When South Africa went into the first Test match against the West Indies at St George’s Park on Wednesday, they were ranked second in the world.
”We don’t take much notice of rankings, but we want to keep on winning Tests and challenge for the top spot when we tour Australia at the end of next year,” said Proteas captain Graeme Smith.
South Africa then suffered a humiliating 128-run defeat in four days against the West Indies, ranked a lowly eighth on the world rankings, and at the end of the series, South Africa will no longer enjoy second spot.
Even if they bounce back and win the series two-one, they will end up with 108 rankings points, behind Sri Lanka, who have 109. A drawn series or a West Indian victory will see South Africa drop below England, who are currently ranked fifth.
South Africa were totally outplayed by the West Indies, who dominated every session of play except the last session of the third day, when South Africa once again looked like the team that had won its last four Test series.
The West Indians, who lost badly to South Africa A in East London, looked a different side at St George’s Park. Perhaps it was the return to action of Chris Gayle, whose whirlwind 66 set the islanders up for their commanding first-innings total of 408. Or perhaps new coach, Australian John Dyson, who took over at the start of the tour of South Africa, is making his presence felt.
Their bowling was good, and their batting and fielding excellent.
A large number of the Proteas were rested between the end of the one-day international series against New Zealand and the start of the series against the West Indies, and some of them looked distinctly ring-rusty. But Smith defended the decision to rest the players.
”We have a long hard season ahead of us,” he said. ”We’re going to be away from home for seven or eight months, and there are not going to be many opportunities for a break, so we thought it best to give the guys a break now. We know we let ourselves down in this Test match. We know what we are capable of and we are determined to bounce back.
”It’s going to Cape Town and putting in the work and coming back strongly. We are as disappointed as anyone — we’re all hurting right now.”
Most people believe South Africa simply underestimated the West Indies, particularly after their defeat at the hands of South Africa A. They had never won a Test match in South Africa and their last Test victory away from home against a side ranked above them was in England in 2000.
Smith denied they had underestimated their opponents. ”We knew they had a good bowling attack and some good batters — guys like Gayle and [Shivnarine] Chanderpaul — and batters that we hadn’t seen a lot of in Test cricket. There was no under-estimation — we just didn’t perform well enough and we have to bounce back now.”
South Africa have a better record at Newlands, where they take on the West Indians in the New Year’s Test starting on Wednesday, and South African fans will be hoping they will indeed bounce back. Whatever happens, at the end of the series, they will no longer be ranked the world’s second best team. — Sapa