Johannesburg – The Proteas’ midweek triumph over the New Zealand Black Caps was an important one, even if precious few were in the stands to witness it.
For one thing, they won their first Test series since beating the West Indies, way back in 2015, even before the World Cup fiasco that AB de Villiers reminded us of this week.
Indeed, it has been a while. And in that while, they slipped from top of the tree to seventh place in the ICC Test rankings.A source of pride became a stinging reminder of how quickly things can go belly up at the highest level.
But, the manner of their victory at Centurion said much. For one thing, it curtly nipped the grossly premature obituary of Dale Steyn’s international career.
The freight train from Phalaborwa clearly has a few stops left on his incredible itinerary, including a return to Australia, a happy hunting ground on recent trips for South Africa.
A pace attack that houses a fully fit Steyn and Vernon Philander, the relentless Rabada Show, and Messrs Abbott, Morkel and Morris in the waiting room suggests that it could be a shootout of epic proportions against the Baggy Greens, on hard and fast tracks.
South Africa’s batting card will again need to step up, as on previous treks to Oz.
The barrel chest, square jaw and slanted blade of one Biff Smith is no longer there to repel barbs and bouncers up front, but there are new legends waiting to be made.
Temba Bavuma will again be met with short stuff and sharp words, but Langa’s Little Master has shown that he belongs at cricket’s top table.
There were those purveyors of pessimism who suggested that Faf du Plessis did Bavuma no favours by declaring with a half-century, at least, in sight against New Zealand.Hindsight is bliss, of course.
The Proteas won with plenty to spare, but it is ridiculous to even contemplate that individual badges mean more to any of them than team gains.
Yes, 50 would have been handy for those who hog statistics, but Bavuma’s prime concern was getting a lead of 400 for his side.
And that team knows the value of his 40 not out on a wearing pitch, against a skilful attack, outweighs a carefree 70 on a batting highway.
There is an unhealthy obsession to try and turn every run made and wicket taken by a black player into a political occasion worthy of a hashtag. It’s unnecessary because those men only want to be measured by the same yardstick used by Messrs Steyn and De Villiers, for example.
They have a common cause and that is to restore their team to the upper echelons of Test cricket.
The win over the Kiwis was a step in the right direction. It restored some battered confidence, and gave a country still in the throes of Bok mourning a ray of sunshine.
Of course, the real leap forward would be to go to Australia in late October, and win well, by day and by night.
To rekindle the glory days of 2008 would be a sincere reminder to the cricket world that the Protea flame is more than just a marketing campaign.
Then, too, they can talk about regaining top-dog status, ahead of a 2017 full of possibilities.
– The Sunday Independent