Last Monetarist
T20I Debutant
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2016
- Runs
- 7,910
It's hard to make a judgement on South African sides prior to the 2nd World War, but there is certainly a case to be made that the current team is the weakest since the 1950s.
For a short period during the 1960s, they were the best team on the planet and it's not hyperbole to suggest that if they hadn't been banned they would have run the great West Indian sides very close during their heyday under Clive Lloyd. That is neither here nor there though, but the talent in South African cricket remained exceptional during exile.
They were welcomed back to the fold in 1992 and they responded by taking the World Cup by storm, a tournament which they deserved to win if not for a mix of cynical captaincy by Kepler Wessels in the semi-final and a horrendous rain rule which only seemed to make sense to Richie Benaud.
Their Test team through much of the 90s was on par with Australia and arguably stronger in Asia. They were a team to be feared and with good reason. That didn't change at the turn of the century despite the match-fixing scandal that ended Hansie Cronje's career. The side led by Shaun Pollock was still competitive against all teams not led by Steve Waugh.
Graeme Smith oversaw a period of transition between 2004 and 2006, which ultimately resulted in an ascent to the summit of the Test rankings, a position they didn't relinquish for up to six years.
Which leads us to the current era of South African cricket:
The board is embroiled in a governance scandal, struggling to find sponsors, while allegations of racism during the heady period of the 2000s and 2010s are afoot.
The talent drain to Kolpak has stopped, but the damage will take a few years to unravel. Domestic South African cricket has struggled financially for more than a decade, forcing the board to restructure the shape of domestic cricket last year.
On the field, results have been mixed and the talent on display is a far cry from the great South African sides of the past. The Test team has slid down the rankings since the retirements of Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, and Dale Steyn. It is not easy to replace players of that calibre, so inconsistent results were to be expected, however, the decline also seems systemic.
The team led by Dean Elgar has fought manfully against India, but has clearly been the underdog throughout the series. In comparison to all those sides of the past, it is difficult to escape the impression that the current team is amongst weakest in the history of South African cricket.
Is there a way back for South African cricket to regain its place at the top of the international game?
For a short period during the 1960s, they were the best team on the planet and it's not hyperbole to suggest that if they hadn't been banned they would have run the great West Indian sides very close during their heyday under Clive Lloyd. That is neither here nor there though, but the talent in South African cricket remained exceptional during exile.
They were welcomed back to the fold in 1992 and they responded by taking the World Cup by storm, a tournament which they deserved to win if not for a mix of cynical captaincy by Kepler Wessels in the semi-final and a horrendous rain rule which only seemed to make sense to Richie Benaud.
Their Test team through much of the 90s was on par with Australia and arguably stronger in Asia. They were a team to be feared and with good reason. That didn't change at the turn of the century despite the match-fixing scandal that ended Hansie Cronje's career. The side led by Shaun Pollock was still competitive against all teams not led by Steve Waugh.
Graeme Smith oversaw a period of transition between 2004 and 2006, which ultimately resulted in an ascent to the summit of the Test rankings, a position they didn't relinquish for up to six years.
Which leads us to the current era of South African cricket:
The board is embroiled in a governance scandal, struggling to find sponsors, while allegations of racism during the heady period of the 2000s and 2010s are afoot.
The talent drain to Kolpak has stopped, but the damage will take a few years to unravel. Domestic South African cricket has struggled financially for more than a decade, forcing the board to restructure the shape of domestic cricket last year.
On the field, results have been mixed and the talent on display is a far cry from the great South African sides of the past. The Test team has slid down the rankings since the retirements of Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, and Dale Steyn. It is not easy to replace players of that calibre, so inconsistent results were to be expected, however, the decline also seems systemic.
The team led by Dean Elgar has fought manfully against India, but has clearly been the underdog throughout the series. In comparison to all those sides of the past, it is difficult to escape the impression that the current team is amongst weakest in the history of South African cricket.
Is there a way back for South African cricket to regain its place at the top of the international game?
Last edited:
