SA to make history in Colombo

When you read first-hand, eye-witness accounts of beheadings, hangings and guillotinings, the victim is almost invariably calm. Very, very rarely do they kick and scream, or even protest for that matter.

In fact, many of the chief protagonists in the French Revolution (before the common people started to win) were led to the guillotine with a smile, a cheer and wave to the crowds. There was something very noble about having your head sliced off in front of a crowd of colleagues.

In the face of overwhelming odds there seemed little else to do. Might as well enjoy the moment and make the best of it.

The same could be said for South Africa as they (be)headed off to Sri Lanka on Tuesday for their second tour of the country in as many years. They were hammered by 313 runs in the deciding test in Colombo having scrambled a draw against a quarter-fit Murali in Galle and were then beaten in five successive one-dayers.

The differences between that team and this one are many but the the most significant can be measured in test caps. About 250, in fact. Shaun Pollock will be missing on paternity leave for the first test while Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith won't be there at all.

No wonder Ashwell Prince and Mickey Arthur flew out of Jo'burg International with broad smiles and a cheerful wave. There really isn't much point in struggling against two dozen armed guards when your ankles are locked in leg-irons. You might as well make the best of a bad situation.

Prince didn't choose or ask to be captain, Arthur didn't arrange for Kallis to have elbow surgery or encourage his captain to go a little over the top on his pre-tour holiday in Knysna. And they certainly can't postpone the tour. So, look on the bright side.

It's a beautiful country (although they won't see any of it!), Colombo is a vibrant, interesting city (when it doesn't have bombs going off) and there are still match-winners in the squad. Notably Herschelle Gibbs and Makhaya Ntini.

Talking of the squad, South Africa will make cricketing history on Saturday when they start their only warm-up match. After exhaustive research spanning several minutes, I can categorically state that it will be the first time in cricket history that a touring team has started a match with EVERY member of its squad playing - providing Arthur can sweet-talk the opposition into playing 12 against 12.

"I'm not a big one for changing the rules and cricket is supposed to be 11 against 11, but it's the only chance we've got to play some cricket before the first test and I'm very keen to give Andre Nel and Dale Steyn a run," Arthur said shortly before departure. No need to guess who is contesting the final place in the test XI, then. Andrew Hall will be keeping Shaun Pollock's all rounder place warm for him until he arrives for the second test.

"Thandi Tshabalala doesn't arrive from Australia, where he's playing the Emerging Players tournament, until the 25th, so we're down to 12 men for the first week of the tour," Arthur said with a smile, "and I'm keen for them all to play." And what 12th man duties? Drinks breaks?

"Bring your whites - we're going to need all hands on deck," he laughed.