It’s warm and windy, but unlike a newborn baby, the SA20 is out of nappies, and the fourth season opener is sold out.
Newlands is a picture, bedecked in blue and gold, as the adoring fans stream in to watch their heroes. I come across a father and son, looking at the cartoon-like headshots of the MICT players. I tarry a while and help them identify the new additions. “Who is Karim Janat?”, they ask. I give them a quick run-down on the Afghan all-rounder and then help them match the others. Tiaan van Vuuren is identified as a South African, and we chat a bit about Jacques Snyman, Thomas Kaber and Nicholas Pooran.
Mentioning the West Indian reminds me of the Captain’s Day, where KG Rabada answered whether MICT would miss Dewald Brevis by saying 4 words: “We have Nicholas Pooran”.
There is no doubt that there is firepower aplenty for the defending champions. When asked the question as to who they would have bowl for their lives, more than a handful chose the Proteas and MI quick Rabada.
There were a few that preferred the captain, Rashid Khan, a sure sign that T20 cricket is alive and well in the suburbs of the Mother City. Perhaps the most interesting choice of all was for the man known as “Whispering Death”, Michael Holding. I guess if you are having someone bowl for your life, you would want a legend, both as a bowler and as a respected commentator.
The atmosphere builds as the crowd comes into the ground. Nearly an hour before the start it is two-thirds full. The MICT and DSG players are out on the ground, where barely an hour before, hordes of youngsters were given the opportunity to play their own brand of cricket on the hallowed turf of Newlands. It is a nice touch from the organisers, one that is appreciated by parents and aspiring Proteas.
The time passes quickly, the vendors underneath the stands are doing very good business, as the sponsors’ stalls attract large crowds. The men on stilts are as popular as ever, dressed in their bright colours as they expertly weave their inflatable magic for the waiting children.
The supporting acts have played their part; it’s now over to the cricketing gladiators to thrill the expectant thousands. The discarded puffed out dogs and cats sit silent as the SA20 balloon goes up in the shadow of Table Mountain.
Thrill they did. Records tumbled as DSG recorded the highest ever T20 score at Newlands, 232/5. Ryan Rickelton’s Century and highest ever T20 score was just not enough to get the champions over the line.
For entertainment, it scored 15/10. If there was any doubt that cricket has turned the corner in South Africa, a breezy Boxing Day at Newlands put that to bed once and for all.
