Shortly before the rain arrived in Gqeberha on Sunday, Australian captain Pat Cummins was scratching around on St George’s Park, figuring out how he would make his mark.
Then he spotted a solution. The blokes nearby had what he needed. So the Aussie skipper wandered across to the Proteas camp and asked, politely, if he could borrow their tape for a moment.
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The Aussies have been at pains to point out that what happened eight years ago on the scandalous tour of South Africa is a long way in the past and that the times have changed.
There are still visual reminders, of course. A pocket of Proteas fans had an image of Steve Smith on their T-shirts on Sunday with the phrase; “We saw you crying on the tele.”
And the return of Kagiso Rabada, whose shoulder bump of Steve Smith in Gqeberha in 2018 escalated tensions, may yet raise the temperature for the last eight days of the series.
But the spirit of co-operation has been noticeable in South Africa in the opening fortnight of the tour, remaining respectful despite the rigours associated with a hard-fought first Test.
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There were moments where the match was in the balance, but there was no sign of friction.
The cricket was tough, befitting of Test cricket, but the sportsmanship was strong.
Cummins said after the 214-run triumph in Durban that the maturity of the squad was a factor, with most of the tourists having seen it all and more in the world of cricket, which enabled them to handle the emotions during tense moments.
But there is also a feeling of wellbeing across the group as well, as evidenced by Nathan Lyon’s embrace of Scott Boland after learning he had been left out of the second Test squad.
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The last two days in the Eastern Cape coastal city have been frustrating, which could dampen the mood of any group stuck at close quarters with each other.
But Cummins said the Aussies have learned to embrace the differences in personalities across the group and were relaxed in the company of each other and their rivals.
“I’d say the playing group and the environment we have is the thing I’m most proud about,” the Australian skipper said.
“They’re just a great bunch (of people), very eclectic. We’ve got a bit of everything in there, but everyone just gets on and I think … everyone embraces each other’s quirks.
“No-one is safe. There’s plenty of jokes flying around, but it is just a great group.
“We love getting on tour … everyone has obviously grown up quite a bit since whatever it was eight, nine years ago as well.
“We’re all in our 30s, so I think everyone is a little bit more secure in themselves and sure of who they are. It’s been great. It’s awesome.”
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Australian vice-captain Travis Head told foxsports.com.au in September that he doubted the tour would devolve into an instance of boys behaving badly with good reason – the players know each other far too well now due to playing alongside each other in franchise cricket competitions around the world.
“Well, it has changed things. It is completely different to what it would have been in the 2000s and the 2010, forever probably, before franchise cricket,” Head said.
“When you look back on those series that we watched, you could probably sense on the TV when you rewatch some of those 2000, 2010 series, etc, that it was a real us against them mentality. (They would take) no prisoners. You can sense that when we get celebrations, and the send-offs here and there, the sledging here and there.
“But now you don’t really see it because we play with each other as much as we do. I think like in terms of sledging and all getting into each other, it’s very rare that you see it because so many guys play with each other or someone in the team has played with that person who can vouch for them, and yeah, take another role if someone’s got a different opinion. So yeah, (it’s) interesting.”
It is a point Josh Hazlewood, who was unwell on Monday afternoon and failed to take to the field, agrees with, though he said it does not dim the intensity of the contests.
“You definitely understand each other more,” he said.
“(Is it) friendly on the field? No, I wouldn’t say that. I’d still say it’s quite (intense). But it’s different.
“It’s (like) the old saying, you know, I would rather beat my brother in a game back in the day than a complete stranger because then I can give it to him for you know the next few weeks or the next few months or the next few years or whatever, (whereas) you know you’re never going to see that stranger again.
“So … I feel like you have more of an edge when you’re playing against your best mate or a brother or even a friend from franchise cricket who you want to get the better of purely because then you get the result of the day, but then you’ve got the result for the next 12 months, potentially, of reminding him about it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two and a half months in India.
“It’s friendlier but I’d still say it’s as intense.”
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There is also less sledging.
Back in 2018, the Aussies wanted the field microphones turned down.
But Cummins is on the record as saying he finds sledging a bit cringe.
It does not mean the Aussies do not chirp, but they are less aggressive now.
However former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said that even before the infamous tour of 2018, there was always a cordial relationship between the teams despite the feistiness they demonstrated when in the middle.
The battles were intense on the field, but once stumps was called, the bottles would start clinking as they relayed war stories to each other.
“The conditions are very similar and when you’ve come up against South Africa, it’s vicious at times on the field,” he said on the Keepin’ It Cricket.
“One thing I enjoyed most about playing in South Africa and against South Africa was when you went across the line, it was game on.
“But also when you finished … you respected each other.
“You respected the game. You went hard. But at the end of the series, you also walked into their change room – normally, they’re playing drinking games and you get involved in that – which is a bit scary.
“The respect after the series was always there.”
South African star AB de Villiers found himself in a share of enlivening clashes against the Australians on the 2014 tour and was part of what sparked the furore in 2018 when Nathan Lyon dropped a ball near his head in the first Test after he was run out for a duck.
The relationship had deteriorated by the time he retired but de Villiers said he treasured the series earlier in his career.
“I don’t think it’s about the drinking games. It’s more about the spirit afterwards,” he said on the same podcast with Kayo Sports’ Alyssa Healy.
“We love singing songs and just enjoying the victory and showing respect … and (it is) not always the victory, but even if you lose, to show respect to the opposition.
“Some of my most memorable moments were actually after the game, seeing someone like Ricky Ponting or Matty Hayden in a different kind of state, when they let that competitive side of them go, and just sharing stories about the game and about life.
“So it’s not so much about the drinking, even though that brings out some of the funny side of some of the individuals and the characters, but it’s more so just about seeing these competitive athletes in a relaxed environment.”
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