Guest writer Fanele Mbuyazi: Proteas Mission Complete as AB De Villiers hits 8,000-run landmark

Crying for the Proteas: Fanele Mbuyazi

Today's GUEST WRITER is Fanele Mbuyazi (@FaneleMbuyazi8) on twitter. He's 25, from a family of four, without a father since he was six. Fanele has a B Com and has worked in radio production with NEMISA and Mr Price Radio - until the station closed in July. He now works at a call centre for Mr Price.

Fanele says: "You can safely predict my breakfast, lunch and supper: soccer, cricket, rugby, tennis. Frank Lampard is my favourite player of all time. Orlando Pirates, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Werder Bremen are my soccer teams. Bafana Bafana, the Springboks and the Proteas will forever be in my heart!

"Through my love of sports, I have developed great friendship with people such as Andre Bloem, Aslam Khota, Victor K and needless to say Neal Collins."

FACT ABOUT FANELE: He cried when New Zealand knocked us out of the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

The Proteas completed their revenge on New Zealand as they secured a 2-1 One Day International series victory in Durban on Wednesday.

It wasn’t a crisp display as uncharacteristic, poor fielding dominated much of the day against our 2015 World Cup conquerors. South Africa dropped so many chances in the field and New Zealand also didn’t field to their potential as both teams showed a lot of untidiness.

Fielding certainly emerged an area of concern for Russell Domingo’s men after AB de Villiers won the toss under cloudy Durban skies and elected to bat first. 

The Proteas amassed 283 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs. Chief contributors? The captain himself with a brilliant 64, in the process becoming the fastest man ever to 8 000 ODI runs -yet another record for this superhuman sportsman.

Veteran wicketkeeper Morne Van Wyk made a welcome 54 at the top of the order and a useful 40 from the loved-to-be-hated Farhaan Behardien at the back end. In their chase New Zealand fell 62 runs short in the last over. 

But the big question has not been answered yet by Cricket SA: the number 6 and 7 spots belong to the all-important all-rounders.

Between David Wiese and Behardien, they both tried but the truth? Nobody really raised a hand and claimed their place with both hands.

Wiese struggles with the bat, while Farhaan isn't bowling well. With JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis to return, you feel there wasn’t much progress done in terms of selection.  

The selection criteria remain the most talked about factor as the series ended - and a tough trip to India beckons.

Kagiso Rabada, our inspiring 20-year-old fast bowler, has barely put a foot wrong in his international career to date. But he has been dropped twice already without any real explanation.

First in Bangladesh and again in the second ODI defeat against New Zealand in Potchefstroom.

If this was the experimental series, why you drop such a young prospect at the back of an impressive display by the young star?

Fuel on the fire: no explanation given by Cricket South Africa. How much good will that do the young man?

Is that how we want to groom our young and upcoming talents?

Next for the Proteas it’s a mountain to climb in India where the Proteas start with two T20’s on October 2, followed by 5 ODIs before closing the tour with the Tests, where South Africa remain No 1 in the world rankings.

How will the new and experienced combinations handle the Indian pressure? Will Rabada play throughout? Only time will tell.

THE MYTHICAL BEAST AB DE VILLIERS: is there anything the Proteas captain isn't good at?

I don’t  often stray from the football field these days. In the past, I’ve written rugby World Cups; reported on England cricket tours, covered Olympics… but this twittered image outlining the achievements of South Africa’s cricket captain AB De Villiers has got me straying away from soccer.

Can one man REALLY achieve all that? Is this a massive wind-up?

His cricket credentials are NOT IN QUESTION. Abraham Benjamin De Villiers is 30 and is currently averaging 90 with the bat in Australia. Voted the world’s best One Day batsman by the ICC earlier this month, he tops the ODI rankings, is 2^nd in Tests and just this morning he weighed in with another match winning knock at the fabulous Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The records are endless in all formats. Even South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma, absent from parliament  for months, had time for this quote while at the G20 conference in Australia: “Mr de Villiers has done the country immensely proud with his sterling achievements and we wish him all the best going forward.”

