Durban – It’s official: the Boxing Day Test has been restored, with South Africa facing India at Kingsmead in Durban in the first Test starting on December 26.
Cricket South Africa on Monday announced a bumper programme of international cricket for this summer, with India and Australia the high-profile visitors.
Kingsmead has been given a full house of international matches, with the Test being supplemented by an ODI against India and a T20 against Australia.
Former Proteas captain Shaun Pollock said he was delighted with the decision after the Boxing Day Test had been jettisoned last year, with an unpopular decision made to substitute the Test with a T20 against New Zealand.
“I’m happy on two counts,” said Pollock.
“First, I’m glad that the institution of having a Boxing Day Test has been restored, and secondly, being biased, I’m very happy that the match will be staged in Durban.”
The chief executive of the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union, Jesse Chellan, promised “a champagne fixture” against India, with the union liaising with the Durban City Council to put on a high-profile fixture for the fans.
“We want to create an environment that’s closer to what you would get at Lord’s,” Chellan said.
“We’re looking to create a real spectacle, while the City has promised to market the match much more aggressively than they have in the past.”
It is understood that the Proteas, who have not always been happy with the arrangements made for them at Kingsmead, will also benefit.
Regular complaints about the lack of an air-conditioning unit in the dressing-room have now been remedied, with a unit scheduled to be installed.
Chellan said the decision to restore the Boxing Day Test was a triumph for public opinion.
“There was a public outcry over the loss of the match last year, and it’s restoration is a reflection of what the cricketing public want.”
He said it was very important that the Boxing Day and New Year Test matches should be preserved as iconic cricketing dates on the South African cricket calendar.
South Africa’s recent record in the Boxing Day Test is poor, with the Proteas having lost their last four matches against the West Indies (2007/8), England (2009/10), India (2010/11) and Sri Lanka in 2011/12.
All the defeats were at Kingsmead with the exception of the loss against the West Indies, which took place in Port Elizabeth.
The Proteas will play three Tests each against India and Australia, seven ODIs against India, three T20s against Australia and two against India.
“It promises to be a wonderful summer of hotly contested international cricket,” commented CSA acting chief executive Naasei Appiah.
“India are the current undisputed champions of 50-overs cricket, and it was not that long ago that they briefly held the No 1 ranking in Test cricket as well.
“The Indian players have always been very popular in South Africa and their maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, has currently played 198 Test matches.
“It would be wonderful for his 200th Test match to be in front of a packed New Year’s crowd at Newlands.
“Any series between Australia and South Africa in any sporting code always promises a spectacle of note, and a contest worthy of some of sport’s most famous moments. Australia will be battle-hardened after successive home and away Ashes series against England.
“The three T20 international matches at the end of the tour will provide perfect preparation for both sides for next year’s ICC World Twenty20.”
The India tour runs from November 18 to January 19, with the Australians touring here from February 5 to March 14.
Ticket sale details will be announced in due course. – The Mercury