Freshly Ground, News24 User
Right, I've got to get this off my chest. It's been bugging me for a while.
I have written articles in the past extolling the virtues of Graeme Smith and what an exceptional leader and player he is. The comments in the column at the bottom of this page have always being the same, scathing of him.
For some reason South African cricket supporters (there's a joke) have had no time for Smith. Now that we have won a test series in Australia all the comments are now along the lines of "I was wrong about Smith in the past, but I'm now a fan..." and suddenly Smith is now your new hero!
Hypocrites. South Africa has not lost a Test Match series since July 2006. Over that period Smith and Arthur (yes folks you gleefully called him "Mickey Mouse") have forged one the best test cricket teams on the planet. During that period what support did you give them? None.
The recriminations and accusations spewed from your "insightful" observations were mind numbing. Just a few months ago everyone was moaning about how unfit the team was and that they would be given a hiding by the Australians, we apparently lacked mental strength and would crumble at the first sign of pressure?
As for the columnists on News24. You make it hard to be a true supporter.
Not an iota of respect has been given to Graeme Smith by you guys over the last few years. Leading up to the series there was an overriding stench of pessimism. We don't have the bowlers or mental strength you said.
"History is against South Africa winning in Australia," you said. If history was against us winning then we shouldn't have bothered to pitch up for a game, according to your logic. Our tail can't make runs, Steyn and Morkel have no experience in Australia, we don't have the bowling to take 20 wickets in match, on and on it went.
Now I have to read this, courtesy of Arthur Turner: "Yes, like many other South Africans, I had my doubts about winning the series and I am delighted to have been proved wrong. These doubts were based on sound cricket principles and not with the benefit of hindsight or emotion. I was no different to over fifty percent of the readers who voted on Sport 24's survey regarding the series result."
Excuse me? Mr Turner all of your articles prior to the tour were written with the benefit of hindsight and emotion. The "sound" cricket principles you mention were in fact unsound. How could you not back a team that has been undefeated in a test series for two and a half years?
As for the rest of you fickle supporters, you owe Graeme Smith a huge apology.
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Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.