and provided a bit of atmosphere. The players deserve it and you’ll get to see some entertaining cricket. And it’s free, and who doesn’t like free stuff?