Oh Captain My Captain

As you guys know, I`m still on a bit of a high after our cricket side made history by beating Australia, in Australia, for the first time in a test series. It has been a long time coming. Our last series in Australia (3 years ago) ended with us being whitewashed 3-0. It was ugly. Graeme Smith, our captain, was vilified both here and abroad for being brash, big mouthed and egotistical. I was one of his critics. In a big way.

But that was then and this is now. The Graeme Smith who captains this side is far removed from that brash youngster. He is a man now, a man who others follow willingly. A man who leads by example and a man who puts his body on the line for his team, his country and the fans.

Graeme Smith broke his hand during the first innings of the last test in Sydney. It was immediately put into a cast and announced that he would be out of cricket for at least 6 weeks. It did not matter because South Africa had already won the series and were leading 2-0. The Sydney test was therefore a dead rubber.

But, on the last day of the test, South Africa was fighting to stave of defeat. Our top order had been bowled out and the bowlers were now trying to save it. A 2-0 result sounds better than a 2-1. Over after over was bowled and yet, unbeliebably we hung on. We were 8 wickets down and the Aussies knew they only needed one more to win the test because Graeme Smith would not be able to bat. Then the 9th wicket fell and the Aussies started celebrating.

But then, the unthinkable happened. Graeme Smith came out the dressing room and walked onto the field. He had cut the cast off and was willing to bat with a broken hand to save the test for SOuth Africa. The Aussie crowd stood as one and started cheering this great man. Graeme Smith had come full circle. The man who was mocked 3 years earlier now got a standing ovation.

Graeme batted bravely for 6 overs and was the last man out, 10 balls from saving the test. The Aussies came up to him and you could see the utter respect they all have for him now. Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, called it the single bravest thing he has ever seen.

Graeme Smith flew back to South Africa and got here to a heroes welcome yesterday. His own fans now see him as their captain. The man had turned public perception around. In the interview at the airport he seemed shocked at all the attention and adulation. He shouldn`t be, he deserves every second of it.

Oh Captain, OUR Captain, we salute you...

This is an excerpt of an article that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald. The writer is Andrew Stevenson and his words make me extremely proud of my cricket team and the characcter they showed during the test series.

"Nationalism is, indeed, the last refuge of the scoundrel and I have to admit I've had a few sleep-overs there, most especially during those nights in 1999. Steve Waugh accused Herschelle Gibbs of dropping the World Cup. More accurately, Australia robbed it from them.

"Hard but brittle, South Africa was the team I loved to see beaten. But this tour was different. Just when the nationalistic juices began to flow, this young, confident and courageous South African team stilled them - not with a look, not with a moment of luck but over sessions of determined play. When the game seemed lost and the Australians rightfully poised for victory, the South Africans dug themselves out of trouble, turned the pressure back on the hosts and made them look fallible.

"They did it once in Perth and it might have been a fluke. Melbourne destroyed that idea and then yesterday, when most tailenders would have chosen spontaneous combustion and hapless capitulation, Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini did it again.

"And for the first time in my life as a cricketing spectator I felt my loyalties shift. Having grown up on a diet of Lillee, Marsh and Chappell, I'd found an opponent I could love. With every play-and-miss, Ntini seemed more worthy. Every time Steyn stood in line with the stumps and offered fierce resistance, I was in his corner. Smith's arrival at the crease was the crowning moment but surpassing what had come before.

"In defeat, South Africa issued a proclamation to the cricketing world every bit as resounding as their twin victories entering this match. If you want to beat us, be ready for a long fight: we will not cencede an inch. "A new champion has arrived in world cricket: long may they reign."

A big hello from the Running Golfer!

The Self Imposed Blogging Hiatus (SIBH) has now officially come to an end. It has taken a while for me to come up with something to say and truth be told I still have nothing. But, that hasn`t stopped me previously and it won`t stop me now.

Firstly, a very happy New Year to all of my awesome blogging friends. I really have missed you guys and plan on doing a lot of catching up! Thanks also to everybody who made an effort to stay in touch, it is much appreciated.

The holiday was really cool. We spent the best time with Hayley`s family. It was awesome. I have always worked over the December holidays and have been stuck in the office when everybody spent time on the beach. This year was different and I had as much fun as everybody else. It was great! I got a tan, went to the winefarms and even became a brilliant boogie boarder...

We did quite a bit and Hayley has kept you guys updated for the most part.

Here is a list of some of the things I got up too:

1. I ran 2 races with my Father-in-Law and Brother-in-Law. Both 10km`s
2. That was the only running I did during the holidays
3. I have the stomach to prove it
4. On one of these runs, Mark and I were nearly attacked by a deranged 70 year old walker (we participated in a 10km walk and got special clearance from the organisors to run the race as we made it clear we we did not want any prizes. This old gentleman did not want to hear any explanations from the 2 whippersnappers who came RUNNING past him and duly tried to take us out. We were too fast. Eat our dust Mr 70 year old deranged walker)
5. We were however beaten (to the finish line) by 3 male walkers and 1 lady
6. Yes, we had to eat their dust
7. I slammed my fingers in a car door
8. It was sore
9. No, I`m not 6 years old
10. I taught Devon how to "take you down to China Town"
11. Hayley and I taught Devon to make the L for loser on his forehead and say "LO-O-O-O-SER" while doing it
12. He duly used this new phrase on his older brother Kyle
13. I learned all about Ben 10 and how important a Ben 10 watch is to a 4 year old boy
14. I gained 3 kilograms in 2 weeks
15. I got up at 01:30 in the morning to watch our national cricket side beat Australia for the first time in a test series down under and it was SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET
16. Finally got to see Quantum of Solace and loved it! (Not as much as Casino Royale but awesome nonetheless)
17. Cried a bit when they banged up the Aston Martin in the opening sequence
18. Felt much better when the baddies who did it got driven off a cliff
19. Went to bed at 23:00 on New Years Eve and missed the new year
20. It was exactly what I wanted cos I was really not sad to see 2008 go
21. I made no resolutions for 2009
22. Saw Graeme Smith, the captain of our national cricket side, come out to bat with a badly broken hand and the whole stadium (full of Aussies) stood up to applaud him
23. Biff (his nickname) is DA MAN

