Not even knocked out of the World Cup yet, but we are already the topic of discussion at the T20 tournament in the UAE.
For the wrong reasons.
Of course I’m talking about the Proteas and the latest controversy surrounding the team.
For those who missed it, allow me a short recap.
As fans were getting ready for the team to face the West Indies in what was effectively a do-or-die match for the Proteas after losing the first match to Australia, Cricket South Africa dropped a bomb – on their own team!
Firstly, some context is needed.
Following last year’s hele debate about taking the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement or not, the Proteas decided that individuals in their team would show their support to combat racism the way they saw fit.
Whether it was the right decision or not, is up to you to decide.
Personally, I felt it was ridiculous that half the team kneeled and the other half stood upright with or with raised fists.
Therefore, I agree that there should have been one action.
That’s why I believe the governing body of cricket in South Africa, CSA, should have taken a united stance a long time ago.
But the team toured the West Indies not too long ago and niks.
They then toured Ireland. Niks.
They then visited Sri Lanka. Still niks.
They left for the World Cup and niks. The same rule still applied.
Then they lost to Australia at the World Cup by five wickets and had to win the next game against the West Indies.
Now we all know of the pressure the national team is under when it comes to these events.
The Proteas have never won a World Cup and historically it has been big moments such as these that have pootjie’d them.
So instead of allowing the team to focus on the task at hand by bouncing back against the Windies in a tough group where only the top two advance to the playoffs, the governing body gooi’d its own team a curveball on Tuesday.
As the players got on the bus to the stadium in Dubai where they would play the Windies, they got the news from the board that all of them have to take the knee in support of the BLM movement now.
Remember, this is a team that had a culture camp some time last year in which they sent out a statement afterwards reading: “After vigorous, open and honest conversations and consultation with the guidance of the camp’s facilitators, Mahlatse Mashua and Ruan Botha, the squad arrived at a 100 percent synergised approach.
“The team’s identity or DNA is built on shared values, ground rules, philosophies and belief systems, with a heavy focus on the first two mentioned.”
CSA, though, released a statement on Tuesday morning ahead of the game saying: “[The board] unanimously agreed to issue a directive requiring all Proteas players to adopt a consistent and united stance against racism by “taking the knee” prior to the start of their remaining World Cup matches.
“Concerns were raised that the different postures taken by team members in support of the BLM initiative created an unintended perception of disparity or lack of support for the initiative.”
I want to stress again that the players, who I believe discussed this issue at length at camps in the past, got this message on their way to an important match.
Like captain Temba Bavuma explained in his press conference after they managed to beat the Windies by eight wickets: “[The timing was] not ideal. In any case we would have had to deal with it as players – whether the instruction came this morning or whether it came last night.
“It definitely wasn’t ideal, but those are just the cards that we’ve been dealt as a team.
“I think the good thing is that we were still able to find a way to get on the field and represent our country as well as we did.”
The captain, who showed great maturity in fielding these questions in the press conference after the match, added: “We’ve got to appreciate the fact that the instruction came from the board this morning – there wasn’t time for us to thoroughly discuss the matter… we’ve got a couple of days until the next game – those days will be tough for the group….”
As for Quinton pulling out because he won’t take the knee?
In the words of Bavuma: “I don’t think it is as simple as taking a knee.
“I think we have to appreciate the fact that we live in a country such as South Africa that has its own past, that is diverse, diverse in its views, diverse in the decisions we take, backgrounds, things that we support are based on our convictions.
“As much as we are a team, we wear the same shirt, same badge, besides that we still live our lives and those lives are different by the very nature that we live in South Africa.
“For me, I’ve learnt to appreciate that a lot more and trying to widen my perspective as an individual and not expect people to see things the way you see things.
“My beliefs – the way I see things are shaped by my own experiences and so is the other person’s.
“If there is a disagreement, that’s why we have those odd conversations and through that you’ll be able to get that comfort or ability to accept the other person’s decision.
“I can’t force someone to see things the way that I do and neither can they force me.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself, captain.