South Africa – the finest team of its generation – Opinion – Part 2
Continued from Part 1...
The former, to his own extreme standards, did not have the best of series, but remained a vital cog for his side in the all important deciding Test. It was ironic that the final Test was staged at WACA, where the pitch tends to offer bit more to the pacers.
Nonetheless, the execution was also there, culminating in Philander’s return to form.
Last but certainly not the least is Morne Morkel. For all the flaws he had last year, his supporting act has been simply remarkable. His work often gets overshadowed but no one can deny his quality, as he is a player for all seasons. He has played non-stop
cricket all over the world, and remains a sought out cricketer. Their coming of age have made them the hottest properties, but more importantly, have given the Proteas a considerable edge over all their international opponents.
One needs to give a slight mention to Jacques Kallis’ contribution as a bowler, as the veteran has still got the ability to surprise the best in the business. Also having the likes of Imran Tahir and Robin Peterson at their disposal gives their pacers a
sigh of relief in situations which are naturally out of their control.
Next in line is their formidable batting lineup. Boasting names such as Alviro Petersen, JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis may not appear that intimidating, but adding the likes of Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers to that list, and one can easily
reflect on their potency with the bat.
The first names have considerably grown in stature; Petersen time and time again proving his doubters wrong whereas the next two have given the Proteas the ‘X-factor’ in the words of Head Coach Gary Kirsten. Moreover, their established stars have immensely
improved in terms of seizing opportunities.
Amla and Smith showed that against England before pouncing on the advantage at Perth to take the game away from the Aussies. Their counter attacking approach was too hot to handle, and ultimately allowed de Villiers to return to form.
Since he has assumed Test keeping, following the retirement of Mark Boucher, his talent as a top order batter had waned away. However, he truly dismissed that notion by returning to form in the second innings, and scoring a confident hundred.
The crux remains that they deal with the relentless schedule by getting better and better, a hall mark of a great team. In Gary Kirsten, they have the right mentor, who knows the values and wants his side to conquer the world with smiles on their faces.
They remain keen to cement their legacy but also not forgetting the people who have given their best in hard times. Boucher’s premature retirement was recognized appropriately when they won in England, and more fittingly, when they gave Ricky Ponting a guard
of honour as he took the field for one last time.
In the end, it has been a job well done but the hard work starts now. The charm of an ICC global trophy has eluded them, but one could bank on them to prosper in the shorter version in the not too distant future.
Disclaimer: Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author and do not represent bettor.com’s official editorial policy.
Tags: