When Tristan Stubbs walked out to bat at Newlands on Thursday morning, Table Mountain draped in grey cloud overhead, the memories came flooding back. The last time he stood in the middle of this hallowed ground, he was drenched in champagne and buried under confetti, having led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a third Betway SA20 title.
"Yeah, that was the last time I was here — in Jan or Feb — so good to be back here," Stubbs said.
The circumstances could hardly have been more different. Where Newlands had been packed to the rafters that Sunday afternoon, this time the sound of ball on willow echoed off empty seats — a quiet, unglamorous first-class fixture rather than a title decider.
But for Stubbs, it mattered just as much. He had not faced a red ball in the middle since last year's Test triumph in Guwahati, the 408-run victory that sealed the Proteas' first Test series win in India in 25 years.
Coach Shukri Conrad had made it compulsory for all nationally contracted players to turn out in at least one of the first two domestic first-class matches over the next fortnight. Stubbs didn't need the instruction.
"I think Shuks made it official, but I reckon most of us would have played anyway," he said. "I don't think anyone needs motivation for what's coming this summer, so everyone would have done what they needed to get ready."
This summer is a bumper one: Australia, Bangladesh, and England are all due in South Africa for eight Test matches and a long list of white-ball fixtures. As an all-format player, Stubbs is likely to feature across the lot, and it showed in his application at the crease — getting behind the line, defending stoutly off both front and back foot, leaving comfortably outside off stump, on his way to 46 off 94 balls.
"I've just played T20 for eight months, so all I wanted to do was bat, and yeah it was lekker… unfortunately I got out when I did," he said.
Although an under-strength Proteas side has spent the last month in Namibia playing T20Is and ODIs, the real business begins later this month, when old rivals Australia arrive for three ODIs and three Tests — the first time the two sides will contest a Test series on South African soil since the infamous 2018 Sandpaper-gate tour. Conrad has already stoked the occasion, likening it to the Springboks-All Blacks Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
Stubbs was still a matric pupil at Grey High, watching from the stands at St George's Park, when that 2018 series unfolded — but he remembers the drama well, and is relishing the chance to finally face the Australians himself.
"I'm very excited. I think everyone is, as is the public. I've been away for long, but I've been thinking about what's coming this summer," he said.
"If you watch TV at the moment, all the reruns are on. I went for a beer the other day with my mate and the TV was playing cricket. I think it's going to be awesome.
"Australia is always like that. The last time they were here, I was in the stands watching the second game. I can't say what we were wearing, but there was drama at the start of the series. The Aussies are going to be lekker.
"I can only speak for myself, but in the IPL already, myself and Lungs (Ngidi) were chatting about it. We've known what's coming. We are very excited. We've had three to four months of not playing international cricket where you can mentally start thinking of what's coming. You know their bowling attack.
"They're pretty settled. Mentally, you started prepping long ago."
South Africa's series against Australia begins with the first of three ODIs in Durban Thursday, September 24, followed by further matches in Johannesburg (September 27) and Potchefstroom (Septembe 30r), before the opening Test gets underway at Kingsmead on October 9. | IOL Sport