| Concentrating on the
game Friday, 23 November, 2001 BBC Sport Online columnist Neil McKenzie concentrates on his own form, and keeps an eye on the rugby, going into the unofficial Test against India. So we're back in the golden city of Jo'burg for the third and final Test match against Indian, the match being played up the road at SuperSport Park, my home ground. There has been a lot of controversy since the second Test in Port Elizabeth where Sachin Tendulkar was fined and handed a suspended ban for ball tampering or lifting the seam. Who knows if the match referee went a bit over the top? My view is that he has a job to do, he's an ICC official and we need to abide by his decisions, whether we like them or not. The same can be said for the umpires out there in the middle. They obviously reported some on-field situations to the match referee so I don't think he is solely responsible for the predicament that cricket finds itself in. Pre-Test preparation Off the field, I had my customary two-nights-before drink with some of my team-mates and friends at our local pub on Wednesday night. Needless to say I was there with Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher and holding up their tradition that has seen us to many a Test match win. It's always good to be back home but back-to-back Tests don't leave much time to indulge in too many off-field activities. Golf, gym and squash will have to take a back seat until next week when we have four days off before leaving for Australia. On a personal note, I did not have the best of matches in PE and I'm feeling a little disappointed that I got myself out. First I played over the top of one and then in the second innings just following another from Srinath and nicking off to the keeper. I've set myself certain goals for the season and one of them is to value my wicket and not throw it away. Obviously I've felt a little dejected about this performance but like most things in life, you hopefully learn from your mistakes a big score into a bigger score to make up for runs lost so far. This weekend sees the Springbok rugby team up against England at Twickenham. I've got to admit that the England team is a powerful and formidable one and playing probablythe best rugby in the world at the moment. To beat Australia so convincingly last weekend was a great result for them. However, we all know that sport itself is unpredicatble and I reckon the Bokke probably have a few aces up their sleeves and could spring a surprise. I've never actually witnessed an international match at Twickers and hopefully one day, when cricket doesn't dominate my life (and I'm pleased that it does, believe me) I may get to one of those stirring matches. |