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Daily Maverick
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
More decolonisation may be necessary to fully liberate us from the reveries of Empire
I was recently reminded of a former colleague who, in the early 1990s, spoke fondly and frequently about 'Lord Robin' and, I recall, he referred to 'Sir Robin' (as fondly and as frequently) – with reference to Robin Renwick, the British Ambassador to South Africa in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The mnemonic was an obituary of Dick Foxton, in which the writer reminisced, with the pride of a pubescent schoolboy, about the thrill of wearing a Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) bowtie. This took me to the way that the decolonisation of public spaces and institutions movement, that peaked during the #feesmustfall and #rhodesmustfall movements, has dissolved into the background of South African politics; how the ' decolonisation of the mind ' never quite made a measurable change to the way we frame discussions in the mainstream; and how nostalgia for empire (and artefacts like the MCC bowtie) and clinging to colonial practices continue to pervade South African society. There are three things up for discussion here; the apparent dissolution of the decolonisation movement; stubborn clinging to the former colonial (British) systems of honour and recognition — as if they applied universally; and the nostalgia for (and pride in) the signs, symbols and artefacts of empire, notably in the cricket community. I should get two things out of the way. One is that people can support any sports team or club or 'nation' they wish. The other is that I come from a family with a deep history in coloured, Malay and Indian cricket (in the former Transvaal). In terms of both, I don't care for South Africa's cricket or rugby teams. The decolonisation movement and docile bodies The decolonisation movement, such as it may have been, was part of the #rhodesmustfall and #feesmustfall protests that peaked in about 2015/2016. This overall movement seems to have gone quiet. This quietening may be ascribed to the docility of the activists that drove the protests. The idea of docile bodies, or of student activists becoming docile is part of the way that institutions and apparatuses of state tend to discipline and punish, or simply 'pull deviants into line', and reorient citizens to fit into behaviour that is acceptable for ruling elites. Whereas this may be construed as a broader social movement, so to speak, and seems to ignore individual agency, individuals tend to become docile when the demands and expectations of life beyond university force compliance. In this respect, we have seen how, say, the 'Woodstock generation', with its love and peace, communal harmony, and utopian vision, seems to have lost its energy, and most of the revellers at Max Yasgur's farm simply became docile and compliant 'establishment' folk. The Occupy Wall Street movement seems to have followed the same route back to blue-blazer middle-class complacency. In both cases the revellers at Max Yasgur's farm and the occupiers of Wall Street kind of accepted their social position as inevitable, and went on to shore up existing power structures. The #rhodesmustfall and #feesmustfall individuals seem to have gone the same way. One reason students abandon their activist zeal after graduation is the urgency of having to repay exorbitant student loans. Nothing disciplines more than does debt. Knighthoods and honours apply to societies that issue them In an essay on maritime trade routes and global political economy I wrote a year or so ago, I referred to 'Walter Raleigh'. The editor of the essay left the reference at that, as did the sub-editors. I had dropped the 'Sir'. I did so because knighthoods bestowed by the English monarchy do not apply to the rest of the world. It is relevant only if you believe that the English monarchy has the right to tell the world whom to call 'Sir' or 'Lord' or 'Dame', and you curry favour with references to 'Lord Robin' or 'Sir Robin'… We do not, for instance, use the Japanese equivalent of knighthood (Samurai) or the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum when we refer to Japanese people of that stature. I can't imagine reference, among South Africans, to The Most Illustrious Order of Tri Shakti Patta when addressing a Nepalese recipient conferred with that order. Nor, for that matter, do we refer to the Malaysian Prime Minister as Dato Sri Anwar Ebrahim; the (rotating) King of Malaysia confers the title 'Dato Sri' to individuals who have made significant and exceptional contributions to that country. But we will refer to 'Sirs' or 'Dames' when we talk about British citizens who have received the honours. Whether we like it or not, knighthoods are not recognised — or should not be honoured — by people beyond the borders of the UK. There are, to be sure, some of us who would insist on using these honorifics derived from the Middle Ages in Europe, yet pay scant attention to The Order of Mapungubwe. This, I