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South Africa 2006"An African Diary"
By AST tour member Ian Marsden
It's odd. The quality and the enjoyment derived from a cricket tour is influenced more by off-the-field events than the contests themselves. One can take for granted that there will be some great cricket, enthralling encounters, excellent company, comfortable accommodation and the first-rate management that AST always provides. But what transformed the South African tour into an unforgettable experience involved more than a few good games of cricket. Rather, it was the unique opportunity we were given to gain a first hand insight into a beautiful but complex country.
It is often said that life is made up of a variety of experiences. These we embrace and learn from. Some of the experiences associated with this tour will remain with the participants long after the outcome of the series has faded from view.
We were fortunate to stay, between matches, at the Nyala Game Lodge, situated some two hours drive north of Durban and spend three nights there. We were transported through the nearby Hluhluwe Game Reserve in open trucks to view the wonderful array of animals, an array too diverse to catalogue here.
Who can forget our first live encounter with the lions? We waited, breathless, for the animals to emerge from a thicket where they had been sighted earlier in the day. They appeared eventually, treating us with disdain. Two lionesses with cubs, they camped momentarily on the dusty road, affecting boredom. The attraction appeared to be a group of giraffes grazing nearby. Dinner perhaps?
We were pursued by elephants, gave way to rhinos, were entertained by baboons and captivated at all times by the magnificent landscape of Africa. As evening fell we sat, with a cold ale in hand, enraptured by the blazing sunset and its myriad colours, purples , greens, magentas. No barbecue has ever tasted better.
Next day the management produced bat and ball, and an impromptu cricket practice followed. The pitch was rough, a genuine green top, and the techniques of the participants even rougher. Nevertheless, there was a modicum of evidence of latent talent, notwithstanding the inroads made by corpulence and degenerative bone diseases. Practice came to an untimely end only when the only ball was dispatched over the buildings into the mamba patch.
The first test was played at Cape Town. There we spent a wonderful week. Thanks to the heroics of Stuart Clark the match finished in three days, giving us two extra days for exploration. We were soon to learn why Cape Town is so often listed as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Unforgettable moments included the visit to the top of Table Mountain via cable car, a view of such magnificence as to defy description. A tour to Robben Island, the former prison home of Nelson Mandela, was a tour inclusion also. We took an optional tour to the Cape of Good Hope via the seal colony at Hautes Bay. Standing at the most southern point of Africa, it was truly one of those moments when you ask yourself…”am I really here?”
Nor was starvation likely. The dockside of Cape Town has been through a process of renewal and the outcome is the equal of anything anywhere in the world. Perhaps four times the size of its Melbourne equivalent, the harbour provided an opportunity to sample the wares of anything up to 100 restaurants, all of high quality and at prices far less than at home. Few in the group missed this opportunity.
Modesty prevents me from making anything but a passing reference to the round of golf we managed at Rondebosch Golf Course which lies at the foot of Table Mountain. However, a title, hard won in New Zealand, was successfully defended here. Regrettably, Sam was unprepared to pursue his earlier challenge. The host club made us very welcome.
Soweto is a place that will forever be associated with the South African pursuit of equality and the terrible struggle against apartheid. We were privileged to be taken through the township by its own people and to see at first hand the enormous gap between rich and poor. We visited their homes and were able to see how they live, work, survive. Nobody in the group was untouched by this visit. Political and social equality may have arrived. But none of us could fail to understand the enormity of the problems involved in attaining economic equality for the black population.
At the conclusion of the official tour we took up the opportunity provided by AST to visit Zambia and the renowned Victoria Falls. This invaluable “add on” was taken up by over 40 of the group and was yet another out of the world experience. Drenched by the spray, deafened by the roar of the falls, dazzled by the sheer scale of this magnificent spectacle, we emerged the richer for this extraordinary experience. It capped off the best three weeks that one could possibly imagine.
Remember though, this was a cricket tour! None of the bonus events I have described should be taken as diminishing our enjoyment of the cricket itself. After all, the one day Jo’burg match will be discussed well after all its participants have long since retired. It will always be listed as one of the greatest one day contests ever played. Then there was Hoggy’s catch at Port Elizabeth, Gilly’s brilliant catching throughout, the last gasp partnership of Lewis and Clark at Durban and Clark’s astonishing 9-wicket debut at Cape Town.
Above all, one cannot fail to be impressed with the professionalism always displayed by the Australian team, their will to win and the apparently never-ending depth of their resources.
There was an ample supply of discussion points for all the “cricket tragics”. How often does one get the chance to hear from (and chat with) the likes of Gary Kirsten, Barry Richards, Kepler Wessells, Pat Simcox and Terry Alderman. Kerry O’Keefe was a great and popular host. His thoughtful commentary and endless good humour were widely appreciated. Autograph hunters had a ball with the entire South African team (a great bunch) when they met up at Durban airport. There the home team cheerfully signed autographs for all and sundry.
Before we left Australia, there had been much speculation as to the type of welcome we would receive from the local fans. One of the many happy recollections I brought back was the conduct and stoical good humor of the local spectators. English fans should take note!
Memorable too was the rendition of the two National anthems by local choirs, an event that preceded each of the one day contests. The South African anthem, sung predominantly in the native language, is a most evocative piece of music and one clearly treasured by all. Performed against a background of colourful, gently waving national flags, it was an experience that will not be easily forgotten.
One of the fondest memories I carry with me concerned two Indian gentlemen who, after the Aussie’s thrilling one wicket victory at Durban, lined up to shake hands with our entire group. Nor will I forget the local who came and shook my hand after the Aussies had scored an apparently unbeatable 434 in the one day match at the Wanderers. At the end of the game, with that amazing score exceeded by the home team, I tried to find him to return the compliment. Regrettably, he could not be found. |
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