As South Africans catch their breath after an epic four-Test series between the Springboks and the All Blacks, the next question shifts into focus: Is cricket’s greatest rivalry between the Proteas and Australia?
That could well be the case as Australia prepare to tour South Africa later this month for three ODIs and three Test matches. The Proteas beat Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June last year, and now the Aussies will be out for revenge on South African soil. While the ODIs begin next week Thursday, the real focus will be on the Test series which starts in mid-October.
Both series will begin in Durban.
"Look, I think there are so many storylines over the years between the two nations,” former captain Graeme Smith said this past week.
"Certainly, when I was a teenager and into my early twenties, that great Australian team dominated. But over the last while, South African cricket has certainly earned its stripes — winning in Australia three or four times and getting one over on them, like Temba (Bavuma) and the team winning the WTC final. That was a great few days there.”
Years later, Smith still considers South Africa’s back-to-back Test series victories in Australia the defining highlights of his career. Smith captained the Proteas in 108 Tests, securing a record-setting 53 victories as skipper.
Chief among those achievements was the legendary 2008/09 tour Down Under. On the final day of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a badly bruised Smith famously marched out to bat with a broken hand to save the match.
While South Africa fell just short of an unbeaten series sweep, his heroic display embodied the relentless character of his leadership. It marked South Africa’s first-ever Test series win on Australian soil — a triumph they would repeat a few years later.
"For me, both of those tours — in 2008/09 and 2011/12 — winning in Australia back-to-back were really special moments," Smith said.
“The former was a serious, serious series. We chased over 400 to win the first Test in Perth, followed by JP Duminy and Dale Steyn’s incredible partnership in Melbourne.
"Beating Australia in a Boxing Day Test match at the MCG will stay with me for life. Then, obviously, there was the broken hand moment in Sydney, and being able to back it all up again in 2011/12.”
Though Smith retired in 2014, he now enjoys the rivalry from the stands, rating the Proteas’ recent WTC victory as a personal high point from a fan's perspective.
“I think the team has gone from strength to strength against Australia," Smith added. "The WTC — those four or five days — was one of the most special experiences I’ve had around the game of cricket as a South African player and fan."
While the Sandpapergate scandal that rocked Australian cricket during their last tour of South Africa may feel like ancient history, Smith believes the visitors will have no choice but to face the music. It will be the first time Australia return to South Africa since the infamous controversy.
"Listen, when they come here, they are going to expect to have these questions and face this,” Smith said.
"They haven't been back since that incident, so I don't think it is something they are really going to be able to shy away from. It's part of their history now
Australia was embroiled in the infamous scandal during the third Test at Newlands in Cape Town in March 2018. Cameron Bancroft, who had debuted for Australia just a few months earlier, was caught on camera using sandpaper to alter the state of the ball. The fallout was swift and severe: Bancroft received a nine-month ban, while skipper Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were suspended for a year each.
Only six players from that 2018 squad return for this tour. Among them is Smith — no longer the captain — and Pat Cummins, who now leads the side and will shoulder much of the inevitable media scrutiny.
Despite the off-field history, Smith notes clashes between the two nations are always spicy, and he expects home-field advantage to play a major role.
Said the man nicknamed Biff: "I think it's shaping up to be a huge series — always competitive, always interesting storylines, and some high-quality cricketers on show.
"For us, it's going to be great to have a Test series in South Africa with both Australia and England where the fans can really get behind it, get some gees going, and watch some competitive Test cricket."
"I really hope that the cricket speaks for itself in this series," Smith added.
"There are so many quality cricketers involved, and I have no doubt the fans will be rowdy .It's no different to when we tour Australia — you spend six hours taking an immense amount of heat.
"That is the advantage of home turf; your fans back you up. I really hope the cricket ends up being the main talking point of the series."
As the Proteas prepare to welcome their fiercest rivals back to South African soil, the stage is set for an unmissable summer of cricket. Beyond the lingering media chatter and historical baggage, this series ultimately boils down to two elite teams going head-to-head.
If Smith’s expectations hold true, passion from the stands and high-calibre play on the pitch will ensure the cricket itself remains the undisputed headline. | IOL Sport