Closed-door action better than no action

The issue of fans has become a major talking point as sporting bodies across the world plan to restart tournaments and events once restrictions around the Covid-19 pandemic start to ease.

All sorts of ideas are being mooted, ranging from social distancing between spectators in the stands, no fans at all and even what they call virtual fan experience.

Golfers especially have been very sceptical about not playing in front of crowds, with calls to postpone the Ryder Cup in September instead of playing without fans.

But the reality is that television rights and endorsements pay far more bills than gate takings.

If a sport can guarantee its survival by staging matches or tournaments behind closed doors, there’s little else players can do other than respect the decision.

At least they’ll get to do what they get paid for and we get to do what we do best: watch on TV.

Golfer Brooks Koepka for one said it will be ‘‘weird’’ playing in silence.

Believe me, things can get a lot weirder on a sports field.

Or next to it should I say.

I fondly remember a three-day cricket match in Lenasia many moons ago when Sri Lanka took on the Rest of South Africa before the Test series began.

On the Sunday, a batsman from North West who never fulfilled his promise in my personal opinion, Davey Jacobs, turned the match on its head.

Just when spinning ace Muttiah Muralitharan, who would go on to take a world record 800 Test wickets, thought there’s some easy meat on offer, Jacobs waltzed to the crease.

He klapped Murali to every corner of the ground on his way to a memorable hundred.

As the match was not televised, the only spectators blessed to witness Jacobs’ masterclass were the two dressing rooms, the ground staff, three journalists and two scorers.

But here’s the thing, the closer Jacobs edged towards his splendid century, the louder the celebrations became from a group of locals in the club’s indoor arena right behind the makeshift media table.

But the jovial gentlemen, who had been laying into their liquid refreshments since mid-morning, had their backs turned on the cricket
match.

They were so involved in their weekly darts tournament that they didn’t even realise there was a cricket match taking place.

When one of the patrons finally realised by late afternoon there was activity at the oval behind them, he stuck his head through the window and asked: ‘‘Sorry man, whose playing? Gauteng B?’’

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