The need to boost its coffers through T20 cricket notwithstanding, the South African board sending a weak team for their two-Test tour to New Zealand next month merits serious condemnation
South Africa’s pace bowler Gerald Coetzee celebrates with teammates the dismissal of India’s Tilak Varma during the second T20 International at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on December 12, 2023. Representation pic/Getty Images
Tiger-loving Ian Chappell—this newspaper’s long-serving columnist—has a favourite way of describing the International Cricket Council (ICC). He often calls it “a toothless tiger.” Chappell’s consistent opinion on the game’s governing body is justified with the ICC playing a mute spectator to what has happened to South Africa’s two-Test series in New Zealand to be held next month. The South African squad to New Zealand, led by uncapped batsman Neil Brand, is a depleted one because most centrally contracted players will be part of the SA20, a franchise T20 event. Middle-order batsman David Bedingham, who is part of the current South African Test squad, will be on the Kiwiland tour.
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There have been occasions when lesser squads have made up tour parties. What immediately comes to mind is England’s 1972-73 team to India, where big guns like captain Ray Illingworth, fellow Yorkshireman Geoff Boycott and premier fast bowler John Snow refused to tour. Tony Lewis, who didn’t even know what it is to play Test cricket, was named captain of a team that went down to India 1-2 in a five-Test rubber. And such an occurrence was not unprecedented. England’s (they toured under the Marylebone Cricket Club banner until 1976-77) 1951-52 tour party to India didn’t include big names like future skipper Len Hutton, Denis Compton, Alec Bedser or, for that matter, stars-to-be Peter May and Jim Laker. They were led by Nigel Howard, whose team finished the five-Test series 1-1. This is the series in which India won their first Test—at Chennai in the last game of the rubber.
Later on, in the 1970s, Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket rocked the game and sides like Australia and West Indies fielded depleted teams.
Both teams played against India—Australia at home in 1977-78, and as a touring unit in 1979-80. A star-less West Indies team arrived in 1978-79, under the captaincy of Alvin Kallicrrhaan.
It must be said here that Packer didn’t want Test cricket to be disrupted. He wanted his gig to rock when the top players didn’t have Test match commitments. It is the respective Boards that either forced his hand or decided not to send full teams. I remember Greg Chappell being very upset when a senior journalist wrote in 2004 that he opted out of tours to India. For, he wasn’t picked for the 1969-70 visit, and the Australian Cricket Board sent a second-string outfit to India in 1979, while players who were part of the Kerry Packer circus were playing first-class cricket at home.
Hence, in some ways, the latest controversy involving South Africa is unique. South Africa’s action, the need to boost their coffers through T20 cricket , merits serious condemnation. For, Test cricket cannot be sacrificed on any altar.
It was not surprising to read Steve Waugh slamming the South African board for this ridiculous scenario. In his view, New Zealand should have refused to play. No country should encourage deterioration of the traditional game and that’s where the ICC must step in.
Waugh has been a true evangelist of Test cricket. Mind you, he also realises the importance of the limited overs variety, having been a part of two victorious ODI World Cup campaigns in 1987 and 1999.
As captain, he liked his team to adorn the baggy green cap in the first session of a Test match, something that Waugh’s first Test captain Allan Border praised him for in the 2008 book, The Baggy Green by Michael Fahey and Mike Coward. “By all wearing the cap in the first session it has an aura and the team is making a statement.
Steve Waugh deserves much credit for initiating or rekindling the spirit of the baggy green. He has given it great focus. It is a tremendous legacy,” said Border.
While spewing venom on the South Africa situation, Waugh did bring up legacy: “History and tradition must count for something. If we stand by and allow profits to be the defining criteria, the legacy of [Sir Don] Bradman, [WG] Grace and [Sir Garfield] Sobers will be irrelevant.” Hopefully, the ICC has taken note of Waugh’s words, “stand by.”
And that’s exactly what the Dubai-based rulers of the game have done in reaction to the shenanigans at times.
In his 1992 book, The Cutting Edge, Chappell wrote: “If Test cricket is killed off, it’ll be an inside job; the ICC will be guilty of murder.” Incidentally, I called Chappell on Wednesday to find out when he started referring to the ICC as a toothless tiger. Before he expressed his regret to me over not remembering exactly when, this came through over the phone, “They have been that and still are.”
mid-day’s group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello
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The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper
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