Tubby’s ‘real worry’ for cricket’s future after sad sight

Aussie legend Mark Taylor hopes the sight of poor crowds in Durban is not a sign of Test cricket’s demise in the country.

Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs in the first of a three-match series, that was highly anticipated for several reasons.

Heading into the match, the two teams were ranked No.1 and No.2 on the World Test Championship standings.

It was the first time they had met in a Test match since last year’s Test Championship final, which the Proteas won at Lord’s.

The Durban match also marked the first time Australia’s men’s team had played a Test there since the infamous 2018 tour, when the Aussies were caught tampering with the ball.

Leading up to the series, all the headlines were dominated by Sandpapergate and Aussie players were expected to cop it from raucous South African crowds, like they had eight years earlier.

But the stands in Durban were close to empty for the entire five days, leading to a rather dull atmosphere despite some thrilling cricket being played.

“That to me was one of the big stories that hasn’t been broadcast enough,” former Test captain Taylor told nine.com.au.

“All the talk has been about sandpaper, and will the crowd be this, that and the other, the biggest story for me is how do we keep countries like South Africa really interested in Test cricket?

“They are world Test champions, but they don’t play much Test cricket, and the crowds are suggesting that they don’t want it, which is a real worry for me for Test cricket.”

In this World Test Championship cycle, South Africa has played just five matches, while every other nation has played more. Australia (11), India (12), England (16), and the West Indies (12) have played the most Test cricket, but the rankings are based on percentage rather than number of wins and losses.

There was criticism of the system last year when the Proteas qualified for the final despite playing far less Test cricket than other teams.

South Africa has also been criticised in recent years for sending full-strength teams on tour for white-ball series, while pulling players out of Tests.

The absence of fans may hint at an apathy for the game’s purest format in the country.

Even the Aussie players were stunned by the empty stands in the first match.

“I was expecting more of a crowd, if I’m being honest with you,” veteran spin bowler Nathan Lyon said after day three.

“When you’ve got the Australian cricket team competing against South Africa in South Africa, No.1 and No.2 going at it, I was expecting a bigger crowd, but no, they’ve been pretty quiet to be honest.”

Australian journalists following the tour have offered a number of explanations for the dwindling crowd numbers. There has been civil unrest and protests playing out around Durban, with smoke from fires reportedly seen from the cricket ground throughout the match.

Durban historically pulls far smaller crowds than other South African cricket venues, and the timing of this series - held in October rather than around Christmas - is another factor.

The next match is in Gqeberha starting Sunday, and then the Aussies return to Cape Town for the first time since the incendiary 2018 match.