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Come on South Africa, take the plunge

21st April, 2016
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Ashton Agar, in more hirsute times. (AFP, Saeed Khan)
Expert
21st April, 2016
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I watched plenty of the game, I read a fair bit about it in the aftermath and I spoke to a few people who were there.

I’m referring to the Adelaide contest of last year when day-night Test cricket took its first wary steps into the big, bad world of international sport.

It wasn’t perfect – novelties rarely are – but it delivered far more plusses than minuses and from the moment it was apparent the format could work, it was inevitable that Cricket Australia would schedule in more of the same for future seasons.

The cricket was good, the crowds were good, the ratings were good and the overall consensus of those doing the watching was that it was good.

So the first date could be considered a success. ‘Would you like to go out again next week? Do the same again?’

Well where New Zealand needed a few more decent chat-up lines before putting on their best outfit and agreeing to and afternoon/evening rendezvous, South Africa have decided that they’ll be washing their hair.

Not sure about the suitor? The venue? The balls? Or simply keen to return to what you know and settle for an awkward tryst in a busyish bar before departing with a ‘I’ll give you a call’ and meeting up a couple of years down the line with nothing else to talk about?

It could be that the South Africans are playing hard to get and by declining the initial offer they’re hoping Australia will find them even more desirable (I actually mean they want more cash but that’s a bit vulgar).

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Or it may be that they don’t want to do it as a trip in to the unknown, for some, is a trip they’re unwilling to sign up for.

Either way, it’s depressing to see the effort made only for an opponent to pour cold water on the proposal without even giving it a try.

And the quotes from the South African players’ representative, Tony Irish, while making a valid point about experience, go on to resemble something from a management seminar.

“The main reason is we feel disadvantaged. Not one of our players who will compete in that Test has played Test match cricket, or any cricket, with a pink ball.

“The reluctance to play is a sign of how much importance the South African players place on the series against Australia.”

From a playing perspective, it should be easy to empathise with AB de Villiers’ side as some kind of familiarity underpins a sportsman’s positive psyche whereas a lack of knowledge results in the opposite.

But the waffle about how much importance they place on the series being a reason for their unwillingness to play ball is nonsense. That is politician’s talk, the insertion of an earnest appearing soundbite to deflect attention away from the issue at hand.

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They don’t want to because they don’t know. Nothing more and nothing less.

There would still be reluctance even if the South Africans had played some first-class cricket under lights with a pink ball because the whole concept is still wearing nappies but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as committed.

Yet there has to come a point where it isn’t a case of asking but of telling. The Adelaide Test match in the forthcoming Australian summer will be a day-night and that is that. You either play or you don’t.

That may seem dictatorial and so it is. Yet so much is made of administrations and administrators being unwilling or unable to take the decisions that benefit their respective sports and when they do they hit a brick wall. Catch-22 I believe it’s called.

There are six months before the aforementioned Test and that is plenty of time for the South Africans to practice with and play against a pink ball. They might even ask for more dedicated practice on their tour itinerary or, heaven forbid, in their own country.

We’re not looking at an insurmountable problem here but the more procrastination there is the bigger a hole will be dug and the more acrimonious it will become and nobody wants that.

So South Africa, agree to the date, arrange a suitable time, make sure that hair is nice and shiny and show up.

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As the first attempt proved, it really won’t be that bad.

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