Allowing that Omar Henry’s selection panel has only been in business for a few months (and so haven’t had time enough to contrive any major cock-ups), it might be as well to give it credit for one inspired selection.
The choice of Errol Stewart for the South African A side hints at a more realistic appreciation of South Africa’s strengths and weaknesses. There seems little doubt that as Australia have opened a gap between themselves and the rest of the world, South Africa have slipped back into the chasing pack.
Three defeats against Sri Lanka in Morocco and a narrow victory against the West Indies last Friday suggest the South Africans have an awful lot of work to do if they are to mount a meaningful challenge for the World Cup.
At the same time, it would be a mistake to assume that South African cricketers have completely lost the plot. What they may have lost, however, is the understanding of what is required to win.
Just as Australia demolished South Africa last summer, so the Australian A team have wandered around the country for the past three weeks handing out much the same treatment to the South African A side.
In the slump of the shoulders, in the relinquishing of good positions, it has been hard not to draw parallels with last summer. Even so, there have been moments to suggest that not all is quite as gloomy as it might seem.
The batting, on occasions, of Martin van Jaarsveld, the bowling of Steve Elworthy, the all-round efforts of Robin Peterson and, as much as anything, the attitude of Stewart have all offered cause for optimism.
Stewart toured Australia as backup to Dave Richardson nine years ago. At the time the Natalian wasn’t the second-best wicketkeeper in the country and even in Durban it was cruelly suggested that Stewart, a centre in the Natal rugby team at the time, had better credentials as an international rugby player than as a cricketer.
He had few opportunities on the tour (although he did have a game in one of the World Series Cup finals) and returned to bat, keep and occasionally field for Natal. But in the intervening years he has grown into a provincial cricketer of some stature. He reads a game beautifully, has been around long enough not to be intimidated by the nature or the quality of the opposition and brings something extra to every team in which he plays.
Which is not to say that Stewart should replace Mark Boucher in the South African team. The South African vice-captain is not under threat, but injuries and accidents do happen (Boucher and biltong have an uneasy relationship) and if the worst was to happen, South Africa would not be significantly weakened by calling up Stewart.
The point is that players like Stewart and Peterson have presence and confidence. In the senior side Graeme Smith offers the same sense of enjoyment.
After all the troubles of the past few years — Hansiegate, dope busts, interference in team selection — it has been difficult to believe that many of the South African players have been enjoying themselves.
The senior side has became worryingly insular and if coach Eric Simons is to bring the players out of themselves, he might have to start by focusing on personality as much as technique.