OPINION: Where is the love for the Proteas when they play Test cricket?

How very sad that so few fans seem interested in the first Test that is being played between South Africa’s Proteas and the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Or, rather, that Cricket South Africa really have now shown how they feel about Test cricket, despite the fact they continue to say it is important to them.

I’ll also bet you there are a decent number of sports fans out there who probably don’t even know that a Test match is going on in Centurion, and actually couldn’t be bothered by what is happening.

Is this what it’s come to in South Africa regarding the purest format of the game?

Tuesday and Wednesday starts

So many questions can be asked.

Yes, there are always time issues and schedules at play, but why start a Test on a Tuesday, especially when the opposition are not as strong as some other teams and are not the biggest crowd pullers?

Surely it would have been more beneficial and better for all involved to start the Test on a Saturday, when cricket fans can actually get to the ground, and hopefully have two full days with an atmosphere.

Starting a five-day Test on a Tuesday means the match might not even get to Saturday.

And it’s not much better regarding the start of the second Test — a Wednesday, at the Wanderers, next week.

Surely maximising the weekends should be the goal for CSA and stakeholders?

SA20, Women’s T20 World Cup

It’s all a big come down following what has happened in South African cricket over the last two months.

First, the SA20 was a major success, with most of the grounds across the country drawing big crowds.

The Women’s T20 World Cup followed, with matches in Cape Town, Paarl and Gqeberha, and that, too, attracted many fans. The matches involving the Proteas were especially well attended.

While Twenty20 cricket is the big money-spinner, all over the world, and possibly the future of the game, it’s unfortunate that not much is being done (or so it seems) to keep Test cricket relevant and important.

Surely CSA could have made a bit of a bigger deal about the on-going series and been smarter about dates and venues. Or, is that expecting too much?