The Carnival At The Wanderers Set To Begin

Memory Of A Historic Game

Even though the last game of the one day series between South Africa and Australia is a dead rubber, there is a buzz ahead of the day-night encounter at the Wanderers later in the day. Attribute it to the memories of the previous clash between these two heavy weight rivals at this same venue that have suddenly been kindled. That was three years ago, the series was locked at 2-2 and that decider is now widely regarded as the greatest game of one day cricket ever played. Australia, batting first, plundered 434-4 of their fifty overs. It was the first time 400 had been crossed in a one day match, and as far as everyone watching that game was concerned, South Africa were buried half-way into the contest. > The hosts, however, had other ideas. The new summit that the Aussies had scaled had only raised their rival’s vision higher. Gibbs turned it on with 175 off 111 balls and Boucher provided the climax to the suspense as South Africa achieved a mind-boggling victory in the last over with one wicket to spare.

A Lot Still At Stake

This game does not have so much at stake as that one and anyway, expecting a repeat of that kind of a match would be too much to hope for. However, neither of the teams are treating this one like a ‘dead’ game. Smith has made it very clear that 8-2 for the summer would go down far better than 7-3, and it would deeply emphasize their one-day supremacy during the season. It is very rare for any South African cricket team to dominate and squash their rivals from down under, and they would not want to let that opportunity slip when it is so close to being realized.

Ponting, on the other hand, wants to prevent just that eventuality. “I don’t see that there’s a great need to make a lot of changes right now. What this last game becomes all about for us is having some pride in our individual performances and our team performance.” > If it is of any importance to them, Australia would at least be able to defend the number 2 spot by winning this match. If they lose, however, they will lose it to India and slip to number 3.

Team News

The seriousness of approach that both teams bring to this game is also emphasized by the fact that neither has gone for wholesale changes. South Africa have dropped Parnell and Botha, the latter because of his trouble with his bowling action, and brought in Ntini and Morne Morkel instead. That definitely doesn’t look like a second string team. Australia, on their part, have retained everyone except Shane Harwood, who has been replaced by Ben Laughlin. The Australian batsmen, in fact, will be taking this game as seriously as any other because there is more than one amongst them struggling for form and whose head might be on the chopping block very soon. Shaun Marsh, Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson are all making comebacks in the next series and with Callum Ferguson and James Hopes in good form too, everyone simply cannot be accommodated.

So, to sum it all up, it is highly unlikely that the intensity will drop from either side in this final game of the summer. Anyway, the carnival at the Wanderers has never been cold…