One-day series a damp squib

JOHANNESBURG - With the exception of the English cricket team and their fans, there’s only one thing that objective observers and South Africans will be happy about after the damp conclusion of the one-day series and that’s its conclusion.
It’s a pithy and harsh notion but unfortunately this limited overs campaign will slowly slump into insignificance on account of three, interrelated reasons.
First and foremost, two washouts rendered this series a three-match tussle, which would’ve been fine had it been scheduled like that.
Obviously then both teams would’ve mentally and physically prepared themselves for the intensity correspondingly but one can’t expect that to be the case when teams are banking on five matches.
A direct consequence of this led to the next reason, which was the seesawing form of both teams.
Competitiveness was not evident, even when something as misleading as statistics are used as a guide.
There was not one close result, with England winning their two matches in Centurion and Port Elizabeth by seven wickets while the Proteas interspersed those outcomes with a comprehensive 112-run thumping in Cape Town.
But even more bafflingly, those statistics were a true reflection of the on-field performances. When a team on the day dominated, they certainly did and the team on the back foot, in hindsight at least, never really had a look-in.
It’s no wonder then that England captain Andrew Strauss’ thought after Friday’s Kingsmead abandonment that “honestly, not much will be gained from the one-day series” was such a highly credible statement and is the final hammer blow to this series’ historical status.
In a time of radical change for the game, Test cricket at least remains the pinnacle of fully fledged tours and there isn’t evidence to suggest that this has changed much.
One doesn’t need to look further than the Proteas’ tour to the United Kingdom last year.
By simply honestly answering the question of which event stuck in memory most – South Africa’s historic first Test series win in England for 44 years or the subsequent 4-0 reverse in the shorter format – is already enough ammunition for the argument.
This tour will be judged on who wins the Test series.
If England triumph, the one-day win will merely add to the success of their tour, while the Proteas would’ve salvaged a depressing summer if they prevail.