Dustups on the stairwell to the changeroom, aggressive send-offs ending with South Africa’s most media-hungry lawyer, Dali Mpofu, stepping in, and, of course, “sandpapergate”. The last time South Africa and Australia met in Test cricket, it was memorable — mostly for the wrong reasons.

Four years have passed since that controversial 2018/19 series in South Africa ended with the biggest scandal in modern cricket, when the Aussies were caught sandpapering the ball to create reverse swing. The wounds inflicted by that series still feel raw.

However, the rivalry runs even deeper than that incident. Australia and South Africa are two sides of the same coin. They play similarly and they love to dislike each other.

If we’re being honest, the post-isolation rivalry has stemmed more from South Africa’s side. All through the ’90s and until 2008, Australia dominated.

Of course, they were bullies, with their sledging and their superb skills. The Waughs, Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Hayden… names that conjure up pain and wonder for South Africans.

But, more latterly, Smith, Kallis, Amla, De Villiers, Steyn, Philander, Duminy and Markram provide much happier memories.

Holding the line

Once South Africa started winning regularly, the Aussie sledging battled to be matched by their performances. But they continued to play with a sense of entitlement, especially with that most mythical of aspects — “the line”. You know, the thing they never crossed when dishing out vile verbal abuse.

Even as sandpapergate was unfolding like a slow-motion car crash, Australia’s initial defence was that their self-defined “line” was never crossed.

On that fateful day, Australia lost control of “the line” and although they’re still a good cricket team — possibly even a great one — they don’t quite have that same air of arrogance and entitlement. And it’s no bad thing, either. Say it quietly, but under the impressive Pat Cummins, the Aussies are even quite likeable.

Two of the main protagonists from sandpapergate will face the Proteas — Steve Smith and David Warner — the captain and vice-captain back then. They were subsequently banned for months for their roles in either coercing or failing to stop inexperienced batter Cameron Bancroft from tampering with the ball.

Steven Smith (captain, right) and Cameron Bancroft of Australia on day three of the ‘sandpapergate’ third Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town on 24 March 2018. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

They’ve served their time and both appear to have returned as slightly contrite and more likeable players.

But they’re also competitors and will almost certainly be looking for some revenge against a vastly different Proteas side over three Tests in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney this summer. The badges on the shirts are the same and the role players have changed considerably, but the animosity lingers.

For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada, he of the “shoulder charge” on Smith during the second Test in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) in 2018, which led to Mpofu’s moment in the spotlight, is back.

The high-profile lawyer was able to convince disciplinary officer Michael Herron QC that the contact between Rabada and Smith was not deliberate or malicious.

There is no definitive way of knowing how much Rabada’s escape fuelled Australia’s desperation to win the third Test in Cape Town by any means possible.

Umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth confront Australia’s Cameron Bancroft on day three of the ‘sandpapergate’ third Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town on 24 March 2018. (Photo: Peter Heeger / Gallo Images)

But it was at Newlands where Supersport’s eagle-eyed camera crew, tipped off that the Aussies might be up to something, caught Bancroft with his pants down, as he tried to stuff the sandpaper into his jocks.

The line, even the malleable Aussie kind, was crossed that day and the rest is infamy.

Strained relations

The two sides currently sit at one and two on the World Test Championship standings and will only engage over Three Tests this summer, instead of four or five.

Although what’s in the past remains in the past, cricketing relations between the two countries is at a low ebb. Cricket Australia (CA) unilaterally pulled out of a tour to South Africa in early 2021 during the Covid pandemic. Cricket South Africa (CSA) had done everything to accommodate CA’s demands and yet were simply informed that Australia’s men’s team would not tour.

Meanwhile, CSA snubbed Australia’s schedule for One-Day Internationals (ODIs) that were supposed to take place after the third Test of this current tour — in January 2023. CSA decided to prioritise the SA20 competition over the ODIs and withdrew the Proteas from the ODI schedule.

All of which adds spice to a series, starting at the Gabba on Saturday, 17 December, which has the potential to spill over again. Or it could become a tour of redemption and reconciliation. Answers will be revealed in due course.

Battle ready

No doubt the Aussies start as favourites. They’ve just hammered the West Indies in two Tests and are in ominous form coming into the series — especially in the batting department.