believe, is what happens when we cling to colonial beliefs, values, artefacts and practices. Which brings me to cricket, the pride of the MCC, and the nostalgiacs. The MCC, cricket and empire One of the very few conservative streaks that I have is a love for Test cricket, and an intense dislike of the Indian Premier League. The latter is too noisy, too crass in its iconography and imagery; I have never liked the idea of dancing girls at sporting events, or anywhere else for that matter. The cynosure of these dancing girls at sporting events is cheerleading, which began with the elite male privilege and masculinities of Americans in the 19th century. Cheerleading in the USA is a sordid affair. While that's a whole different story, the dancing girls at IPL matches make it difficult to watch that spectacle with its riotous colours, sights and sounds. As much as I enjoy cricket, I am also aware of its colonial heritage and (especially) how (like the English language) we in the countries that were once part of the British empire have adopted the game and redeployed it, so to speak. Cricket in particular has played a 'civilising' role in maintaining British rule in its colonial possessions as well as defining a quintessentially British identity. Cricket in particular was more than a leisurely sport. It served as a vector for carrying British imperial beliefs, values and practices to its colonial territories. From the writings of the Trinidadian historian, CLR James, we understand the way that cricket became the symbol of imperial solidarity and superiority, and epitomised a set of consolidatory moral imperatives that both exemplified and explained imperial ambition and achievement. Cricket became a political metaphor as much as an imperial game. (See here, and here). There are, nonetheless, those good people who cling to the pride and privilege, and schoolboy thrills of the MCC bowtie — and they're all innocents, mind you. I remember interviewing Ali Bacher (about the Mike Gatting Rebel Tour in 1989/90) many years ago, and he was quite oblivious of the old coloured Transvaal Cricket team that my uncles were part of in the 1940s and 1950s. The late Vishnu Padayachee reminded us, when he explained that 'Ali Bacher did very well under apartheid. He has done even better in the 15 years since Nelson Mandela's release from Robben Island. … What is also very evident is that Dr Bacher appears to have slid from operating under one regime to the next seamlessly. There is no epiphanous moment here, no expression of regret, no apology for the various and highly controversial roles he played in propping up white cricket both as a player and administrator [and insisted that white cricket in South Africa] 'had to continue to find its own way along the rebel road'.' About Bacher, sports historian Goolam Vahed wrote 'there needs to be greater accountability among those who now cloak their past collaboration with apartheid. The same applies to the process that led to unity… There will be twists in the story of how Ali Bacher, who tried so hard to destroy non-racial cricket through rebel tours and clandestine tactics in apartheid South Africa, came to lead post-apartheid cricket.' It is in this post-apartheid era that the nostalgiacs hide their empire masks behind smiles and platitudes. It shows up, every so often, with reminiscences about the MCC and how warm and fuzzy our compatriots feel.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
For Archer, pace is ace
The clock had just ticked over to 1.46 p.m. on a warm Friday afternoon when Jamie Smith, the England wicketkeeper-batter, edged Mohammed Siraj to substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. In itself, it was a significant moment in the third Test. Smith had been a thorn in India's side in both preceding Tests, had been dropped by K.L. Rahul at second slip off the same bowler when only five some two and a half hours previously and had breezed to 51 when Siraj finally had his man. As Smith walked off to a warm applause, a lithe figure sprang off his seat in the dressing-room, made his long walk down the stairs, past the Marylebone Cricket Club members in the Long Room and emerged into the sunlight. It set off a more frenzied round of approbation from the 20,000-plus fans at Lord's. The man walking out, at No. 10, hadn't played Test cricket for more than four years. This was his return to the five-day game, after numerous false alarms. Jofra Archer had become England cricket's Most Valuable Property even before he first represented the country, in a One-Day International against Ireland in Malahide on 3 May 2019, just weeks before the start of the 50-over home World Cup. Formerly having played for West Indies at the Under-19 level in 2013, he made the move to England because he had a British passport – his father is English – and quickly made people sit up and take notice with his blistering pace from an unhurried run-up and an explosive but effortless action. Dream start It took him three years after his Sussex debut to win the nod to represent his adopted country – he was born in