Exactly 22 years ago, i.e., 10 November 1991, SOUTH AFRICA cricket
team made a comeback to the Cricket after 21 years ( they played there last
game before 1991 in 1970).
South African cricket was isolated from the rest
of the world for 21 years - from 1970 to 1991 - because of the apartheid
policies of the former government. Isolation came at a time when the country
could fairly claim to be the top test-playing nation in the world after the
Springboks had pummeled the powerful Australians 4-0 with ease.
Indian people
lined the streets of Calcutta in 1991 to welcome the South Africa team as it
undertook its first tour of the country. When the first ODI took place a few
days later at the famous Eden Gardens, the 100,000-seater was packed to the
rafters. Previously
known as the Springboks, the Proteas, after an initial settling-in period,
adapted surprisingly quickly to the demands of the international game in 1991.
They lost their first two one-day internationals
to India in India, but in the third match they showed what they were capable
of, chasing down an imposing victory target of 288 in 50 overs, to win by eight
wickets with 3.2 overs to spare.