He doesn’t just bat like a whirlwind. A couple of summers ago, AB took the gloves when Mark Boucher’s career was sadly curtailed; he’s a top class wicket keeper and averaged 56 while he was behind the stumps.

He also fields like Jonty Rhodes with a superb eye for a catch and a rocket-like throw … oh, and lately he’s been getting a couple of wickets with his dibbly-dobbler bowling.  Yes, Jacques Kallis was a great all-rounder… but how many can bat, bowl, field and keep wicket?

But let’s move away from cricket. As a youngster, De Villiers showed prodigious talents in all fields. He recalls: "When I was 10 I decided I was going to do something in sport one day." Full details are hard to track down but it appears he is a phenomenon when it comes to tennis, badminton, swimming, golf, sprinting and, predictably, rugby.

Just for kicks: AB takes on Dale Steyn

A Manchester United fan – he still lists Cristiano Ronaldo as his favourite player – De Villiers was a useful football at primary school in Bela Bela (Warmbaths) and played at provincial (state or county) level as an Under 12. Some even suggest he was picked for a national junior squad.

Once a scratch golfer (which means he generally goes around the course in par) now playing off nine; AB was the ultimate sporting all-rounder at Pretoria’s sports factory, otherwise known as Affies.

When he wasn’t playing cricket with brothers far older than him, AB was on a tennis court. In his first competitive match, he beat future Davis Cup star Izak van der Merwe, and he was considered a real prospect until he gave up the racket for the bat aged 13.

As a pre-teen in Warmbaths he was offered a place at Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Florida, but turned down the chance to join the likes of Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova. Again, there are claims he was picked for South Africa’s “junior Davis Cup” squad. Incredible.

Hockey and rugby occupied his winters at Pretoria’s Afrikaans Skool for Boys. AB played provincial hockey before the rugby-mad staff persuaded him to join the odd-shaped ball religion and he was soon playing in the first XV at one of the top rugby schools in a nation known for the 15-man game. Again, he was offered a place at the Blue Bulls academy over the road. Again, he declined. But then wouldn't you?

Athletics wise, AB broke the local 100m record at junior level (Usain Bolt admitted the other day "AB is seriously fast across the ground") and, though I can find no independent verification, they say he STILL holds six national swimming records in a nation which has produced golden swimmers like Chad Le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh.

There’s more. Lots more. The story about receiving an award from the late great Nelson Mandela for a science project. And making a music album called Maak Jou Drome Waar (Make Your Dreams Come True) with singer-songwriter Ampie du Preez.

But that’s probably enough. The bloke excels on all fronts. Abraham Benjamin de Villiers: You are a legend.

New Zealand on Friday: What AB sees ahead for South Africa's Proteas

AVERAGING A TON: Protea's ODI captain AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers admits to making a few interesting discoveries as South Africa’s new limited overs captain heads to New Zealand on Friday for his second series in charge.

The man known as “Abbas” in the dressing room generally impressed as a rookie skipper during a 3-2 win over Sri Lanka on home soil last month.

And the 27-year-old Titans star flies out for his first away series in charge of the Proteas insisting: “Our dream is to be ranked the best side in the world. To win a World Cup.”

AB was Man of the Series against Sri Lanka, scoring 329 runs in five knocks at an average of 109.66. Clearly captaincy agrees with him. With Australian legend Steve Waugh recommending current South African Test captain Graeme Smith should stand down - like Ricky Ponting, six years his senior - to work on his batting, AB could be in for major upheavals in future months.

As he packed his bags for the long flight to the Land of the Long White Cloud, he said: “Captaincy is hard work but I’m enjoying it and it’s great that I’m leading by example at the moment.

“I know I will get my tough patches in the future and I’ll have to work through that, but I’m playing well at the moment and using that to my advantage.

“I’m still following the same game plans but ­timing it a bit sweeter than normal.”