Bridgetown, Barbados – and he celebrated his England debut with three wickets in four successive matches at the World Cup, against Bangladesh, West Indies, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. He then defended 15, just about, in the Super Over after the final against New Zealand ended in a tie in regulation time, conceding just two runs off the last two deliveries to facilitate another tie, at the end of which England were declared champions, for the first time, on boundary countback. Archer's Test debut came exactly a month later, on 14 August 2019, also at Lord's in the highest-profile clash of a high-profile summer – the second of five Ashes Tests. Archer's reputation had preceded him at the World Cup; now, having seen him in action, the Australians were even more wary of the threat he posed. The lanky quick had to wait nearly 100 minutes for his first wicket, Cameron Bancroft who was trapped leg before, but by the end of the Australian first innings, he had shown himself to be the real deal. The defining moment of the Test came later in Australia's first innings, with Steve Smith – in his second Test cricket after a ban for his part in the sandpapergate scandal in Cape Town in March 2018 – batting on 80. Smith had uncorked 144 and 142 in the first Test in Birmingham whilst singing the redemption song, and was holding Australia's innings together with 80 of the finest in his team's 203 for six. Armed with the second new ball, Archer stunned him with a sickening blow to the back of his head with a ball that spat off a length and kept following the champion batter. Smith went down in a heap, retired hurt, came back to make 92 but was ruled out of the second innings, and the next Test, with concussion. It was a terrible moment, but it was also the moment when the legend of Archer started to take shape. Archer played each of the next three Tests, taking six for 45 in his third Test innings, in Leeds, and rounding off the series with six for 62 in the first innings of the final Test at The Oval. With 22 wickets in four Tests, he had justified the hype, he had showcased his substance, his X-Factor, his ability to make things, to shake batters up, to bring the spectators to the edges of their seat. Injury woes Over in India, Jasprit Bumrah was making waves with his own uniqueness. Test cricket braced for Archer to join him in the destruction stakes. What an exciting time ahead. In theory, yes. As it turned out, while Bumrah has gone on to greater things and kept his tryst with superstar performances, Archer hasn't followed suit, largely through no fault of his. Fast bowlers have a few obvious target areas that stymie their progress – knees and ankles, the back. Not many have, however, had the misfortune of courting one injury after the other to the elbow. Archer's uniqueness, it would appear, isn't restricted to his bowling alone. Between his debut and February 2021, in a little over a year and a half, Archer played 13 Tests for 42 wickets, around his early jousts with injuries. Then, his five-day career hit an absolute roadblock. Every time he was primed for a return, the spectre of injury raised its ugly head all over again. The sense of déjà vu was unmistakable, matched only by the peaking of the frustration levels – of Archer, of the England team management, of the other stakeholders of English cricket, and to the average fan who was reconciling to life without Archer in Test cricket, ever again. But Archer himself didn't lose hope. It could have been tempting to go down the white-ball lane, to dump the agony of surgery and rehabilitation to prepare for long bowls in the Test match cauldron. He could have chosen to make a name for himself playing just T20 and 50-over internationals and a fair bit of franchise cricket, and no one would have had an issue. But Test cricket, with its nip-and-tuck and its fascinating highs and lows, appealed to him immensely and Archer told himself that if he didn't play another Test, it wouldn't be for want of trying. The second coming And thus eventuated his second coming, at the same venue where he had made a name for himself in the World Cup final and on his Test debut. Throughout the summer, in the lead-up to the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Nottingham towards the end of May, Archer bombarded Ben Stokes with single-word text messages: 'Zim??' Zim didn't happen; it was destined to be Lord's. After the Zimbabwe Test, as England were playing India in Leeds in the first Test, Archer featured in his first County game for Sussex since the summer of 2021. In Chester-le-Street against Durham, he bowled 18 overs for one for 32, enough to convince Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum that he was ready for Test selection. England didn't rush him back, though. They picked him for Birmingham but gave him time to integrate with the new set-up, only unleashing him at Lord's, the place where he had stacked up numerous happy memories. Archer must have had a song in his heart when he stepped over the boundary rope and took guard against Siraj. He was back, wasn't