Hayley and I are currently enjoying our last few days together in Somerset West. She flies back to Johannesburg on Sunday and starts work there on Monday. I will sort everything out on this side and join her in February. I really hope the month goes very quickly, I don`t like being away from my sweetie.

So there you have it, my first "arb" post of the new year. Hopefully I have many left in me!

God bless Y'all...

We`re the Kings of the World!!

Well done to the Proteas (Our National Cricket side) for their first ever series win in Australia! It was worth getting up at 01:30 this morning to witness such a historic event!

Graeme Smith

Firstly, let me put it out there. Up until a few months ago I was not a Biff fan. I thought he was an egotistical control freak. The way he handled himself and the stories emanating from the local press made it easy to dislike Biff.
This all changed a few months ago. I read an indepth interview by Neil Manthorp where the real Graeme Smith came across for the first time. This article explained a lot for me and made a whole lot of sense.

Graeme or Biff as he is known, took over the proteas at the tender age of 22. A young man who had to jump into the deep end and take a struggling SA side to England on his first tour as captain. That tour to England was (until yesterday) Biff`s finest. He scored 2 double hundreds in consecutive tests and made a ton of runs.
BUT, the tour also established him as a brash youngster on the world stage. His tactical nous was questioned by all the pundits, his comments to the press scrutinised and his relationship with other international captains became strained. Stephen Flemming once mocked Graeme by mimicking him in celebrating a catch. Nasser Husain called him "whatsisname".

The Graeme Smith who has been leading the Proteas the last year or so has not been the same kid who took the job at the tender age of 22. The Biff who has been the leading the team has turned into a tactically astute captain, probably one of the best in the world today. A man who is at ease with both himself and his place in the team, a leader who men happily follow due to the example he sets. When we were teetering on 90/4 yesterday who did you want to bat? I only wanted one man there cos I knew if anybody had the stomach for a fight it is Biff.

What transpired yesterday was one of the best innings ever witnessed in international cricket. Biff`s 154* was an unbelievable effort when seen in the context of the match and more importantly the series. The odds were certainly stacked against him. No team had ever scored more than 280 to win in the 4th innings at Headingley. Monty Panesar was spinning the ball a mile from the footmarks. Andrew Flintoff was bowling with everything he had. The pressure was immeasurable. South Africa won the test and the series because one man had the grit to take it upon himself to win. He did not stand back and confronted the English team head on. They were the ones to blink, Biff never wavered.

Biff came full circle when Michael Vaughan called his innings "one of the most special ones you will ever witness" and said that Biff deserved "all the praise that was going to come his way". Big words from a losing captain. Big words from a captain who was to resign the next day.

Today we are a very happy nation. We have tasted a series win in England for the first time in 43 years. That is older than I am! One man`s courage made it all possible.

When the cricket transmission went back to the studio last night, Robin Jackman couldn`t talk due to the emotion he felt. Tears welled up in his eyes and he was speechless for a few seconds. Keep in mind that Robin played test cricket for England and then see the significance in the emotion he felt. He looked like a proud father.

Biff, I am sorry for doubting you. Enjoy the win and the adulation because to coin a phrase "you deserve all the praise that is gonna come you way".

Signed

Your Proud Fan

The elusive 200 Club - Part 2

I was wrong....

The elusive 200 Club

Jacques Kallis is a fine cricketer (or cricketeer if Don King is to be believed). He is a true legend in the making. Probably the finest, or very close too the finest all-rounder to ever play the game. I`m sure Sir Garfield Sobers would have something to say about that claim but this is my blog and Sir Garfield is not a subscriber.

Kallis averages in the high 50`s with the bat and the very low 30`s with the ball. He has scored more than 9600 runs, more than 150 wickets nad has taken many magnificent catches. The complete cricketer you might say.

The one blemish on his record is the absence of a double ton. The magical 200 mark has eluded him his whole career. He had the opportunity many years ago but the captain declared when JK was on 189*. I am sure he was given ample time before the declaration came but he didn`t accelarate at all. He probably thought a 200 was just around the corner.

Well, it wasn`t. That happened almost 10 years ago and still, no double.

I feel though that that is about to change. Kallis has been well below his usual standards on the current tour of England. He has a high score of 13 in the current series. Now anybody who has followed Kallis knows, that is not something that is going to last. He already showed glimpses of a return to form in the warm-up to this test. Scores of 55* and 70* is proof of that.

So, I am making this statement in the company of all 3 my loyal readers (you know who you are).

Kallis will make a 200 during this test if he gets a proper batting chance and if the weather does not interfere.

Big words I know but then again only 3 people will mock me if I`m wrong....