De Villiers has come to one major realisation:
“I discovered that the guys feed off my energy and it’s very important for me to be calm and in control the whole ­time.
“Leading from the front, not only with bat in hand, and with catch­ing and so on, but the way I present myself out there, has a big influence.

NZ SCHEDULE
10/02: Depart
15/02: WU Canterbury
17/02: T20 Wellington
19/02: T20 Hamilton
22/02: T20 Auckland
25/02: ODI Wellington
29/02: ODI Napier
03/03: ODI Auckland
07/03: Test Dunedin
15/03: Test Hamilton
23/03: Test Wellington

“It was really tough at times but I think it’s one of the most important things that I learned.”

And as for tactics: “There is no set plan, we will play it by ear on the day.

“Coach Gary Kirsten and I decide which individual is best suited to the situation and he will go out and bat.

“We’ll just mix it up as right- and lefthand combinations are also important when a spinner is bowling well, and it makes it a bit tougher for the spinner to settle.”
Pretoria-born Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is aware that some of the players still call Graeme Smith skipper on the field, but AB recognises that as habit rather than harking  back to the past.

His penchant for fooling the Sri Lankans with the use of Afrikaans (he issues a constant stream of information in the near-Dutch language of his schooldays) may fail against the Kiwis, who have two South Africans in their squad, long-term emigrant BJ Watling and Kruger van Wyk, a former Seuns Hoer wicketkeeper who has spent the last four years in New Zealand.

AB admits: “New Zealand is a new challenge and our next goal.

“Obviously our long term goals are being No 1 in the world and winning a world cup.

“That’s a huge dream for all of us and hopefully we’ll get there, but for now, we’ll just focus on getting ready for the New Zealand tour and performing well there.

“Our goal against Sri Lanka was to win both the tests and the ODIs and we did that.”

But it's the Test matches which will grab the cricket-speaking world's attention. With England crushed 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates - perhaps the most inept performance by a side ranked No1 ever recorded - South African need a whitewash in New Zealand to go top of the rankings.

And that would set up a winter tour to England between the world's top two. And conceivably, AB could be in charge of all three formats by then.

CURRENT TEST RANKINGS

1 England 118

2 South Africa 117

3. India 111

4 Australia 111

5 Pakistan 108

6 Sri Lanka 98

7 West Indies 88

8 New Zealand 83

9 Bangladesh 8

A SHORTER version of this story appeared in Scoop! South Africa's new tabloid Sunday newspaper last weekend. Available at all good street corners and supermarkets etc in Gauteng and KZN every Sunday until Wednesday. You might still get one. It's only R6.95. See www.scoopnews.co.za or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/scoopza.

Sorry to Harp on about this but... is umpire Daryl South Africa's Man of the Series?

DARYL HARPER. What a man. The television umpire who failed England so badly on day two of the final Test at The Wanderers yesterday, was at it again this morning.

The 57-year-old Australian (right, showing what a character he is with fellow umpire Asad Rauf) who failed to turn his volume button up, thus allowing South African captain Graeme Smith to progress from 15 to a match-changing 105, reprieved AB De Villiers twice this morning after he had been given out by the on-field umpires.

And just before lunch he turned down Graeme Swann's plea for the wicket of Mark Boucher, LWB. Harper was right each time. But he seems to be England's bogeyman right now, with every decision going South Africa's way.

De Villiers enjoyed all sorts of luck as he attempted to dig his side out of the hole they had dug for themselves this morning.

First Hashim Amla, looking set for his second century of the series on 75, was out on the tenth ball of the day, caught behind by Matt Prior off a superb ball from Stuart Broad.

Six balls later, Jacques Kallis was gone, brilliantly taken by Jimmy Anderson on the dive off Ryan Sidebottom. Getting Kallis for 7 was a big bonus for England and at 217-4 the tails were up.

