Ken Borland

What happened on Pink Day sealed the deal for Ken Borland

The Ball in Play

Both the Proteas and Australia agreed at the end of their Pink Day ODI at the Wanderers on Sunday that it had been the South African spin bowlers who had once again been the difference between the two great rivals.

Sure, Temba Bavuma scored a masterful century and David Miller smashed a career-best (statistically and maybe in terms of what it meant personally too) 142 to take South Africa to 365 for nine after being sent in to bat.

But when Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head had added 130 for the first wicket in just 17 overs and Australia were ahead of the required run-rate, it was the spinners who turned the tide once again for the home team.

Left-arm spinners Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin repeated their heroics of the first ODI in Durban on Heritage Day [September 24), and this time they had the support of part-time off-spinner Aiden Markram.

Together, that triumvirate of twirlers all bowled their full ration of overs and took five wickets for 179 in 30 overs. Not only did they go for less than a run-a-ball at a venue which can be very tough on spinners, but they also removed five of Australia’s top six.

Having been the key factor in the ODI series win with a game to spare, I believe Proteas coach Shukri Conrad should also look to spin for the Test series that starts on October 9.

When the fixtures were announced for this Australian tour back in February, the fact that the three Tests were being played at Kingsmead, St George’s Park and Newlands got me thinking.

All three matches being played at coastal venues made me wonder if Conrad, who often dissents with the popular or cliched view, was planning to attack the Australians with spin. South Africa’s coastal venues, especially Durban in recent years, are the most spin-friendly in the country.

Keshav Maharaj is based at Kingsmead and Prenelan Subrayen and Senuran Muthusamy all made their Test debuts while playing for the KZN Dolphins, such has been the success of spin in Durban.

St George’s Park in Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, can also be very spin-friendly depending on the wind. When thinking of the Test venues, my mind immediately went back to April 2022 when Maharaj and Simon Harmer destroyed Bangladesh, taking all 10 second-innings wickets at Kingsmead as they bundled them out for just 53, and then repeating the feat further down the coast in the next match, where they shot the tourists out for just 80. They are the only pair of bowlers to have achieved this in back-to-back Tests in the history of the game.

Newlands in Cape Town has also traditionally been a favoured venue for the spinners, Paul Adams and England’s Colin Blythe are both in the top-10 wicket-takers in Tests there, while Paul Harris, Shane Warne, Nicky Boje, Johnny Briggs, Hugh Tayfield and Maharaj are all in the top-20. When I was growing up, Western Province leg-spinner Denys Hobson was always a threat for visiting teams in domestic cricket, and I remember Transvaal’s slow left-armer Alan Kourie routinely winning games there on the third day, using the wind superbly.

The best red-ball return at Newlands in the last four seasons is left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds’s seven for 39 against the KZN Dolphins in 2023/24.

My learned colleague Stuart Hess, whose coverage of South African and domestic cricket for TimesLive and the Sunday Times should be compulsory reading for cricket fans, did rather dampen my spinner daydreams when he informed me Conrad had told him the thinking around the fixtures was early-season pitches on the coast seaming around, the coach mentioning when Marco Jansen took seven for 13 at Kingsmead as he bowled Sri Lanka out for a measly 42.

But that match was actually at the end of November in 2024. Normally when I have disagreed with coach Shukri, he has invariably proven me wrong, but I would be very surprised if, having seen what has transpired in the ODI series, he is not thinking of attacking Australia with both Maharaj and Harmer.

Conrad did say this week that the double-spinner tactic, planned before what he called the “hamstring pandemic” amongst the quick bowlers, had “exposed” some weaknesses in the Australian ODI team, but he added that their Test batting line-up is very different to their limited-overs personnel.

But just to strengthen my argument, I can report that marvellous Miller agreed with my idea when he spoke to the media after his magnificent 142 off just 93 balls.

“I would love to see us test the Australians on days three and four with turn because we have great spinners. Playing our spinners has probably been a weakness for them. Our spinners are extremely good at holding a good length and asking questions. When the surface holds a bit, it takes a lot to hit them off that length,” Miller said.

Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards, who was their best bowler with five for 67 in just his second ODI and then scored 25 to give them a sliver of hope, explained why facing the Proteas spinners has been such a problem.

