Compilation of copper cables, cover drives

Another is that, while he is prone to the odd fit of temper if he feels slighted – perhaps he could have been thinking of something else at the time – patience is a trait he greatly admires in others.

Suffice to say that watching cricket with the Silent One requires the mental agility more readily associated with a batsman at the top of his form facing an armoury of guile being fired down the track by the wiliest of spin bowlers, than the gentlemanly are of bat on ball devised by the English to chase whatever hours of sunshine were available.

“Take the case of Zambian copper,” he said, breaking unceremoniously into a discussion of how a sparkling century by JP Duminy and a patient and long-awaited ton by Hashim Amla in his 100th Test for South Africa had effectively eviscerated the Sri Lankan attack in the third Test at the Wanderers. If ever there was a conversation-stopper, this would have been hard to beat. But it soon became apparent.

“It needs every ounce of patience you can muster to deal with the mines in Zambia,” said the Silent One of a recent expedition into the African interior, before deftly breaking off from his chain of thought to remark “Well bowled” as yet another Kagiso Rabada rocket went sailing perilously close to a Sri Lankan helmet.

“The Wanderers crowd applauded Amla as much for his application as his artistry. But the patience Hashim showed in compiling his century is nothing like the egg dance you need in approaching any copper-related deals north of the Zambesi.”

And while this was in all likelihood true, any resonance of the expected gleam from the metal the Silent One was rabbiting on about, was singularly missing from the eyes of the assembled company. “Like Hashim taking his time to draw his line in the sand before letting loose with the solid strokes, you have to pick the moment. Even then there always exists an air of uncertainty.

“The kind of uncertainty the Sri Lankans have shown against the South African bowlers throughout the series. Just look at the way they collapsed in the first innings. I mean, is 131 really the score you would expect from a Test side even against a really good seam attack?”

At least, was the unspoken feel ing among the gathering of usual suspects, the Silent One had drifted from a subject that as an engineer, was germane to his thinking, and got back to the business at hand, rolling out the opposition after asking them to follow on. The result, which had never been in doubt after the first innings collapse duly arrived as the Proteas ran out deserving winners by an innings and 118 runs. But as the teams ceremoniously shook hands, the Silent One had something extra to add.

“Of course,” he said, “it all goes to China. All of it.” A hesitant question on what the Silent One was on about brought forth a terse reply. “The copper cabling,” he said. “What did you think I was talking about, cover drives?”