Both teams have powerful bowling units, but the Proteas’ brittle batting remains a huge flaw and concern. To be a consistently top Test team requires a powerful batting unit as much as it does a superb bowling attack. Australia appear to have both boxes ticked, while the Proteas are still flailing when it comes to batting consistency.

For Australia, South African-born Marnus Labuschagne is in great nick, with two centuries and a double-ton in four innings against the Windies. He currently averages 60.82 in Test cricket. In Australia, that average is a staggering 73.80 with nine centuries and eight half centuries in only 19 matches. It’s Bradmanesque.

Smith is no slouch either, having also helped himself to a century against the West Indies. Smith also has a colossal average of 60.98 in 89 Tests. In Australia, that average rises to 64.93 with 15 centuries and 16 half centuries in 45 home Tests.

But he “only” averages 41.53 against South Africa, with only one century in nine Tests against the Proteas.

With Warner (overall average 46.04 and 58.64 in Australia), Usman Khawaja (overall average 47.05 and 54.45 in Australia) and Travis Head (overall average 44.48 and 58.03 in Australia), the Aussies boast a formidable top six.

Only Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma in the South African top six have played a Test in Australia. Elgar boasts a Test batting average of 38.83, which drops to 23 in four Tests in Australia.

Bavuma has an overall Test batting average of 34.36. In three Tests in Australia, he has averaged 32.40, but, overall, Bavuma’s average against the Aussies is 42.57 in five Tests.

Sarel Erwee, Rassie van der Dussen, Theunis de Bruyn and Khaya Zondo, who will battle it out for the other top six places, all average between 19 and 35. Somehow they have to find a way to score runs on this tour.

Considering they’ll be up against Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon in the first Test, and later Josh Hazlewood from the second Test on, it will be difficult.

Which is why Proteas bowling coach Charl Langeveldt knows that his charges have to dismantle the Aussie top six quickly.

“The key to their top six is the first 20 balls,” Langeveldt said. “We have to make them play and Steven (Smith) doesn’t move a lot. He’s got a good base now and doesn’t move around the crease.

“It’s going to be a big challenge for our boys, and they’ll be up for it, but the key is the first 20 balls. We need to make them play.”

Kagiso Rabada of South Africa celebrates dismissing Sam Whiteman during the tour match against Australia A at Allan Border Field on 12 December 2022 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo: Albert Perez / Getty Images)

The South African bowling attack performed well against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane, with Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen among the wickets. Anrich Nortje failed to claim a scalp, but, for all of them, it was about vital match practice before the first Test.

Some runs

It could be argued the Proteas faced tougher opposition against Australia’s second stringers than the Australia first team faced against a weak West Indies.

“It was brilliant for our boys and our workloads,” Langeveldt said. “The guys spent some time on their feet, which is very important, and with the bowlers, the guys did very well.

“The conditions in Brisbane are different as compared to anywhere else in Australia. We bowled fuller and if you bowl short, it may look good, but it won’t give you any rewards.”

The batting unit also had some time in the middle. Elgar scored a century in the first innings while Van der Dussen (95), wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (80), De Bruyn (88) also made half centuries.

But the pressure is really on the batters, because in the domestic four-day competition, Ryan Rickelton, who CSA omitted because he was apparently injured, and Tony de Zorzi, have been piling on the runs.

Rickelton has scored three centuries and a 99 in his last five innings for the Lions, while De Zorzi has been even more impressive.

The Western Province left-hander has scored 163, 304 not out, 32, 133, 16 and 83 not out in his last six innings. Of course, this is not the same level as facing an Aussie pace quartet Down Under, but the batters can only score runs in the competition they play in, which is what De Zorzi and Rickelton have done.

De Bruyn, who has not played a Test since 2019, feels he is a more mature player now and is ready for the battle with the Aussies.

“Look, I think at the age of 24, when I started playing, our team was quite strong at that stage. I got into a position where it was the first time in my career where I was 12th man… you knew you were the replacement batter,” said De Bruyn.

“You know you’re only getting one crack. You’re there to make runs so that you can play the next Test instead of just playing at Lord’s and enjoying it.

“It was like a rat race as a youngster… you want to get into this team now and it just wasn’t my time. I’m not saying that it is now, but you’re here and have got the opportunity to play.” DM