AUSTRALIA TOUR TO SA
Zaahier Adams|Published
COMMENT
Cape Town turned on the sunshine, Table Mountain glistened beneath a cloudless sky, and Newlands, littered with fans draped in green and gold, found its voice.
Against this postcard-perfect backdrop, more than 11,000 fans streamed through the turnstiles on Tuesday. This was more than a day of cricket at one of the world’s most beautiful grounds.
It was the Mother City dressed up for a heavyweight contest, with history, pride and the summit of Test cricket all up for grabs.
After the sparse crowds at Kingsmead and St George’s Park in the first two Tests, Newlands showed the world that South Africans genuinly care about the purist form of the game.
Cape Town’s cricket royalty also came out to play, with big names everywhere — on the field, in the stands and behind the microphone. Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith was among those adding weight to the occasion on commentary, while local hero Paul “Gogga” Adams was seen enjoying the day in the hospitality suites.
But Tuesday was about the faithful. Supporters dressed up for the occasion in old-school club cricket whites, while many others sported Bafana Bafana’s popular green World Cup away jersey.
Fans were prepared to take a day off work to be at the Test.
Australian fans enjoy the majestic view of Table Mountain during the third Test at Newlands.
Proteas fans came out in their numbers on the first day of the third Test at Newlands.
It was these fans who broke into song when Proteas captain Temba Bavuma walked out to bat, as “Temba Bavuma, he comes from Langa, he came to score, score, score, and he plays for the Proteas” rang around the famous old ground.
Newlands has enjoyed a makeover in preparation for next year’s World Cup. The traditional boerie-roll stands that once fuelled generations of cricket supporters have given way to high-end coffee shops, restaurants and bars, lending the ground a distinctly more cosmopolitan feel.
And, it being a Tuesday, the modern working world came along for the ride. Laptops were open, Teams and Zoom meetings were in full swing, and the digital nomads of Cape Town attempted to balance deadlines with the drama unfolding in the middle.
Every boundary or wicket threatened to derail a meeting, prompting a burst of cheers before fans hurriedly returned to their screens — or abandoned them altogether to rush back to their seats.
It was all the more merry thanks to a run-filled morning session dominated by Proteas openers Marques Ackerman and Aiden Markram.
But Australia are not in possession of the No. 1 ranking without reason, and they have never been a side to surrender the stage without a fight.
The visitors responded strongly in the afternoon, starting with off-spinner Nathan Lyon before Mitchell Starc sent down laser-like yorkers to run through the Proteas’ lower order.
But on a thrilling day when 329 runs and 10 wickets fell, giving fans full value for every cent spent in this struggling South African economy, the occasion was about more than just the action on the field.
It was a reminder that Test cricket, with Newlands in all its glory, remains the undisputed crown jewel of South African cricket grounds.