No Test matches in South Africa this season? No problem!
It’s a strange feeling to be in Newlands on New Year’s Eve. Okay, but weird in a good way. The ‘house full’ signs are likely to appear in both Gqeberha and Cape Town.
Graeme Smith and his SA20 team entered the window with aplomb. The fourth season is in full swing and the fan experience further improves on the successful recipe built over three top seasons.
As I type these words before the start of the match, there are young people playing cricket on a quarter of the field. The gates will open an hour earlier this year to give them the opportunity to play their own brand of cricket on the manicured outdoor field. It’s a nice touch, a gesture that their fathers or perhaps grandfathers may remember was common in their day.
I walk the floor and the sellers are doing good business. Their chances of making the most of the growing crowd are slim. There are a plethora of options for hungry and thirsty people. Pizza, Burgers, Shawarmas, Chip & Dip, KFC and more, along with a seemingly unlimited supply of a certain brownish drink.
The crowd might need a few more to drown their sorrows. The home side were first beaten by Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford for 92 in the last 5 overs, before capitulating from 100/2 after 8.2 overs to be all out for 135.
On stage, Dalin Oliver does his best to cheer up the crowd, but when the 8th wicket falls, many leave early. They had much to cheer about when Nicholas Pooran hit four sixes off the first five balls he faced. It was a thrilling start for the home side and there was hope from the flag-waving Newlands faithful. Unfortunately for those in Blue and Gold, this wouldn’t be the 2025 ending they were looking for.
Coach Robbie P and his team will map the damage next year (tomorrow ;-)). He remains optimistic and reminds us in the post-match press conference that teams have lost their first three games and won the league. We are eight games in and it is still too early to declare the season.
The sense of the occasion, the day of the year and where almost 20,000 people spent their evening are not lost on me.
Whatever happens in 2026, the cricket year 2025 (and what a year it was) has ended in style, SA20 fashion!
#goodbye #SA20 #style #Cricket #Fanatics #Magazine