What are the Proteas doing? South Africa took a hell of a road up to the top, and their victory in Australia, as mentioned in previous posts, took them to the summit. Instead of a steady period of reflection and contemplation at the top of the peak, they’ve decided to find the nearest cliff to the summit and sling themselves off. First over the precipice is Neil McKenzie, followed by Morne Morkel. Sacrificed as those responsible for the defeats in Joburg and Cape Town, they are cast aside. McKenzie had a wonderful 2008, but it was very much “what have you done for me lately” and he’s been booted out on his ear. He’s being replaced by someone called Imraan Khan – I confess someone I know nothing about – maybe on the basis of a ton against the Aussies in a warm up game. Graeme Smith, missing the game through injury, is replaced at the top of the order by Ashwell Prince (who had been kept out of the team by JP Duminy). Morne Morkel has been replaced by a 19 year old called Charles Parnell. South Africa wasted little time in (over) reacting to a defeat against a team you could tell they had mentally written off. Never write off a cornered Australian team.
While Australia have undoubtedly improved (and as I note in my post below, they weren’t far away from turning the tables at home) from their showing Down Under, South Africa are a pale shadow of the victorious team just two months ago. I have always felt, and I swear it is not hindsight, that their batting was the Achilles Heel. There are no Pontings, Clarkes, Hussey type players, Smith may do a passable impression of Hayden, but there are no real superstars now Jaques Kallis is needed more in the team for his bowling than his batting (Freddie with a 20 run better batting average) and the latter is on the decline. It didn’t look scary even though it put together decent scores. DeVilliers reminds me of Collingwood; Amla has had a good run, but that wavy bat may look good in a good trot, but it is going to look horrific in a bad one. Their tail doesn’t score enough. Their keeper-batsman is good, but pales compared to a Dhoni, Haddin or Sangakkara (when he keeps), and he’s not getting any younger. They reached the top because they have the best fast bowler in the world, backed up by very decent bowlers around him. It worked for England in 2005 – where a great pace attack came together for once in our lives, never to be seen again – and it worked in Australia. Steyn was magnificent, and backed up by Ntini, Morkel and Kallis, it looks really good. But when Steyn is less than stellar, the vulnerabilities could be exposed.
South Africa will always be a decent side, but they will never be Australia, and can never hope to be. A great series win, followed by the come down, is reminiscent of England, but while I don’t expect the fall to be as great, they won’t be the commanding presence they clearly thought they would be when they hit those winning runs at the MCG.