he? His first ball back was an edge to third-man for four. A quarter of an hour later, he was dismissed by a peach from Bumrah, bowled through the gate. With a wry smile and a resigned mental shrug, he walked off, knowing his time with the ball was not far away. Within 39 minutes, Archer was roaring like a lion, taking off on a wild run that was only halted by the slight figure of Shoaib Bashir running in from long-leg, rocked by the ferocity with which Archer thudded into him. There was a good reason for such frenzied celebration. Archer needed only three deliveries to make his first statement, having his Rajasthan Royals colleague Yashasvi Jaiswal caught in the slips in his first over with a trademark spitting cobra that squared the left-hander up. His next ball, to Karun Nair, screamed past the batter's nose at 93mph. Within four balls of his comeback, Archer had sent down the fastest ball of the series. What else was in store? Four more wickets, as it turned out. Plenty of fire. Numerous 'beat-the-bat' routines. The odd body blow, such as the one Siraj copped on his left bicep late on day five. Jofra Archer was back, unmistakably so. Older, yes. Wiser, for sure. And just as hostile, make no mistake. At Lord's, left was right for Archer – all five of his victims were left-handers, including Jaiswal in both innings and Rishabh Pant in the second, bowled by a beauty that shaped in in the air, straightened brutally on pitching and rushed past his outside edge to send his off-stump cartwheeling. Just the previous over, Pant had charged Archer and swatted him, one-handed (he was favouring his left hand, injured index finger and all), through mid-on for an electric four. 'Charge that,' Archer screamed as he sped past Pant, clearly still rankled at the audacity with which the little 'keeper had treated him just minutes back. Every time Archer had the ball in his right hand, before he set out on that graceful, loping run, two heavy gold chains dangling around his neck, there was a feeling that something was about to happen. It didn't, not all the time, but there was something poignant and visceral in Archer attacking the bowling crease. There was a buzz of anticipation, the expectation that a spectacle was about to unfold. Not many bowlers possess that quality, that reputation. As Joe Root pointed out, the very fact that Stokes turned to a bowler playing his first Test in forever to have a go at the most prolific batter of the series when Shubman Gill walked out to bat in India's first innings was the ultimate show of faith, the ultimate vote of confidence, in Archer's skills. How England treat Archer for the rest of the series will be followed with interest. If he has a say, the 30-year-old would love nothing more than to play at both Old Trafford and The Oval. After all, he has so much catching up to do, doesn't he?
New Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Sport
- New Indian Express
The lords who flock to Lord's
In the early 2000s, the turf of the world's most storied cricket ground was set to be replaced. Those running the show at Lord's realised this was not simply a maintenance task, as it might be at any other venue. This turf, rarely referred to without being called 'hallowed', was special not only to those who scripted sporting history on it; generations grew up tuning into radios to listen to stories of this ground—this mystical place in the middle of London, steeped in history and seemingly in no hurry to acknowledge the present or contemplate the future. So, the smart move was to sell the turf. Some people bought a square foot of soil and turf so that they could be close to cricketing divinity in their backyards. Others had big slabs encased in glass as tabletops in boardrooms. The less wealthy, such as itinerant cricket writers, settled for a small sphere that could sit on a desk as a daily reminder of sporting mystique. If you grew up a cricket nut, especially in one of the British colonies, it was difficult to have a neutral view of Lord's. You were constantly told it was exclusive, not for everyone. You were reminded that scoring a 100 or picking up five wickets to get your name on the honours board there meant more than achieving exactly the same feat on any other ground. You came to believe, even with no real proof, that Lord's was special. Naturally, this sparked widespread devotion; but it also set a flame under the more cynical. Here was a place that represented snobbery and elitism, where only some could come to worship. Naturally, this group decried the obsession with bacon-and-eggs and beige suits, the innate highhandedness and all-round sexism and ageism of the staff, and similar slights, real and perceived, that existed around the venue. As an Indian, it was even more straightforward. After all, our very own Sunil Gavaskar had once been turned away from the ground when he had a valid pass, and felt the cut so deeply that he refused membership of Marylebone Cricket Club—which owns the ground—when it was offered. Such shoddy treatment of Indian cricket royalty simply could not be overlooked.
