Series loss leads to comedy of errors in S Africa cricket

Just a fortnight ago, Graeme Smith's band of accomplished cricketers, lips in anticipation of dethroning the world champions on familiar home turf in the ongoing series

Series loss leads to comedy of errors in S Africa cricket

Just a fortnight ago, Graeme Smith's band of accomplished cricketers, hot on the heels of Australia in world Test rankings after their stirring exploits in the series Down Under earlier this year, were licking their lips in anticipation of dethroning the world champions on familiar home turf in the ongoing series.

Obviously they had lost sight of the Antipodeans' pathological abhorrence of anything even remotely akin to surrender.

The South Africans had forgotten that the Australian predator's overvaulting pride makes the lord of his terrain particularly ferocious when his sovereignty is even remotely challenged.

Two weeks later the South Africans find themselves in the depths of despair defeated, dispirited, disenchanted and seemingly desperate.

The disarray in South African cricketing matters was exemplified yesterday by the manner in which Cricket South Africa handled the matter of captaincy after the grievous encore of Smith's thumb injury.

As many as four members of the team have either officiated or been nominated as captain over the past four days.

As pointed out by The Australian newspaper, convenor of selectors Mike Procter announced after the Proteas's disillusioning series defeat last Tuesday that Ashwell Prince, the team's vice-captain until injury rendered him hors de combat for five Tests, would take over the reins of captaincy.

This meant the supersession of wicketkeeper-batsman Mark Boucher, a senior member of the side, who acted as on-field captain in Smith's absence in Durban, as also of opening batsman Neil McKenzie, who was dropped in an act of desperation. McKenzie had deputised for Smith as skipper in the Sydney Test in the previous series.

In a continuation of the comedy of errors, the South African board issued a statement on Wednesday saying that virtuoso all-rounder Jacques Kallis would replace official vice-captain Prince as captain.

There were rumours that the Coloured batsman, believed to owe his seniority in the side to the colour of his skin, had turned down the captaincy since he was not prepared to open the batting (and face the bruising pace of Mitchell Johnson et al!), which Smith's absence necessitated.

Prince was also said to be upset over the fact that he learned from the press before being informed by the selectors that he was not in the side for the first Test.

Meanwhile, the Australians, basking in the glory of their unexpected, but hard-fought exploits, are following the shenanigans of the home side with barely concealed amusement.

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