South Africa's brave new world

The last time South Africa lost a one-dayer, England had no chance of winning the Ashes. Australia were the gods of the game, and the fact that the Poms had just won their first Test series in South Africa in 40 years was neither here nor there.

We all knew that the Aussies would burst their bubble of smugness. Of course they would. On another side of the world, Sourav Ganguly shrugged off rumblings about his captaincy with high-caste haughtiness, and Zimbabwe were pathetic. Hang on, they still are. Some things, at least, do not change.

But much has since January 30, when England won a drippy first one-day international in Johannesburg by 26 runs. Since then, South Africa have played 19 ODIs, won 16 of them, tied one, and lost out to the weather in the remaining two games. They will attempt to extend that streak in India, where they will play five one-day internationals.

The most obvious change to the South African situation from January to now is the appointment of Mickey Arthur as coach. So far, so good, said Justin Kemp: "Mickey's such a good human being, he's someone you can trust." But he's hard; he's not scared to put you in your place."

Kemp's view resonates in a still-splintered South African cricket scenario that is haunted deeply and darkly by powerful figures who harbour agendas they would rather the rest of us did not know about. Arthur would seem, at this stage, to be a rare exception. He has but one agenda, and he doesn't mind who knows it: he wants to win. And he seems to understand the importance of using South Africa's complex reality to achieve that goal. In this view, South Africa will win because it is a diverse country, not despite that truth.

The early dividend of Arthur's appointment is a return to the unadulterated cheerfulness that should be the point of departure for all young men who are paid well to travel to exotic places and play games. South Africa's net practices have always been driven by the belief that if you do something hard enough and often enough you will, eventually, get it right. If you don't, keep trying. That hasn't changed, but these days practice sessions seem to snap and crackle with sharper banter and more gleam in the eyes.

"The team is a whole lot more settled," Kemp said. "Individuals aren't looking over their backs the whole time, and they're starting to perform. For me, it helps to know people have confidence in you. When that happens you can start enjoying what you're doing.

"That's a huge factor, but it's not a comfort zone: the guys know they have to perform. But the settled nature of the side has made a huge difference."

Under Arthur, who shares Graeme Smith's headspace, South Africa have aspired to play what they are calling "brave cricket". "It's about not being fearful, about expressing yourself out there and being who you are," Kemp said. "You shouldn't go into your shell when the situation gets tough, instead be the person who wins the game for your country.

"We have been known as chokers in the past, and now we're winning the tight games. We're not afraid, we're wanting the limelight. We want to go out and play almost extravagant cricket. You'd rather fail that way than be cautious and fail."

Neutrals might argue that the selectors have also bought into the "brave cricket" notion, what with their decision to send to India an offspinner who 10 months ago was a medium-pacer. Uncapped Johan Botha was forced into his new role by a back injury, and he is reportedly taking to tweaking at an impressive rate of progress.

Botha, 23, has already fashioned a prototype doosra and his armoury is also growing mentally. "As a spinner you have to have a lot more patience, because you don't have bouncers and yorkers anymore," he said. "I wasn't that quick as a seamer, but I was quite aggressive in terms of body language and that sort of thing, and I've learnt that you can't just throw your toys as a spinner."

Along with Robin Peterson and Justin Ontong, Botha is one of three slow bowlers in South Africa's squad of 15. Given that Peterson and Ontong own 17 wickets from 39 one-day internationals between them, and that it's a struggle to name South African spinners worthy of the designation beyond Hugh Tayfield, John Traicos - who is in any case an Egyptian-born Zimbabwean - Pat Symcox and the googly quartet of 1907, taking three, umm, spinners on a two-week jaunt comprised solely of one-day matches smacks of desperation.

Or is it bravery?