After a brief lull, Andrew Strauss turned to Graeme Swann, as he has all series, for the breakthrough. And with his first ball - it's becoming a habit - he had JP "Crash Test" Duminy caught by Collingwood and it was 235-5.

Swann then had De Villiers given out twice - on 11 and 24 - by New Zealand umpire Tony Hill. But De Villiers called for a review both times. The close catch on 11 may or may not have brushed the bat, the lbw on 24 was not out. But given that shocker yesterday - Harper failed to hear the Smith snick which echoed around the cricket-speaking world - you might expect a bit of help from the man!

AB De Villiers, who survived having the ball come to rest against his stumps without removing a bail (much to Paul Collingwood's chagrin) and a further apparent edge behind, made it through to lunch with 43 off 99 balls, the always-dangerous Mark Boucher went to his fifty just before lunch after surviving Swann's LBW review.

At 324-5 at the break, South Africa are 144 ahead and these two have put on a vital 89.

For the first time in this Test, England threatened to win a session. But those three early wickets were not enough to make any difference to the eventual outcome. As long as the Highveld thunder storms stay away, this one is South Africa's, the series will be tied 1-1 and the hosts will retain the Basil D'Oliviera trophy they won in England three years ago.

Meanwhile Harper - backed by the ICC this morning - has turned to Facebook to justify his position.

After yesterday's knob-twiddling sensation he posted these quotes on his site: "The truth about Smith's decision may come out eventually. The host broadcaster didn't provide the appropriate sound to match the picture. The commentator, Matthew Hoggard, told the viewers that there was no sound - so Smith would be given not out.
"Sadly when the technology fails... and that means that some engineer has failed to do his job... they must find a scapegoat, and the umpire is an easy target because we can't fight back... usually.

"Five minutes later, they found a sound and blamed me! Other networks found the sound immediately, but we didn't get their sound feed."

Good defence Daryl, but how about coming to speak to us in the press box. Just a gentle chat. If you can comment on Facebook, surely you can talk to the journalists?

England, without any reviews left, have asked the ICC to reinstate the one wasted during the Smith controversy yesterday.

African Nations Cup kicks-off, Togo called home, I get run out

SO the African Cup of Nations finally gets underway in Luanda, with hosts Angola drawing 4-4 with Mali in an attempt to encourage the watching world to concentrate on the football after the tragic shooting of Togo's team bus a 1,000 miles north in Cabinda.

They made quite a spectacle of it, lots of dancing, lots of goals, lots of atmosphere. Angola threw away a 4-0 lead in a quite astonishing opener. But it will take more than this to dispel the pall hanging over the tournament.

Togo's players bravely tried to stay and play their part despite the shooting which left four dead in the northern enclave which has been seeking independence for 50 years. But the Togo government has summoned them home.

Manchester City's former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who emerged unhurt but tearful after the incident on Friday, said: "We all decided to do something good for the country and play to honour those who died. Unfortunately, the head of state and the country's authorities have decided otherwise. We will pack up and go home. The head of state knows what is good for our careers and our lives.

"As captain and spokesman of Togo, I spoke with the captain and the Ivory Coast delegation and with the Ghanaians. They expressed their support by saying they were ready to leave the competition if we did. At the end of the day, we realised that they were ready to continue. It is still a continent where a World Cup will take place in South Africa.

"If we speak of the dead, the competition should have been cancelled. But CAF have decided otherwise. We're going back and we wish good luck to those who will remain, especially to Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Ghana.

"What I have told their leaders is that they may be attacked at any time in Cabinda. I hope they will be cautious."

Meanwhile the world will continue to link the atrocity in Cabinda with this year's World Cup in South Africa. It's 1,700 miles from there to where I am in Johannesburg awaiting the decisive fourth cricket Test between South Africa and England.

This is a different country, at peace since 1993 when democracy arrived with Nelson Mandela. The Mail on Sunday has carried a piece today about a tourist being shot at on New Year's eve and others are suggesting the whole of Africa is dangerous after the Togo incident.

