South Africa a cut above its opposition

Throughout my travels over the last couple of weeks, a number of cricket fanatics have approached me interested in discussing the current season. I have been appalled at the standard comment emanating from most.

Generally they simply refer to the Kiwis and the Sri Lankans as being sub-standard and express enormous concern about the current state of their game. I do not hesitate in turning the conversation around and emphasise the fact that the current South African side has not allowed the opposition to play well. In fact they have not allowed the opposing teams so much as a sniff to get into a game. That is the hallmark of a top team.

The New Zealanders, as we know, had some players missing from their lineup due to injury but they still had some stars and the current tourists possess a number of players who have shone brightly throughout their careers at some stage. The feeling I got watching the Kiwis, and get viewing the Sri Lankans, is that they are fighting against a huge brick wall and often as individuals as opposed to a team unit. The same can never be said about South Africa. They are firing on all cylinders and significantly as a unit.

Take the recent game in Paarl as an example. South Africa were set a reasonable score to chase on a wicket that was always going to be easier to bat on first, and under lighting conditions that are not as superior as other venues. At one stage there was a bit of a hick-up and Sri Lanka I'm sure thought they were in with a chance. They would be the first to admit their total was some 15 to 20 runs short of what it should have been but in the end it still would not have mattered as South Africa chased that total down with relative ease, relying on the class of Kallis and Rhodes, with plenty still left in the tank. Think about it. Klusener and Boucher, the regular 'blasters' were not even called upon. A game that appeared quite close in fact was a bit of a doddle. Sri Lanka could have posted 35 more runs that night and still come off second best.

So to all you cricket followers who are lamenting at the quality of the tourists this season, don't forget to correctly analyse why the pastings are taking place.

Shaun Pollock made a passionate plea to the South African cricket public to get behind his winners at the start of this year. His reasoning was sound. They are playing great cricket, obviously winning, providing plenty of entertainment and importantly having fun. He wasn't wrong.

To the public who have packed the stadiums during the one day series, well done. Shaun has said that nothing is more pleasurable than exhibiting their skills in front of a patriotic full house. It is bound to give the boys an extra buzz and it lets everyone feel the excitement of live cricket at its best. It must give them enormous satisfaction - they certainly deserve it.

Let's hope that next season when the Australians arrive the current infectious support spills over to the Test arena.

With the two best teams on show if it doesn't you've got no excuse!