Marco's Monday - No make that Thursday Review

By Marco Jacobs (CCFM sports presenter of the show, Saturday Sport 10 - 12 every Saturday morning)

It has been a while since a posted an article. I really needed a break to recharge my batteries. I can't deny that on the sporting front it has really been buzzing! But I really only want to talk about one thing and that is cricket! More specifically Abraham Benjamin de Villiers! I am still in awe of the majestic innings that the mercurial A.B. de Villiers conjured up against the shell-shocked West Indies. I used the word "conjure" on purpose, because only a magician could have concocted the type of innings that De Villiers came up with in decimating and blunting the bowling attack of the men from the Carribean.

Even Chris Gayle, one of the most feared batsmen in world cricket, bowed down in a token of respect, when De Villiers' innings came to an end on an astronomical 149 off only 44 balls! It was an innings that shook the cricketing world to its core. Tributes from players past and present have been pouring in, acknowledging the industry and genius of a player who must be the most complete batsman in all forms of cricket. We are not likely to see and innings of that magnitude any time soon and we should count it a privilege to have been able witnessed it. I could wax lyrical about that innings for quite some time but I will restrain myself and temper my exitement with the hopes of seeing the Proteas replicate this performance with substance of a similar ilk. I am definitely looking forward to the upcoming cricket world cup with more than a modicum of exctement. I know, I know, we always get excited whenever the Proteas are about to embark on another attempt to finally win the showpiece tournament that they have set their hearts on ever since 1992.

Once again the Proteas seem to have the squad to be genuine contenders at the world cup. Hopefully this time they will have what it takes to go all the way to glory! I am reminded of the time when in 1992 when the team played in their first world cup, I was just so excited and determined to watch every match they played in Australia and New Zealand. I was still in high school then. The first match against hosts and tournament favourites, I... mmmhhhm... bunked school! Moving swiftly along, I will never forget that day. I remember Allan Donald steaming down the ball to bowl his first ball and delivering a jaffer of a delivery, using a Robin Jackman-ism, with the batsmen clearly knicking the ball, only for the partisan Australian umpire, I think it was Steve Randall, deny the South Africans a dream start to the tournament! It mattered not in the end. A clearly disbelieving Australian public, and probably the rest of the world, were dumbfounded by the overwhelmingly fantastic performance the team put in to win by nine wickets! Kepler Wessels captained the team and did not look like a man who once represented the host nation at some time or other.

I remember that day for the taxi driver that came to knock on the door for some water but stayed to watch the entire match. I remember that tournament because of our neighbour, Jonathan - a Boilermaker, who came from nightshift, to watch the matches that were screened during the early hours of the morning. I remember THAT run-out of Inzhamum Ul Haq that Jonty Rhodes affected against Pakistan. It was a Sunday. I remember Meyrick Pringle bamboozling the West Indies with a devasting spell of swing bowling, taking four wickets in that match. I remember the exploits of Adrian Kuiper with his destructive power hitting. I remember Peter Kirsten's soft hands in how he manipulated the opposition bowling attacks. Only Javed Miandad of Pakistan was his equal. And amongst all those memories, that were mostly pleasant, I remember the now infamous 22 runs from 1 ball equation in the rain affected semi-final against England. Poor Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson had the unenviable task of seeing out that ball... Moving swiftly along, again! The South African cricket team came out of that tournament with a lot of pride and admiration from all concerned in the cricketing world!

This time around, I am optimistic that the Proteas will have more than just the admiration of the cricketing world and that at end of the tourmanent that they will have the proverbial monkey off their back and finally annex the world crown as the best team in the world by winning it! Isn't it due time already? There should be enough in the Proteas' armoury to stand them in good stead once again in Australia and New Zealand. It will be no easy task as there will be other teams like both host nations, as mentioned - Australia and New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and even current opposition, West Indies - who on their day can beat anyone, will pose serious questons to the Proteas' title ambitions!

There's still the remainder of the series agaist the West Indies to navigate, but will the Proteas have a better chance of doing the business than now? Or will it be case of the now-famous George Gregan (Australian rugby great) saying; "Four more years boys, four more years"? I certaintly don't hope so.

I will tell you one thing though, turning our attentionback A.B. de Villiers, as a batsmen he has achieved what he has set out to do when he initially entered the international cricketing scene all of ten years ago. His stated intent was to become the best batsmen in the world! Few can deny his claim now. I want to leave you with a question. Is A.B. de Villiers the best batman in the world for now or of all time?