(Picture courtesy: ESPNCricinfo)
Starting tomorrow at 10:00 GMT, England play South Africa at Oval to get the three Test match series underway. South Africa have been the most impressive touring side for many years running, with their last away series loss being in Sri Lanka in 2006. During this period, they have beaten Pakistan in Pakistan (1-0, 2007/08), Bangladesh in Bangladesh (2007/08), England in England (2-1, 2008), Australia in Australia (2-1, 2008/09), West Indies in West Indies (2-0, 2010), and New Zealand in New Zealand (1-0, 2012). Against India in India, they drew 1-1 in 2007/08 and 2009/10.
In similar fashion, England haven't lost at home since their loss to South Africa in 2008. They have gone on to conquer West Indies (2-0, in 2009 and 2012), Australia (2-1, 2009), Bangladesh (2-0, 2010), Pakistan (3-1, 2010), Sri Lanka (1-0, 2011), and battered the former no. 1 team, India, into submission in a 4-0 whitewash.
The records may not count for much here, for as Jacques Kallis was quoted in a recent article on Cricinfo, "You don't get a head start from doing well in a previous innings or a previous tour. Every new tour, you start with 0 behind your name. It's not like formula one where you get pole position.".
While much of what needs to be said/written in anticipation of this series has been done on Cricinfo and elsewhere, my excitement simply stems from the hope of witnessing some inspiration performances, gritty battles, and a hard-fought series. Both sides have less to do with flair and flamboyance than good old grit and determination, not least exemplified by their captains, Andrew Strauss and Graeme Smith, and coaches, Andy Flower and Gary Kirsten. Here are a few articles/videos pertaining to them:
It is also very heartening to see both these teams do well, for when they set foot on the ground, they will each a have shot at erasing a few question marks from their respective cricket histories. In the case of England, perhaps the quote by Ashis Nandy best describes their status until a few years ago, "Cricket is a game invented by the British, but discovered by Indians.". England have always been modestly competitive in cricket, but they have never been linked with sustained periods of excellence. On the other hand, while England did go on to win the T20 World Cup in 2010, South Africa and the tag of "chokers" have had a symbiotic relationship, since their return to international cricket in 1991/92. South Africa's heartbreak with multi-national tournaments has been one of the game's greatest tragedies, one which I hope writes its final act soon.
Perhaps the beauty of Test cricket lies in the fact that, until recently, there was no single championship to fight for. Even with the introduction of the ranking system, the crown of "No. 1" is looked upon with suspicion until the teams have excelled in all conditions, home and away. Think: India in England (0-4), England in UAE playing Pakistan (0-3). Then think: Australia of the late 1990's and early 2000's, West Indies of the 1980's.
Cricket romantics may forever wonder what the South Africans of the 1969-70 may have subsequently achieved, and consequently inspired, but the current generation of South African players need not feel uncertain about their achievements thus far. From a formidable batting order, featuring Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB De Villiers, to an intimidating bowling lineup of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, there is much to cheer for. Then there is the promise of Imran Tahir, who moved on from his homeland of Pakistan to the land of his beloved, and awaited his qualification. There is much to root for in their cricketers - there is an earnest struggle and resolve to be the best. That apart, they have also perfected the art of being the kings-in-waiting, which makes one want more for them.
In contrast, I have a tendency to refrain from expressing a fondness for the English. Maybe, it is their colonial nature, or the high-headedness of former players, like Tony Greig, and Andrew Flintoff. Sometimes, it is the excessive attention sought by its players. As a kid, I grew up thinking that the English Premier League and the be all and end all of world soccer, only to realize that its presence in India was bloated by ESPNSTAR. However, over the past few years, I have quietly admired this English cricket team. Their ascent to the top has been an outcome of terrific team ethic and discipline. Some of their prominent behind-the-scenes men, like Andy Flower and Graham Gooch, are people with great character, and command tremendous respect from their peers. In return, their batsmen, Alistair Cook, Jonathan Trott, and Ian Bell have responded in kind, while James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan have been persistent in their attack of the stumps. In spite of his attention-seeking theatricals, KP's presence on the pitch is awe-inspiring for me. I would like to believe that when in form, the destructive nature of his batting, gives us a slight peak into Sir Vivian Richards' era. And for all the doosras and teesras doing the rounds, it is rather heart-warming for a cricket romantic to see a conventional off-spinner troubling the best in the world.
Since the demise of the great Australian teams, the top ranking has exchanged hands a few times. It may not necessarily be a bad thing, for it provides us with an opportunity to hopefully witness the next ascent to the top, and more importantly, its resolute defense. As and when that happens, hopefully we'll have our own Rafa vs. Federer, and then the arrival of a Djoker. Moments of grit and resolute defiance feature very rarely on both sides in international cricket. And it is why this series needs to be celebrated, even if in anticipation.
