For most of the twenty years since they returned to the international cricketing fold, South Africa have been there or thereabouts but finally they have managed to get their hands on a trophy. From Donald and Pollock to Steyn and Philander, Kirsten to Smith, Cullinan to Amla, Rhodes to De Villiers and Kallis to, er, Kallis, the Proteas have been runners-up for so long they ought to base themselves at Taunton. At last they have reached the top of the pile which their consistency has merited.
Of course, it's not about history; it's about the current squad of players being better than anybody else's in the Test arena. I think they are superior to any other nation in the other formats, too, and maybe this decisive defeat of England will spur them on to success in the knockout competitions. Just like the Aussies of the nineties/early 2000s and Windies in the mid-eighties, they ooze talent in every position.
Graeme Smith's captaincy has never been in doubt since he took over at a tender age, and he thrives as an opener, especially in England. Hashim Amla blew everyone away with his triple hundred in the First Test, Jacques Kallis buried the England hoodoo and even Alviro Petersen, the possible weakest link, clumped 182 in the rain-affected draw at Headingley. AB De Villiers wasn't fazed at donning Mark Boucher's gloves (so to speak) at such short notice and, even if he didn't register a half-century, he didn't really need to. Indeed, he didn't get a chance to bat at all at The Oval. Neither did Rudolph and Duminy.
While England huffed and puffed to snare even two wickets in the First Test, the front line Saffer seamers Steyn, Morkel and Philander were consistently successful, supported by Kallis and Imran Tahir. Anderson, Finn and Broad had their moments but whenever Dale, Morne or Vernon took the shiny new ball, you know a wicket was always about to fall. Probably that of Andrew Strauss!
I do hope that South Africa get the opportunity to play more Test series. India seem to turn up everywhere to play, England also have an extended season and Australia's itinerary is constantly packed, but the top team for some reason have fewer chances to demonstrate their craft. I'm not saying that is WHY they are now number one, but the world would love to have more chances to watch them, including their home fans.
So what about England? They aren't suddenly a poor side; it's just that Smith and co played to their full potential and handled the Lord's pressure situation better. Chokers? No way! Once Philander dismissed the openers on Sunday evening, the home side's task looked extremely difficult. At 45-4, the match looked over but, with Trott dropping anchor, Bairstow again supplied the brisk half-century, followed by some rumbustuous strokeplay from Swann, Broad and the redoubtable Matt Prior. At least they went down fighting. I'm so glad Pietersen's replacement Bairstow had such a good game. It no doubt gave KP a chance to reflect in the Surrey dressing room after his first-ball duck.
Strauss clearly has no intention to resign just yet, so I hope Miller and Flower keep faith with the current squad, including Taylor, and only consider KP if he shows any remorse and genuine hunger to give his all for the national cause and not just his own. He came to England because he couldn't get into the South African international set-up, then became a superstar over here. Now he is exiled from England, too, he probably still wouldn't get into the Proteas' line-up on merit anyway...