“The spinners are both really good at controlling their length and when the pitch is a bit dry and the ball a bit softer, one delivery will turn sharply and the next one skids through. So it’s a considerable risk to try and hit boundaries, they are quality bowlers,” Edwards said.

But let’s go back to Bavuma and Miller, who are both such inspirational figures in the batting line-up.

Captain Bavuma had to come in after the shock of Aiden Markram, back in the team for the first time since the T20 World Cup, being dismissed first ball of the match courtesy of a spectacular Cooper Connolly catch. A lengthy delay before the opening delivery was bowled – either due to SuperSport delaying things or the event managers getting their timings wrong – probably did not help him.

Bavuma looked in fine touch from the get-go and played some of the most elegant strokes of the day, while also showing he is capable of brutal dispatching too as he collected 10 fours and two sixes in his 103. Bavuma now averages 49 against Australia in ODIs, striking at 85, and averages 41 in Tests.

Whether he is still batting at number three in the next World Cup will become more clear in the months ahead, but what is certain is that he will be the lynchpin in the South African batting line-up, allowing the strokeplayers and boundary-hitters to bat around him.

Just like Miller did at the Wanderers. Their ground-record partnership of 156 off 135 balls for the fourth wicket featured timing as sweet as the most invigorating balsam, and just as medicinal for South Africa’s health after they had slipped to 93 for three after a difficult first 15 overs when the ball moved around and there was some steep bounce.

The previous fourth-wicket record for the Proteas at the Wanderers was 105 between AB de Villiers and JP Duminy, against India in 2013/14.

There are some who have written off the 37-year-old Miller’s chances of making the 2027 World Cup squad, but he has not averaged below 40 in his last four seasons of ODI action, while striking at 114. He has scored three centuries and seven half-centuries in that time.

His strokeplay had the large Pink Day crowd purring with delight, especially when he sent the Australian bowlers over the boundary fencing on nine occasions. His record against South Africa’s greatest rivals is extraordinary: He now averages 59.20 against them, at a strike-rate of 106, with four centuries.

“I just want to contribute in the best way I can, make an impact. I just try to stick to my processes, I’ve been around for a long time so it’s also time for me to lead from the front and stick my hand up.

“I was pretty hungry today. You can never 100% guarantee that you’re going to make the World Cup squad and I still have a lot of hard work to do. This is a very important series because we haven’t played at home for a long time. It’s going to be very nice to have a big summer here against some really good opposition before we host the World Cup next year.

“The key for us leading up to the World Cup is to find our balance and ensure our depth is good. There are a lot of batsmen coming through, and it’s similar with the bowlers,” Miller said.

The Europeans may be largely missing but it does not detract from the tournament as the South African Open remains the biggest event of the year for local golfers, both the young and the old agreed at the Gary Player Country Club on Wednesday.

The hysterical reaction to the Omicron variant has ensured the 111^th SA Open (the second oldest national open in golf) is no longer the second event of the new DP World Tour but is just a Sunshine Tour tournament. But the 156-man field will have as much focus on the famous trophy though as the $500 000 prize fund when they tee off on Thursday.

The flagship event remains one of the most cherished weeks in South African golf and being played at the Gary Player Country Club course at Sun City, the host of the Nedbank Golf Challenge that has provided so many historic moments, but has sadly been unable to be held during these times of Covid.

GolfRSA and the South African Golf Association are the custodians of the SA Open and there is always a strong amateur contingent at the event, aiming for the Freddie Tait Cup for the best-placed amateur who makes the cut.

Christiaan Maas is the reigning SA Amateur champion and No.1 in the rankings, and he said the anticipation building into the tournament has been huge.

“It’s such a big tournament and I’ve been looking forward to it since last year after winning the SA Amateur. This week is a very big thing for me because this is the biggest tournament in South Africa,” the 18-year-old Maas said on Wednesday.

At the other end of the scale, James Kingston is a former SA Open champion, having won at Pearl Valley in 2007. Having turned 56 this week, he is delighted to be mixing it with the youngsters once again.

“The thrill of playing in the SA Open never wears off, it is the most treasured event in South African golf. I’m sure it’s the same with other countries and their national open,” Kingston said.

“This is the most sought after title in South African golf and to be able to come to Sun City, having won the tournament before, means the world to me,” Kingston said.

