Ek raak nou al uitgehonger vir die Super 15, en na die naweek se teleurstellende uitslae in die krieket en sokker, begin ek maar solank oplees oor wat vir ons op die rugby toneel voorlê. David Melvill stuur vir my Vrydag hierdie spotprent. Dit bewys net weer hoe maklik mens jou naam krater kan maak met voorspellings oor sportuitslae.
Bobby bespreek die boete van die Proteas hieronder. Ek wil net my stuiwer ook in die armbeurs gooi: Gary Kirsten het verlede week aangedui dat hulle die twee eendag reekse (teen NZ en Pakistan) gaan gebruik ter voorbereiding vir die 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in Londen in Junie vanjaar. Wat ek daarin lees, is dat hy die nommer een posisie op die ranglys ondergeskik stel aan ons vertoning by dié grote, en daarmee het ek geen probleem nie.
Is it in the Spirit of the Game?
– by Bobby Londt
Few things went right for the Proteas on Saturday, but they did have their chances, so there is little use in crying over spilt milk. Nine times out of ten, most teams winning the toss would bat first. The fact that the Black Caps chose to field first tells a story about the wicket. Conditions favoured the tourists, and I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed by the way the Paarl wicket played. Never the less, the Black Caps deservedly won the game – James Franklin, the hero of the day, led the team when all seemed lost.
Although a disappointing result, I am of the opinion that it should be seen in the context of new combinations and personnel in different roles. This would have a definite effect on the side, although I do expect a marked improvement in the 2nd game.
Match referee, David Boon, also had his moment in the sun by sentencing our skipper, De Villiers, to solitary confinement (he has been suspended for the next 2 games) due to a slow over rate. I suppose we can’t be too harsh on David as the disciplinary process is basically formulated in a process determined by the ICC.
What the ICC fails to see, though, is that the Paarl crowd was entertained to the very end and the day could be evaluated as a success on the cricketing front. Something that made me think, was when a friend of mine questioned why New Zealand was not penalised by the ICC for sending a substandard test side to SA. I tried to explain that although not fined directly, New Zealand would experience the backlash. None of the bigger test nations would want to invite them for a home series, as the test venues would hardly make any money due to the short 3 day games they play!
But let’s assume for one moment that it is in order to fine a side 100% of the match fees and suspend the skipper for 2 games due to a slow over rate. Consider then also that the viewing public had great value for their money, as did the sponsors, and cricket as a spectacle received a huge boost. This certainly raises a question on the fairness of the punishment in relation to the “crime”.
Is it in the spirit of the game to fine the side if you compare it to the diabolical test performances where one could argue that the spectators, public, sponsors and the game itself was really discredited by the poor standard displayed by the Black Caps, yet they were not penalised directly? I am still of the opinion that we were just that good in the tests and never gave them a chance, but their internal squabbles led to key players being omitted. Should the NZ cricket board then not also be fined?
This provides new food for thought for the ICC, if fairness is to prevail.
