Its not only top batsmen and bowlers the South Africans have to face in the World Cup, but the threat of bombs and violence on the volatile Indian sub-continent
CRICKET: Jon Swift
AGAINST a background of violent instability, Hansie Cronjes blend of hardened veterans and exciting new talent have voiced a collective determination to emulate the achievements of their rugby and soccer counterparts and win crickets World Cup.
The South African campaign to wipe out the memory of having to score 22 runs off one ball which was the ridiculous reality in the rain-ruined semi- final against England in the last World Cup is, like those of all the other nations down to compete, still very much at the mercy of the vagaries of the explosive Indian sub-continent.
Sri Lanka with India and host nation Pakistan one of three countries down to host games leading up to the March 17 final at Lahore has, in the light of the recent spate of bombings in the on-going conflict between the authorities and the Tamil Tigers, become the focus.
For quite apart from the ethnic and religious differences in the massively populous region, there are the on-going border disputes between India and Pakistan and the determination of the Kashmiri people to shake themselves free of either government.
With Kashmir centred on Karachi where South Africa are scheduled to play the host nation on February 29 this conflict has added relevance to the South African quest.
Both Australia and the West Indies have flatly refused to play in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. Both are scheduled to do so. Australia, among the firm favourites as potential winners before the blood on the Sri Lanka streets, have gone as far as to cry forfeit to their opening pool game against the home nation at Colombo.
The West Indians, already riven by internal wrangles over the captaincy and the reluctance of Brian Lara to represent them, have closely followed this route for their game against Sri Lanka on February 25.
This weekend the International Cricket Conference (ICC) will sit in Calcutta ironically sited neither in the host nation nor on the island under dispute to attempt to bring some shape back to a World Cup deflated by the Australian and West Indian refusal to play in Sri Lanka.
There are considerable efforts going on behind the scenes to find some solution to the difficulties, is the rather bland way ICC chairman Clyde Walcott characterised the cricketing chaos which somewhat pales into insignificance against the backdrop of bloodshed and armed uprisings.
Just what can be done about it all at this late stage is something one suspects requires something more positive than a round table conference in Calcutta to solve.
There is the added factor of the seeming intransigence by the Sri Lankans to accept venue changes at this late stage of the proceedings. As cricket officials dedicated to the continuing survival and prosperity of the game in their country, the Sri Lankans have a point. As citizens of the region and in this case indeed the world perhaps less so.
It is an experience the deep divisions that rebel tours of this country engendered during the dark era of apartheid which everyone in this rainbow nation fully comprehends.
Given the recent scarring of these experiences, it is then somewhat surprising that Cronje and coach Bob Woolmer have come out so vocally for playing in Sri Lanka. Perhaps the naivete of our re-entry into world cricket which welded to some not inconsiderable talent and fighting spirit served us so well in the 1992 World Cup is still there in some measure.
But, until after the ICC emergency meeting this weekend at least, all this remains in the realm of conjecture.
The conduct of the South African campaign itself is, right now, perhaps more central to the thinking of Cronje and Woolmer. It has to be their first priority and the eventualities of when, where and perhaps how they manage this campaign has to be left to those charged with this sticky responsibility.
Of real concern to the captain and coach must be the continued fragility of the South Afican batting which continued to show in winning the one-day international series 6-1 against a mediocre England attack. The margin tended to underline the sinew of this countrys bowling rather than the muscle of the batting order.
One would hazard a guess that the seam attack which has served South Africa so well will again be the backbone of the campaign despite the claims of veteran offspinner Pat Symcox and the emergent wizardry of wrist-spinning teenager Paul Adams.
The pace combination provided by Allan Donald, Fanie de Villiers, the exciting young Shaun Polock, the ever-dependable Craig Matthews and the looming bulk of Brian McMillan is due to do a lot of work attempting to bang it in on wickets which promise to be largely unyielding.
There is, too, the spectre of this approach failing in the 6-0 whitewash the South Africans suffered at the hands of Pakistan and Australia on the last visit to the region.
One also suspects that the potentially less penetrative but infinitely tighter Symcox will more often than not get the nod over young Adams, whose exciting talent holds the promise of perhaps being able to get more wickets but equally the potential to give away more runs.
It is stating the obvious, but every run given away is a run which a batting line-up with somewhat uncertain tendencies of late has to somehow put back on the scoreboard.
Andrew Hudson is so much better a player with the ball coming on to the bat than he has been on tracks where the delivery tends to hold back and Hudson had far and away the best batting average against England in the recent seven-match series.
For the rest, Gary Kirsten you would back on any track for his sheer grit and his ability to play to his strengths rather than his weaknesses; Cronje has had more than his fair share of problems with both footwork and middling the ball of late; Daryll Cullinan has looked magnificent but coninues to get himself out once he starts flowing in the majestic manner he has; Jonty Rhodes has underperformed of late; McMillan has always looked secure and confident; and Jacques Kallis has yet to really make his mark.
In essence, the list has more than a few holes in it. But there is a factor which cannot be forgotten ever when attempting an armchair analysis of a South African side: an ability to face down potential devastation and play themselves straight back into contention.
It is not going to be easy for Cronje and his men, either on the field or under constant armed guard off it. Neither for that matter is it going to be any different for any of the other sides.
But if character has anything to do with it expect the South Africans to be right in there fighting for the trophy come the end of the series.
cox and the emergent wiazrdry of wrist-spinning teenager Paul Adams.
The pace combination provided by Allan Donald, Fanie de Villiers, the exciting young Shaun Polock, the ever-dependable Craig Matthews and the looming bulk of Brian McMillan are due to do a lot of work attempting to bang it in on wickets which promise to be largely unyielding.
There is, too, the spectre of this approach failing to work in the 6-0 whitewash the South Africans suffered at the hands of Pakistan and Australia on the last visit to the region.
One also suspects that the potentially less penetrative but infinitely tighter Symcox will more often than not get the nod over young Adams, whose exciting talent holds the promise of perhaps being able to get more wickets but equally the potential to give away more runs.
In this regard it is doubtless stating the obvious, but every run given away is a run which a batting line-up with somewhat uncertain tendencies of late has to somehow put back on the scoreboard.
Andrew Hudson is so much better a player with the ball coming on to the bat than he has tended to be on tracks where the delivery tends to hold back and Hudson had far and away the best batting average against England in the recent seven-match series.
For the rest, Gary Kirsten you would back on any track for his sheer grit and his ability to play to his strengths rather than his weaknesses; Cronje has had more than his fair share of problems with both footwork and middling the ball of late; Daryll Cullinan has looked magnificent but coninues to get himself out once he starts flowing in the majestic manner he has; Jonty Rhodes has underperformed of late; McMillan has always looked secure and confident; and Jacques Kallis has yet to really make his mark.
In essence, the list has more than a few holes in it. But there is a factor which cannot be forgotten ever when attempting an armchair analysis of a South African side: an ability to face down potential devastation and play themselves straight back into contention. A priceless attribute that was often more than England captian Mike Atherton could understand never mind stomach or attempt to pass any sort of gentlemanly judgment on.
It is not going to be easy for Cronje and his men either on the field or under constant armed guard off it. Neither for that matter is it going to be any different for any of the other sides.
But if character has anything to do with it expect the South Africans to be right in there fighting for the trophy come the end of the series.
And, to paraphrase rugby captain Francois Pienaars comments after victory in the World Cup associated with his sporting code, it wont be for a handfull of South Africans, but for all of them.
It is both a daunting and exciting prospect to imagine Cronje holding that trophy aloft.