South Africa's dawn, Australia's twilight
Mike Coward writes in the Australian that Graeme Smith is an impressive man who has led an equally impressive team.
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
Mike Coward writes in the Australian that Graeme Smith is an impressive man who has led an equally impressive team.
South Africa's achievement is a triumph for astute leadership both on and off the park. The intense, angst-ridden, humourless South African cricketers so familiar to Australian crowds since 1993-94 have been replaced by positive, relaxed and modest young men bonded by a conviction that they can be the very best. Indeed, should they win the third Test starting in Sydney on Saturday, they will officially supplant Australia as the No. 1 Test nation.
Smith's reaction at his press conference said it all. A thoughtful and articulate man who is playing in considerable pain with a worrying elbow complaint felt there were no adequate words to describe his feelings. He said his satisfaction and that of his men was best judged by their smiles. This provided a delightful association of images - broad smiles of Rainbow nationals.
In the Age, Greg Baum looks at the contrasting messages this series has sent Australia and South Africa.
In South Africa, it was, in all senses, dawn. Its cricket team had won a series in Australia for the first time and was on top of the world. Television and radio ratings were at record levels, newspapers bulging.
The Sowetan, which pitches to blacks and concentrates almost exclusively on soccer, was commissioning a cricket spread. Two Cape Town businesses gave their employees the morning off. Captain Graeme Smith's phone message bank filled to overflowing in five minutes.
In Australia, it was — at least metaphorically — twilight. Its Test team had lost a home series for the first time in 15 years; and its supremacy; and three players because of injuries.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here