It isn't, as I tried to explain yesterday here and on Sky News. I got a mention in the Independent on Sunday today for my efforts. Danny Jordaan, head of the World Cup organising committee here, has issued his plea. I still fear the Americans and even the English will feel it is dangerous here.

The crime rates are high, many people carry guns, but I stand by my stance on this. Come to South Africa in June. See for yourself. The place is a miracle.

But enough of that. The England cricket team arrive in Johannesburg tonight and will train at The Wanderers, which I can see from my hotel window, tomorrow. South Africa have to win this one to level the series but they've had their country's best spinner, Imran Tahir, ruled out of their squad.

Born in Pakistan, Tahir married a Pretorian and has been here four years. Apparently he fits in with ICC regulations but somebody high up in the government here objected as he has not got permanent residence... wonder if it's something to do with local hereo Makhaya Ntini being axed from the squad?

Ntini took five wickets in the local one-day series for his province today, makes you wonder why they didn't keep him in the shake up.

Me? I went off and played cricket myself, with a local club at Marks Park near here. Great day, see the picture above. Thanks guys for a great game. Not sure who won, know I got run out, took a good catch and bowled like a drain but... hey, it's good to get out of the hotel and meet local people.

And the braai (barbecue) was good. Let's do it again when I'm back for the World Cup.

Swann bounces back as England's initial fears - AB and JP - are dispelled

GRAEME SWANN recovered from an embarrassing dropped catch in the second over of day one to give England the edge over South Africa at Cape Town today.

Swann snatched two wickets in two balls to reduce the hosts to 183-5 at tea, with dangerman AB De Villiers soon followed by the duckulent JP Duminy as initials passed quicker than the bad weather at Newlands.

Duminy is pure gold for England at the moment, requiring just two balls to complete his last two innings against the Nottinghamshire pair of Stuart Broad and Swann.

England, 1-0 up in the four-match series, were just starting to labour as the rain which delayed the start gave way to another fine day at the tip of Africa (see picture and compare to last entry).

The extended tea session had looked like going South Africa's way as Jacques Kallis, who averages 65 in Tests at the home of his Cape Cobras, was joined by De Villiers.

England dominant then after Andrew Strauss won the toss - his seventh in nine - and decided to bowl as the covers went on... and off... and on... and off.

Play eventually got underway half-an-hour after the scheduled 10.30am start, and England simply carried on where the left off in Durban, where they won the Boxing Day Test by an innings and 98 runs.

Jimmy Anderson struck in the first over, Matt Prior taking the catch behind to remove the out-of-form opener for a duck. Graham Onions had captain Graeme Smith playing a terrible shot in the next over with the hosts at 1-1 - but then came Swann's most awkward moment of the series so far.

Standing in for Paul Collingwood - fielding at fine leg despite the dislocated left index finger he picked up in Durban - at second slip, Smith's edge flew straight into Swann's midriff... and the Man of the Match from both the first and second Tests spilled the catch.

It was a dreadful moment for a man on top of his game right now. Round the back of the pavilion, I actually saw England taking Michael Carberry through some slip fielding routines. Hampshire's Carberry was flown over last week as cover for Collingwood... raising disturbing questions: what's wrong with the non-playing squad members like Ryan Sidebottom, Luke Wright and Adil Rashid? And do they think Collingwood - who took a record-equalling four catches in the slips at Centurion - is even irreplaceable as a fielder? Can he really bat a week after dislocating that finger?

Smith survived until lunch, making Swann feel worse and worse but at the other end Onions got rid of Amla for 14 before the first interval, lbw after the bearded one had survived a review appeal for what looked like a catch behind.

Fortunately, Smith - who has won one toss in 11 with the coin, perhaps he keeps his luck for batting - didn't last long after lunch, falling to the old Anderson/Prior combination for 30. But from 51-3 South Africa began the recovery process with the stubborn Kallis and the stylish De Villiers making it look easy as the skies cleared and the world seemed a brighter place on the magnificent slopes of Table Mountain.

