South Africa’s cricketers have yet to win a World Cup, unlike the Springboks, but the Proteas are moving closer to their rugby counterparts in one aspect at least.
Nobody, except perhaps the coach and his inner sanctum, knows their best team.
Week after week Rassie Erasmus sends players onto the field unknown to all but the most assiduous supporters who watch and follow the Currie Cup in intimate detail.
But it doesn’t matter for one simple reason – they keep winning. The Springboks are a ‘brand’ and it is the brand, and national patriotism, which attracts supporters. And winning.
While the Springboks have used far more players for international fixtures than any other nation for the last five years, the Protea men are set to follow the trend this summer with 52 days of full international cricket, including eight test matches.
PROTEAS' BUSIEST SEASON EVER
The busiest season in Proteas history begins with three ODIs against Australia starting at the end of September and concludes in the middle of January with another three ODIs against England.
Bangladesh have been sandwiched in between those tours with two tests and six white-ball games, three in each format.
The limited overs games, however, will most likely feature none of the frontline test squad with coach Shukri Conrad unashamedly prioritising the defence of the World Test Championship title.
Indeed, the England team will already be in South Africa before the T20I series against Bangladesh has even started and will be playing a warm-up match at Kingsmead on December 9 while a Proteas squad prepare for the T20Is in Kimberley, Benoni and Centurion on December 10, 12 and 13.
The first test against England begins at the Wanderers on December 16.
The need to have completely different squads for that part of the season is reflected in the selection of the squad which travels to Namibia later this month for a Triangular T20I series, including Zimbabwe and an inaugural, three-match ODI series against the hosts in Windhoek.
FORTUIN NEW T20 CAPTAIN
Bjorn Fortuin becomes the 18th T20 national captain since the first match in 2007 in a squad missing almost all the most established ‘big names’.
Most have been busy playing in domestic leagues around the world with only Kagiso Rabada having opted for extended periods of genuine rest in order to extend and optimise the remaining years of his international career.
For Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton amongst others, it has been non-stop cricket for the best part of six months with the IPL, MLC, Blast and The Hundred.
Generations of Proteas supporters grew up watching the same players in the vast majority of fixtures, when fit.
From Allan Donald, Hansie Cronje, Jonty Rhodes and Fanie de Villiers in the 90s to the era of Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Lance Klusener and Jacques Kallis and onwards to Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn.
All greats, and mainstays. Fans knew who they would be watching when they bought a ticket to the cricket rather than what they would be watching at a Springboks match.
EXPANDED PLAYER BASE
It is far simpler to integrate players in a rugby ‘system’ and ‘style’ of play than for cricketers to do likewise.
A successful cricket team is far more dependent on the individual skills of players than a rugby team.
But the international schedule and the need to allow players to significantly boost their income means that cricket has no option than to move towards an expanded base of national players and an unapologetic prioritisation of fixtures.
The eight test matches this summer will command and demand the presence of the country’s best cricketers.
The ODIs against Australia less so. The white ball matches against Bangladesh even less so. Not that the players presented with caps will feel the difference.
Proteas Men’s Squad - Namibia White-ball Tour
Bjorn Fortuin (captain), Eathan Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, Duan Jansen, Kwena Maphaka, Nqobani Mokoena, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen
Proteas T20 International Captains:<
Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock, Johan Botha, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, J-P Duminy, Justin Ontong, Farhaan Behardien, David Miller, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin.
South Africa A Four-Day Squad against Bangladesh A
Marques Ackerman (captain), Matthew Boast, Okuhle Cele, Gerald Coetzee, Tshepang Dithole, Zubayr Hamza, Gavin Kaplan, Tshepo Moreki, Senuran Muthusamy, Tshepo Ntuli, Meeka-eel Prince, Delano Potgieter, Sinethemba Qeshile, Lesego Senokwane, Codi Yusuf
South Africa A One-Day Squad against Bangladesh A
Marques Ackerman (captain), Matthew Boast, Okuhle Cele, Gerald Coetzee, Matthew de Villiers, Zubayr Hamza, Dian Forrester, Delano Potgieter, Imraan Manack, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Mihlali Mpongwana, Sinethemba Qeshile, Andile Simelane, Kyle Simmonds, Codi Yusuf.