The last few years have been ones to forget for South African cricket fans as the once-mighty Proteas have been reduced to a withered version of themselves after facing what seems like an eternal winter of frost. Indeed, controversy after controversy has plagued the proud cricketing nation and the on-field results have suffered because of it.
2019 in particular was a year to forget as the Proteas were knocked out of the World Cup in the group stages and also beaten by Sri Lanka at home in a two-match Test series. Now, that may not sound like the worst result in the world but you have to step back and analyse it over the course of history to understand just how catastrophic that defeat was.
South Africa, you see, had never lost a Test series to any subcontinent team over the course of their history. The loss to Sri Lanka, arguably the weakest team from the subcontinent, was seen as further proof of the demise of the national team. Furthermore, surrendering proud sporting records particularly inflames tensions across the board in South Africa for a magnitude of very complex reasons. So when the sun fell over the quiet city of Port Elizabeth on a night where the only sound to be heard was that of a team of jubilant Sri Lankans, it brought with it a darkness that felt as if it would never lift over the Proteas.
Fast forward a year and if the people of the rainbow nation thought 2019 was tough, the perspective was to arrive in abundance over the course of 2020. Ultimately, this has strangely proved to be a time of healing and change for South African cricket with the action stopped on the field, there was finally a chance to address all the issues off it.
No stone was left unturned in the quest to rid the sport of those holding it back and in an extraordinary turn of events, the entire board of Cricket South Africa resigned in late October 2020, having being told there was no way back for them after overseeing the worst period in the country’s cricketing history.
The slate has well and truly been wiped clean, even if it doesn’t reflect so straight away. The Proteas, are for instance still at long odds of 11/1 to win the 2021 T20 World Cup in cricket betting. This suggests that despite all the wholesale changes behind the scenes, opinions are only really going to change once the results on the field back it up.
Well, the Proteas will have the chance to do just that over the course of their summer when none other than Sri Lanka touchdown on South African soil in December for another two-match Test series. Redemption is so close for the Proteas that they can almost reach out and touch it, but standing in the way of a new dawn is a team that no longer fears them. This promises to be the most exhilarating summer showdown seen for many moons.
Kusal Perera hit an incredible 💯 to lead Sri Lanka to a stunning one-wicket victory over South Africa in the first Test in Durban.
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 16, 2019
Report & highlights 👉 https://t.co/ybEgvqilJ3 pic.twitter.com/uvd3i4IRiP
South Africa, you see, had never lost a Test series to any subcontinent team over the course of their history. The loss to Sri Lanka, arguably the weakest team from the subcontinent, was seen as further proof of the demise of the national team. Furthermore, surrendering proud sporting records particularly inflames tensions across the board in South Africa for a magnitude of very complex reasons. So when the sun fell over the quiet city of Port Elizabeth on a night where the only sound to be heard was that of a team of jubilant Sri Lankans, it brought with it a darkness that felt as if it would never lift over the Proteas.
Fast forward a year and if the people of the rainbow nation thought 2019 was tough, the perspective was to arrive in abundance over the course of 2020. Ultimately, this has strangely proved to be a time of healing and change for South African cricket with the action stopped on the field, there was finally a chance to address all the issues off it.
No stone was left unturned in the quest to rid the sport of those holding it back and in an extraordinary turn of events, the entire board of Cricket South Africa resigned in late October 2020, having being told there was no way back for them after overseeing the worst period in the country’s cricketing history.
Kusal Perera hit an incredible 💯 to lead Sri Lanka to a stunning one-wicket victory over South Africa in the first Test in Durban.
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 16, 2019
Report & highlights 👉 https://t.co/ybEgvqilJ3 pic.twitter.com/uvd3i4IRiP
The slate has well and truly been wiped clean, even if it doesn’t reflect so straight away. The Proteas, are for instance still at long odds of 11/1 to win the 2021 T20 World Cup in cricket betting. This suggests that despite all the wholesale changes behind the scenes, opinions are only really going to change once the results on the field back it up.
Well, the Proteas will have the chance to do just that over the course of their summer when none other than Sri Lanka touchdown on South African soil in December for another two-match Test series. Redemption is so close for the Proteas that they can almost reach out and touch it, but standing in the way of a new dawn is a team that no longer fears them. This promises to be the most exhilarating summer showdown seen for many moons.
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