Lucky Mdluli
Maye, isikhathi sezimangaliso sesiphelile ngempela. Bekuzohlala njalo kuyimpumelelo eyisimanga uma iNingizimu Afrika inqoba ohlangothini oludlangile lwe-Pakistan emdlalweni wesibili e-Rawalpindi – kodwa kwakuncike kubo bonke abashayayo abeza ephathini.
Ikhadi lesikolo lasebusuku likhombise isimo esihle sabashayi baseNingizimu Afrika. Ngisho amabhola ka-Elgar ayi-17 emabholeni angama-24 akhombise ukuzimisela. UMarkram uthole amagoli ayi-108 amahle ngesikhathi kubalulekile.
UTemba Bavuma, oyisidlakela phakathi kwamadoda, angahlala ethemjelwa ekuhlanzeni izindebe zakhe, akhiphe isilevu sakhe, futhi aphume elwa, noma ngabe wenza amaphuzu amakhulu noma cha. Kulokhu, wenze isabelo sakhe, wafaka umhlane wakhe kuso wafaka ama-run ayi-61.
Bese kulandela uFaf du Plessis noQuinton de Kock.
Abathembekile, ngokwazi ukuthi laba abashayayo abanethalente bangathola ama-runs, bebenethemba lokuthi, kanye nje, bazokhiqiza ama-run ayikhulu noma ngaphezulu phakathi kwabo.
Yebo, uFaf uphumile, washaya amane nelilodwa, ngaphambi kokuba uHasan Ali ambambele i-lbw phambi kwezinduku. UDe Kock uthathe uhambo olude waya enkundleni, wathola ibhola lokuqala waphosa, wabe esehamba ibanga elide ebuyela egumbini lokushintshela – indlu yokugezala ibingekho.
Eminyakeni eyikhulu eyedlule, uJohn Clayton wabhala incwadi emfushane kakhulu ebhalela umbhali wemidlalo yethemba. Yayibhalwe ukuthi: “Mnumzane othandekayo, ngiwufundile umdlalo wakho. Awu, mnumzane othandekayo.”
Incwadi ebhalelwe uQuinton de Kock ekhuluma ngobuholi ingafundeka kanje: “Mnumzane othandekayo, abantu babheke ukusebenza kwakho njengokaputeni. Awu, mnumzane, othandekayo.”