The Gary Player Country Club has been craftily designed to be the ultimate test of stamina, skill and accuracy though, and merely straying into the rough can be devastating. The lengthy 7105m course has caused the cremation of many a top golfer’s hopes.

Long hitters like Shaun Norris, Wilco Nienaber, defending champion Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Danie van Tonder could be favoured, but don’t discount the skilful golfers like Garrick Higgo, Dylan Frittelli or Justin Harding, or those in hot form like Joburg Open winner Thriston Lawrence, European Tour star Dean Burmester or JC Ritchie.

The All Blacks have agreed to base themselves in Queensland in order for the Rugby Championship to be completed, which means the historic 100^th meeting between them and their arch-rivals the Springboks will take place in the unlikely venue of Townsville, in the northern reaches of the state and deep in the tropics.

The Springboks will leave for Australia on Thursday and will have to quarantine for two weeks, but in return they will have the benefit of being able to return to normal life thereafter, not needing to stay in a bubble. They can still train while in quarantine, ahead of their next match, against Australia on September 12 on the Gold Coast.

But it is their clash with the All Blacks on September 25 in Townsville that will capture the imagination, even though it is effectively being played as a curtain-raiser to the Australia versus Argentina match that follows.

“The two-week quarantine period means we will be on tour for just under six weeks, but we are looking forward to experiencing normal life after a year-and-a-half of living under several forms of adjusted Covid-19 restrictions in South Africa. This will certainly assist in ensuring that the players are fresh mentally when they take the field, which is essential for them to peak in form.

“We are pleased that the Rugby Championship schedule has been finalised and we are looking forward to continuing our campaign in Australia. We can now continue our planning to ensure that the players are ready for the next four matches from a physical and mental point of view, and we are excited about facing our old foes Australia and New Zealand again after kicking off the tournament well against Argentina,” Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said in a statement on Tuesday.

For all the bluster about how boring Springbok rugby is and how they are unworthy world champions despite beating the British and Irish Lions recently, the Kiwis are now going to have to put up or shut up on September 25 and then again on October 2 on the Gold Coast, in what, on current form, should be the Rugby Championship decider.

Apart from the Springboks not needing to stay in a bubble after their quarantine, the other good news is that there will be spectators at all the matches. Given the level of aggression between Australian and New Zealand rugby at the moment, the local crowds could well be supporting the Springboks in their matches against the All Blacks.

Australia and New Zealand get the chance to sort out some of their issues on the field when they meet in Perth, as originally scheduled, probably next weekend.

While a majority independent board and an independent chair have been the most well-publicised aspects of the new Cricket South Africa constitution eventually agreed to by the Members Council, the process by which independent directors are appointed is another vital pillar of the new MoI … and it is now raising concerns among stakeholders in the game.

The MoI puts into place a Nominations Committee which will be a six-person panel comprising either a men’s or women’s former international player nominated by SACA, alongside a former CSA president nominated by the Interim Board, a Members Council representative and people from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Institute of Directors and the Legal Practice Council.

The only problem with the Nominations Committee is that their word is final and the non-independent directors, or anyone else, are not allowed to object to the names they come up with.

The dangers of that clause are brought into focus by the first board that will serve under the new MoI. Because the Nominations Committee will only exist after the new constitution is formally adopted on Wednesday, they will be picking from a list that the Interim Board have seemingly put together from the applicants who put themselves forward before the cut-off date for applications, which was in February.

It is hardly an independent process because nobody knows who applies and who handled the applications, apart from the Interim Board.

Given the schisms in South African cricket that are obviously still present even though they will ‘officially’ be signed away on Wednesday, there is still an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty out there, and that has led to all manner of speculation and rumour about who CSA’s new directors will be.

The return of Norman Arendse, president of CSA from 2007 to 2008 and a controversial figure because of his continued interference in the selection of the national team, has been mooted, while some administrators have warned of a new wave of cadre deployment as they fear Minister of Sport Nathi Mthethwa wants to drive the ANC agenda in cricket.

Other administrators have called for the institution of an independent administrative office to handle applications for independent director posts, which would then pass them on to the Nominations Committee, with independent auditors exercising oversight through the whole process.

The process of appointing independent directors has the potential to be the new battleground of South African cricket.