Wanderers change in character
Trevor Chesterfield
5 November 1998
CENTURION (South Africa) - There was a time when the Wanderers, also
known as the bullring because of its shape and not for any other
reason, was regarded as a batsman's graveyard.
Even in the late 1950s, when it first opened and through to the end of
the ``mean machine'' era about a decade ago, groundsmen were able to
provide what was commonly known as a ``sporting pitch''. The ball would
fly and batsmen would know they were on a hiding to nothing.
There was one season in early 1980s, when Clive Rice was captain and
teams still played for the Currie Cup the highest score by a batsman
was an 87 from Kevin McKenzie.
Even during the rebel tour years and the first official series against
India barely seven summers ago, the first day batting conditions saw
the ball swing more than was comfortable. Scoring runs was also a
matter where it needed a lot of skill and judgment in overcoming a
ball's lateral movement often at speeds of 120 and 130 k/mph. Why
negotiate a session or two let alone a day's play was an
achievement.
Yet, if you consider, weather conditions apart, how many drawn tests
have been managed at the Wanderers, along with the now SuperSport (A
Section) series, the statistics would thumb its nose at those of the
isolation era.
One argument, put forward by Anton Ferreira and Pat Symcox, is that
the square at the Wanderers is overused. And it's not as crazy as it
seems. What with the national academy using the square between June
and August, and there being a lack of rain, the number of matches
played have increased almost 100 percent in the last six years.
But what we had between Gauteng and Western Province was little more
than the dead march. Instead of the selectors gaining an insight into
how the top-order contestants they wanted to see against a fiery
bowling attack, they were introduced to what was little more than a
farce.
Down the road at Centurion Park there was far more sport between
Northerns B and Griqualand West B in what was a Division 1 UCB Bowl
outing. The run rate was rarely below 3.5 an over and records tumbled.
Northerns B all-rounder Pierre de Bruyn now has his name stencilled in
gold in the South African first-class records with a double century
one day and six wickets the next. The last time that happened was 79
years ago when Herbie Collins, later to captain Australia, did it
against South Africa at the Old Wanderers.
Then we had the 17-year-old Afrikaans high school boy (Grade 11)
Jacques Rudolph scoring a maiden first-class century following his
five wickets the previous day.
Okay, so the match ended in a draw. Yet what we did see were pretty
good performances.
At the Wanderers, the Gauteng Lion played footsie with the mountain
goat and it wasn't a nice sight; ponderous batting, laborious bowling
and a bad taste in the mouth after it was over. If the selectors found
anything to nod knowingly about after those boring performances they
must be easy to please. Certainly nothing that would rattle the West
Indian batsmen.
And to think, the first test starts in only three weeks time. For
those who feel the tour is doomed, have a little faith; trade
negotiations are always full of cordite before the stink settles, and
once it does the fun will really start.
|