Weakened Proteas in NZ: Beauty of sport — anything can happen

One thing the stunning victories by the West Indies and England in their Test matches against Australia and India over the last few days taught us, again, is that in sport anything is possible, and it remains the greatest reality show on Earth.

Also, at the weekend, as we have seen before, a tennis player (in this case Italy’s Jannik Sinner) can come back from being dead and buried and win a match in five sets, taking the last three after losing the first two.

At the recently concluded Australian Open there were many instances where players won in five sets.

The thing is you just don’t know what’s going to happen next, and that’s why we all love sport so much.

There is no script and just when you think you’re able to predict something you get shown up.

Proteas in New Zealand

And so that brings me to the “third-rate” South African cricket team — as they have been called in many quarters in recent weeks — on tour in New Zealand.

They’re not being given much chance to do anything in the two Tests, with the first starting this weekend. But those players have been picked for a reason; they have cricketing talent, and desire and drive, and will want to show the nay-sayers they can compete at the very top against the best.

And they’ll look to the West Indies’ stunning win against Australia in Brisbane on Sunday as inspiration that anything is possible.

Every sportsman and woman has a back story — do yourself a favour and read about the life of Windies fast bowler Shamar Joseph – and the players representing our country in New Zealand over the next few weeks are no different.

Yes, it’s not ideal that the Proteas are playing a Test series without their best players and there’s no doubt the team on tour have their backs to the wall, but that is not the players’ fault and no one should point fingers at the men on tour.

What an opportunity awaits them — possibly a once-in-a-lifetime chance to shine on the biggest stage.

Cricket is a funny old game; all you need is one or two batters or bowlers to find form and, who knows, perhaps we, too, will be celebrating something special in our cricket in a few weeks’ time.

The first Test of two between New Zealand South Africa starts in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.