Cricket returned in South Africa but it was not like anything anyone has ever seen.
Sure, post-coronavirus, things were always going to be different but what transpired in South Africa on Saturday was newer than new normal.
An unusual match involving three teams was played in an empty SuperSport Park in Centurion, making it difficult to judge whether the new form of the game, branded 3T Cricket, had the potential for major spectator appeal.
A week of racism controversy for South African cricket ended on Saturday with the sport’s return to live action in the country.
It was the first major televised sporting event in South Africa since the coronavirus lockdown in March, and came days after 30 black former South African international players alleged in a letter that racism still affected the sport.
The 24 players involved on Saturday were united in wearing Black Lives Matter armbands. Before play started there was a minute of silence for victims of the COVID-19 virus followed by all the players taking a knee in solidarity with the BLM movement.
Makhaya Ntini, the former Test fast bowler who played in 101 Test matches, was one of the commentators.
He did not refer to an emotional television interview on Friday in which he said he felt lonely during his international career because he did not feel included in off-field activities involving groups of team-mates.
Ntini said his loneliness extended to sitting alone in hotels at breakfast time. He also said his much-publicised habit of running between hotels and grounds rather than travelling with other players on the team bus stemmed from his feeling of exclusion.
Graeme Smith, South Africa’s director of cricket, was one of Ntini’s captains but if there was any ill feeling it was not in evidence when they were on air together on Saturday, with Ntini saying “we stand together” at one point in his conversation with Smith.
Smith came out strongly in support of Black Lives Matter on Friday. Players like Temba Bavuma, Andille Phehlukwayo made their stand as well.
As for the cricket itself, Saturday’s match featured three teams of eight players each, with no regional identity. The Eagles, a team captained by AB de Villiers, were the winners with a total of 160/4 from 12 overs, with six overs each bowled by the other two teams. De Villiers hit 61 and Aiden Markram scored 70.
Here are some reactions to the match:
By far the best celebration photo from today's Solidarity Cup #3TC exhibition match.
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) July 18, 2020
📸Christiaan Kotze for AFP pic.twitter.com/f0fySepfBQ
so today you actually have a choice of what cricket to watch. come to think of it, that is quite incredible given what's been going on recently! #3TC #ENGvsWI
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) July 18, 2020
This #3tc is easy to explain. One team is in, one is out and one sits out. The team that’s in goes out, the team that’s out goes out, and the team that sits out sits out. Then the team that sits out goes in, the team that was in goes out and the team that was out sits out. Etc.
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) July 18, 2020
To be very honest, Pommie sir is doing all his best to inject some life into this match. #3TC
— BALAJI (@deep_extracover) July 18, 2020
Father doing commentary.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 18, 2020
Son bowling in the middle to AB.
Father asking SA director of cricket Graeme Smith that "Will you look after him".#3TC
Thank you for #SolidarityCup #3TC provided good entertainment , It was fun after long time ... TV off bye.
— Sai (@akakrcb6) July 18, 2020
A NET CATCH FROM A HILL FISHERMAN! THAT'S WHAT CRICKET'S ALL ABOUT. #3TC #SolidarityCup
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) July 18, 2020
All this hype about the ‘Last man standing’ rule, and no team is able to pick seven wickets for the last man to bat alone. #3TC #SolidarityCup
— Peeyush Sharma (@peeyushsharmaa) July 18, 2020
3 teams, 1 cricket match. History being made! #3teamcricket pic.twitter.com/BmRBLTnpf3
— Manya (@CSKian716) July 18, 2020
Me trying to understand #3teamcricket...#3TC pic.twitter.com/SpHJJfUgEj
— Omkar Mankame (@Oam_16) July 18, 2020
Has 3TC caught your fancy? I’m finding it a merry go round. Perhaps to be expected in first experience. Missing enough players on the field, and spectators in the stands.
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) July 18, 2020
Other observation: No crowds doesn't seem to matter as much in a test match (and @SkyCricket have a track going) but something in the audio definitely missing in this telecast #3teamcricket. Maybe we are used to a lot of noise in T20 cricket......
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 18, 2020
Lutho Sipamla looks like he has had no off season! Beautiful rhythm in his run up!!
— Natalie Germanos 🏏 (@NatalieGermanos) July 18, 2020
Awesome to watch !
All cricket should be Makhaya Ntini commentating on his son's bowling. #3TC #SolidarityCup
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) July 18, 2020
6 zones. 6 fielders. Can’t go to the other zone to field?? I’m all for trying new things....but this isn’t my cuppa tea 🧐🤷♂️ #3TC
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 18, 2020
I've watched around 15-20 minutes of this 3TeamCricket... sorry, it's absolutely dreadful stuff. I can handle T20 and quite enjoy the format, but this is just awful #3TC #3TCricket #Cricket
— Inside Edge Cricket (@InsideEdgeCrick) July 18, 2020
Brilliant batting display of AB De Villiers comes to an end. 61 off 24. Incredible knock. Well played, AB.
— George (@VijayIsMyLife) July 18, 2020
AB's Eagles 142-4 after 11.#3TCricket #SolidarityCup #3TC
3 team cricket can work in India if the first two teams are from Mumbai and Chennai, the last from Bangalore.#3TC
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) July 18, 2020
3TC is a nightmare even after you understand the rules. Sports websites would never be able to show live scores of these games without remodeling their database schemas, queries, css, etc. and who would do it for the only team sport with three teams competing.
— cricBC (@cricBC) July 18, 2020
(With AFP inputs)