With the home fans settling in for a length recovery England turned to Swann for the first time after lunch, but unusually he failed to take a wicket with his first over, a feat he's managed four times in this series.

But in the 42nd over of the day, Swann's eighth, the tide turned. De Villiers, apparently out twice in one Swann ball on an earlier review of a caught behind/stumping, came down the wicket to Swann and chipped the ball straight in to Strauss's hands at silly mid-on. He was looking good too, capable of lifting his side out of the mire with 36 off 60 balls before the rush of blood to the head ended a partnership worth 76 with Kallis.

Poor old Duminy, bowled first ball by Broad as South Africa collapsed at Kingsmead last week, got a snorter. Swann decided to come around the wicket, the ball kicked nastily and Duminy got the nick, taken gleefully by Prior. Suddenly it was 127-5 and England, 1-0 up in the series, were back on top thanks to Swann, who now has 16 wickets in the series.

Kallis continued to defy England, just as he did when he scored a ton in the first Test, and by tea he had moved on to 55 off 117 with wicketkeeper Mark Boucher (37 off 57, including three consecutive fours off Swann) in support.

As the South African journalists said when these two came together. This is their best pairing, even at five down. They've put on 57 together for the sixth wicket. England need another breakthrough. Soon. Think Swann.

Trott strolls off, few tears shed... and the Natal Mercury picks up my blog

JONATHAN TROTT, fast gaining a reputation as the slowest batsman in Test cricket, added just a single before he shuffled off cricket's mortal coil on the third morning of the second Test in Durban today.

Even the Barmy Army will shed few tears for the controversial Cape Town-born England batsman (right), who fell in the excellent Morne Morkel's first over after England had added just one run to their overnight 103-1, chasing South Africa's 343.

With the sun out in Durban after yesterday's gloom - the entire day was played under floodlights - Trott was caught behind for 18 off 31 balls by Mark Boucher and he departs with this second Test on a knife-edge.

And who better for England to call on than Pietermaritzburg-born "local" Kevin Pietersen, who immediately dispatched the half-fit Jacques Kallis for four at his old provincial ground. Alastair Cook, taking an age to find his form on this tour, remains stubbornly at the other end.

Trott, who took guard three of four times this morning and scratched a hole in the crease deep enough to replace some of the inland gold mines, had been the subject of some debate overnight.

South African batsman AB De Villiers said his team have had just about enough of the time-consuming fidgeting at the crease. And the crowd were growing angry about it too.

Team-mate Graeme Swann grinned: "It's not something he's been working on. I can understand South Africa's frustrations. I've called him all sorts of names for Nottinghamshire over the years. He's done it every year against me when I've played against him. It's nice to see somebody else getting angry about it!

"It's just Trotty; it's how he bats, how he goes about things. He's got a very organised and very clear gameplan. It's part of cricket. Not everyone bats at the same tempo. The crowd have noticed it but I think it may be something to do with where he was born as well."

De Villiers said: "Our captain Graeme Smith is dealing with it, and the umpires are aware of that. All our bowlers have got little rhythms in their run-ups and it's frustrating to them.

"Graeme is talking to the umpires and to Trotty as well. He's listening, but I think it's a tactic. We'll try and use it to our advantage tomorrow.

"It's a tactic that might get him into trouble soon if he carries on doing it."

With Pietersen batting at a reasonable rate... and finding the boundary, few tears will be shed for Trott's demise this morning.

And at that juncture of the east and south stands here, the Barmy Army are settling in with Jimmy Saville - real name Vic Flower - apparently fully recovered from the Boxing Day assault mentioned here yesterday. The Natal Mercury, the local morning paper I worked for from 1980 to 1983 - were on the phone three times yesterday about the story and ran it on their front page today.

Who needs newspapers when you've got my blog! That said, I'm off to the beach. It's hot!

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=2873&fDate=2009-12-28&fEdition=2