Success somewhere and failure elsewhere?

So, we are done with the #SA20 for this year. It has been an exciting tournament with all the big names in #SouthAfrican cricket featuring right through!

Meanwhile in another part of the planet, also in the southern hemisphere, a #Test match just finished in four days. That Test match featured a South African team without any regular player in the line-up. That South African team lost by 281 runs in #MountMaunganui.

The game would not have gone as far as it did if New Zealand enforced the follow-on or declared earlier in their 2nd innings. The new-look #Proteas could manage only one half-century in the entire match, only one. With the ball, their skipper and not necessarily a frontline left-arm orthodox #NeilBrand did pick up 8 wickets but went at 4.00 RPO or more in either innings.

On the whole, a completely uneven contest between sides at the highest level. The home team did not take anything lightly. They went for the jugular and crushed a second-string visiting team. Not to forget, these are important #WorldTestChampionship percentage points to be had, so why miss out on the opportunity when it presents itself like this?

Coming back to the losing team and its cricket. Hopefully, this particular SA20 has helped them raise a lot of money. So much so, that the next time there is a clash between an international series and that, the cricket board chooses the former, unlike the couple of times in the first two editions.

Because it is a real shame that such a proud Test-playing nation has chosen this route! We are not sure if #TrentBoult will play another Test match for the Blackcaps after having declined the central contract. That is due to his board not being all too happy with the call. And Boult is no average cricketer, we know that! So, quite clearly, country comes first for the men from the 'Land of the long white cloud'. With Cricket South Africa, it's the opposite.

What they could also have done is sent a player or two over to #Hamilton for the 2nd Test starting next week. Those players could have been from teams out of contention as far as making the top four in the SA20 is concerned. Like #KagisoRabada and #KyleVerreynne. But that did not happen.

One or two of their frontline players could have opted out of the SA20 so as to focus on the Test matches. Not sure what the reactions to that would have been from the board, but, that too did not happen.

It is highly unlikely that South Africa will win the 2nd game. Highly unlikely. Their record of not losing a Test series in New Zealand is under threat. Forget that, just think about how deep the cut will be as regards the World Test Championship points table. But, the board does not care it seems. It's okay with that result.

This is a real sorry state of affairs, we're afraid. Yes, we've heard this talk of a changing cricketing world. We've heard this talk about money being crucial for the cricket bodies and players. We've also heard this talk about #T20 and #T10 cricket taking over. We've heard all that.

But we repeat, and will continue to repeat, that country comes first in cricket. That's what has kept this game going. That one thing has made this game flourish at the highest level. And, even if Test cricket is not sacrosanct, it has managed to keep the demand of a proper contest between bat and ball going, and, in bringing the essence of both conditions & the pitch, well and truly into those contests.

We know how profitable the #IPL

is to the #BCCI, don't we? We sure do. But no active #Indian player is allowed to take part in any other franchise-based tournament overseas. Why? Because that can derail a lot of trains when it comes to the players and their preferences, monetarily. Hence, the national team is very much intact.