They did it at The Wanderers. Not just any ground. The Wanderers. The Bull Ring. The Lion’s Den. The spiritual heartland of South African cricket where alpha fast bowlers send visiting batters whimpering and where dashing stroke makers send the ball screaming into the baying morass of supporters.
Daniel Gallan explains why South Africa’s fourth Test defeat to England at The Wanderers was as much down to lack of will as lack of skill.
England arrived with the swagger of a team that had just clinched an innings victory. For the second match in a row, they kicked South Africa’s door down, stomped about the place in muddy boots, knocked over the furniture and made off with all they could carry. In the end, the only witnesses were the Barmy Army and even they didn’t gloat too much, such was the inevitability of it all.
Joe Root’s men were better in every department in Johannesburg but it was the fact that they bowled with more speed and aggression that will sting the most. South Africa have always managed to stay amongst the frontrunners in the pace race but they were totally outgunned in the series finale.
But most of all, the 191-run margin in Johannesburg was the result of mongrel. Of chutzpah and oomph and gumption. Of those unquantifiable metrics that don’t have a numerical value. One team had them in abundance. The other occupied the home dressing room.
