Not since 1987 has a greater disparity existed between the Test and one-day teams of a major nation than in the case of South Africa’s all-conquering Test XI and the new, wet-behind-the-ears limited overs line-up with which the Proteas hope to tackle Australia in the next fortnight.
Although official world rankings did not exist 22 years ago, when the same calculating system used today is employed to backdate the rankings to the year when Australia won its first World Cup, the all-conquering Aussies in canary yellow are revealed to be in last place of the seven Test nations of the time. South Africa and Zimbabwe were not, of course, listed, while Sri Lanka had not played enough Tests to merit a ranking.
Now the Proteas have the opposite problem. Riding the crest of a wave, having drawn with India and beaten England and Australia, all away from home in the same calendar year, they are universally accepted as the best team in white — even if the rankings have them in second place.
But in coloured clothing they are barely even a team in transition — more a collection of building blocks, some old, but mostly new.
‘I know the Test team has created huge expectations among our supporters and I hope we can live up to them,†says coach Mickey Arthur, ‘but the reality is going to be different.
”We need to measure success in different criteria to just winning or losing for the next few months. How young players rise to the challenge of international cricket is going to be more important than the result. If we identify a few youngsters who have what it takes, if a few new players raise their hand and stake a claim for a permanent place in the squad, then we will be well on our way to building a team for the 2011 World Cup.â€
Even the established stars will have to reinvent themselves. If and when Graeme Smith regains sufficient fitness to play one-dayers, the top order will regain a degree of stability, but where does that leave Jacques Kallis in the middle order? For the best part of a decade the team has batted around him, content with a strike rate of 75 because others would make up the deficit. Can they now?
Makhaya Ntini’s future role remains highly doubtful and his inclusion in the squad, having been dropped for the pre-Aussie jaunts against Kenya and Bangladesh, owes as much to boardroom wrangling as it does a change of heart by the selectors. Yes, he is an icon, but clever administrators find fitting and honourable ways for icons to depart rather than clinging on to them while their powers wane.
Mark Boucher’s position as the ‘finisher†at number seven is also up for review. Part of the reason he was so positive, and effective, is because he knew there was always Shaun Pollock and somebody else behind him who could do the job should he fail. Now, there might be nothing to ‘finish†when he arrives at the crease and he cannot rely on anyone behind him.
Dale Steyn’s role is unclear. New ball, middle overs or ‘death†overs? Or a bit of all three? You can spread your resources only so thinly. Johan Botha possesses fine qualities as a one-day spinner, but is he good enough to bat at number eight, Pollock’s old position?
‘There are more questions than answers at this stage, I don’t deny that,†says Arthur. ‘There will be pain, tears, joy, happiness and sadness as we strive to find the right combination over the next few series. The Test team is the finished article at the moment, although it is always under review, but our one-day side is a work in progress. We need to find the right pieces to make the puzzle.â€