The 2009 Morgan Freeman starer portrayed an intersection of the life of one of the greatest statesmen the world has seen and a sport that is probably dear to his countrymen more than any other. That Madiba chose to wear the Springbok emblem on his heart for the 1995 rugby world cup final said something about his beliefs on building bridges through sport. When South Africa was undergoing a tumultuous time, his one action of endorsing the supposed symbol of white supremacy against popular majority opinion led to the racial integration that made the rainbow nation. His friendship with the captain Pienaar is well documented and he was as surprised as anybody else on seeing the president with that green jersey on the field. The fact that he could forget and forgive the torment of those long years in incarceration to step up and get behind a team that many believed represented all that he had fought for so long is testimony to his grace and poise under pressure. He once famously asked for Don Bradman from his captivity remembering the famous Australian for his support to select the Protea team on a non-racial basis. A number of sporting legends including Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods and Pele have been left star struck meeting the unassuming yet towering personality. His last public appearance the 2010 soccer world cup finals was his way of telling the world that sport unites, brings down walls and joins humanity as no other force in the world. May his legacy last as long as sport itself does. RIP Madiba.
Adelaide is considered one of the more placid surfaces among the Aussie test grounds. Mitch Johnson though doesn't seem to have heard that. He blew away the England batting line up today with a 7-for following up with his devastating spell from the Gabba. You could make the pitch slow but not the air and he has brought back that fear of god in the batsmen that seems missing when you see those 20-20 slog fests. The mustache seems to have worked a charm for him and the Movember has still found a place in December. With the WACA to come, the Poms would be forgiven for wishing to be anywhere else except the cricket down under.
The much vaunted Indian batting was made to look ordinary on a bouncy Joberg surface. A harsh welcome was expected but what was not is that the batters who sent the ball scurrying all around the park on docile Indian wickets found it difficult to even touch the offerings from an all pace Protea attack. If these are signs of what is to come, Dhoni and his men would be thanking the boardroom squabbles for shortening the tour. Better back at home than taking hidings like those. Guess its just belly and no fire for the Indian cricket squad.