Protea excitement over Aussie loss

It’s just the kind of opportunity I can see them passing up if they’re not careful. If the team can retain its unity, if it can stay calm, ease off on the histrionics and if the players can remember that it’s not an individual’s game, then they might just do it.

In the long term, it brings the South African tour of Oz later in the year into sharp focus. South Africa’s recent one-day flailings might make it easy to forget what a formidable Test unit the team has become under Graeme Smith.

Lest we forget, South Africa have recently prevailed in three of four of the toughest cricketing destinations on earth. They won in Pakistan. They would have won in India were it not for some cowardly pitch preparation and the choice of Kanpur as the venue for the final Test. They had to settle for a draw. And they won convincingly in England too.

All that remains is Australia, and on this showing Smith and his men, if they can find the form and the fitness, will fancy their chances.

Suddenly one almost starts to feel for the Aussies. When they’re done with South Africa, they’re off to England for an Ashes series, and England look like they’re really up for it.

When the empire sneezes, the dogs bark and the cats scowl. What more you can term the excerpts below from Alex Parker in SA daily over the Mohali loss of Australia. He seems to suggest that SA would be in a good chance to get better of Aussies later this year in home and away series. One Test loss doesn’t make Australia a bad team or a series win in England don’t make SA the world champs. And they should not forget the last 4 scorelines vs Aus for them read 0-3, 1-2 (2001-02) , 0-3, 0-3 (2005-06)..A single win in12 games for SA vs what was considered the unofficial world Test championships…..

I must really applaud the quick urge of the media pundits to write off champions after just one failure. We face that daily in India when our 5 greats are put on sword every day. It began in Australia. England are learning to get past the Ashes winning captain Michael Vaughan and now South Africans join the baton with writing off Australia and trying to suggest that the series draw in India was due to a cowardly pitch preparation…..They have failed to win last 2 series in India since 2000. They have lost 2, won 1 and drew 1 in India in 4 series they have played since 1992. But they have been 2 three test series and 2 two test series. Not good enough to earn a 4 test series as Aussies earn against India….

South Africa still don’t appeal as a quality Test side as they were sometime in late 90s with Donald and Pollock in pomp alongside huge McMillan and batting prowess of Kirsten, Cronje, Cullinan and Gibbs. They have Kallis, Smith as premier Test batsmen and Steyn as world class bowler, but yet they lack the appeal or the attraction that say an Indian or Australian or even an English side has. England has all the flair owed up to KP and Freddie along with the romantic appeal of Monty Panesar. India has the star batsmen, we all know of and Aussies have been tight snoozes to be beaten.

Pakistan and Windies don’t offer the same level of excitement as they did in 90s or 80s. Pakistan and West Indies were the kind of rivalry that India and Australia have today. West Indies could rarely win or lose a series to Pak, but the later could always give them a hard fight and draw the series. BD and Zim are minnows. New Zealend are depleted side. And SL are plain boring with dusty turners on flat wickets.

For sure Aussies would make a harder comeback, still I would fancy 2-1 win for India. A 5-1 or 5-0 Vs SA, a 2-0 sweep vs NZ and 3-1 vs England for Australia….