WAY back in 1991 West Indies captain Richie Richardson walked out for the toss alongside Allan Border at the start of the traditional Boxing Day Test match at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), which was very nearly full.
Richardson took a moment to digest the sight of the recently completed great southern stand, heaving with humanity. He’d played the greatest occasion in Test cricket twice before, and he knew this would be his last Boxing Day at the game’s grandest venue. He was taking everything in as never before.
"How many people does that stand hold?" he asked Border.
"About 48,000, I think," replied the grizzled Australian captain.
"That’s more people than live in my country," replied the Antiguan after a moment’s pause. And he was serious, too.
There are many great stadiums and famous fixtures in the cricketing calendar, but nothing rivals the atmosphere or sense of occasion on Boxing Day at the MCG. It transcends cricket alone — it is one of the great moments in sport.
The learning gleaned from playing in it is worth 10 Test matches elsewhere. If a young man can perform in the Colosseum of Australian sport, especially in front of 80,000-plus people on Boxing Day, he knows he can perform anywhere in the world.
Sadly, the Proteas are no longer on Australia’s Christmas card list. Channel Nine aren’t happy about it and neither is the MCG. Cricket Australia isn’t particularly happy about it either — and neither should Cricket South Africa (CSA) be.
South Africa’s arrival in Australia two days ago, as the one and only team from these shores to have triumphed Down Under, has come closer than any other tour to matching the fervour and excitement of an Ashes Test. For the first time in a century, a team from the Republic will start as favourites.
Yet the defence of their No1 ranking will not include the MCG or, indeed, the only slightly less iconic New Year’s Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Nobody should be surprised that this diabolical state of affairs exists because of disagreements over money. Greed yet again caused the shortsightedness that will deny an entire generation of Proteas the opportunity to experience a career-changing (some have even described it as life-changing) occasion.
Under former CE Gerald Majola, CSA argued that Australia should reciprocate South Africa’s four-yearly tour and become a part of our festive season. This was akin to insisting that every fourth tourist intending to visit Table Mountain should be diverted to a mine dump outside Potchefstroom instead.
Kingsmead is a fine ground, and has been getting better and better in recent years thanks to a revitalised management, but not even its most loyal servants and ardent fans would suggest that it bears the slightest comparison to the MCG. And Kingsmead’s average attendance for an entire Test match is less than half the number that go to the MCG — on day one.
Cricket Australia said "no, thanks", but admitted that South Africa would always be highly prized tourists to their country and offered to continue the policy of compensation which had operated since 1998. CSA said it wasn’t enough. Cricket Australia said it was the equivalent of what they’d expect to take in gate receipts for a home series.
Television ratings during the festive season in Australia this year will not be good, with Sri Lanka arriving after South Africa as the "major" tourists, and supporters there would far rather have paid their money at the gate to watch what will amount to a world championship.
So who are the winners in this scenario? There aren’t any.
If you want Table Mountain or the Kruger National Park, you go to Cape Town and Phalaborwa. You won’t find them anywhere else. If you want to be part of cricket’s great occasion, you go to Melbourne and Sydney. Shame.
No comments:
Post a Comment