India Today
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Sachin Tendulkar relishes his spot in a Federer-Borg Grand Slam sandwich
Cricket met tennis royalty in style on Friday as Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar found himself in the middle of a star-studded frame — flanked by Roger Federer and Bjorn Borg at the All England Club. The 50-year-old gave the moment a humorous twist by referring to the photograph as being at the centre of a "Grand Slam sandwich." The post, shared across his social media handles, has since gone viral, sparking joy among fans of both iconic picture features Sachin standing between Federer — the 20-time Grand Slam champion and eight-time Wimbledon winner — and Borg, the Swedish maestro who clinched 11 Grand Slam titles and five Wimbledon crowns. With 31 Grand Slam titles combined between the two tennis greats, Sachin's caption offered a charming blend of wit and sweeter than strawberries & cream at Wimbledon?Finding yourself in the middle of a Grand Slam sandwich. @Wimbledon @rogerfederer Bjrn Borg Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 11, 2025"What's sweeter than strawberries & cream at yourself in the middle of a Grand Slam sandwich."Sachin wrote as caption. Tendulkar was in attendance at Wimbledon along with his wife Anjali and daughter Sara to watch the highly anticipated men's singles semi-final between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and American star Taylor Fritz. Post-match, he was seen catching up with Federer and Borg in the Royal Box — a space reserved for sporting elites and viral post has brought together two global fanbases, with fans celebrating the rare crossover of cricket and tennis legends in a single appearance at Wimbledon continues his busy and high-profile week in London. Earlier, he made headlines by attending the unveiling of his portrait at the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Museum, a significant honour bestowed on him just before the start of the third Test between India and England at Lord's. Tendulkar also had the honour of ringing the iconic Lord's bell to signal the beginning of the day's play — a ceremonial privilege given to cricketing greats.- Ends
NDTV
11-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Sachin Tendulkar's Mega Observation On India Captain Shubman Gill: "His Heartbeat Is Always..."
Shubman Gill has done a good job in "putting things together" for a young Indian Test side and the new captain's skills and composure have stood out in his initial days in the role, noted the legendary Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday. Gill has led from the front, hammering 585 runs with three centuries including a double ton against England in the first two Tests of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Two of these centuries came in the second Test at Birmingham where Gill scored 269 and 161 to set up India's first ever win at this venue, by a massive 336 runs. "It's good for world cricket when a young team which is trying to organise themselves as a strong unit, they're coming together, making sure who plays what role in the team," Tendulkar told a gathering at Lord's during the unveiling of his portrait at the MCC Museum. "I think Shubman has done a good job in putting things together and staying calm. You look at him, you always feel that he's not panicking. He is calm. Remember (in) one of the interviews — (the) post-match interviews — they said that he's calm, his heartbeat is always low, it doesn't matter what the situation of the game is, and that is, I think, (the) foundation to whatever you construct from that," Tendulkar added. Tendulkar acknowledged the depth of talent in Indian cricket and shared that the young batch of players on this five-Test tour have been curious to learn from his vast experience. "Well, it's (Indian cricket) in a great space. We've got a lot of talented players sitting on the bench and that's a good sign. It's a good headache to have; who do you leave out? All players are talented, they are hungry," he said during a chat with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Mark Nicholas. "I bumped with them (over) last couple of days. I've been sharing a few phone calls with them and generally interacting with them. The hunger is very much there, the desire is there, they know that people are expecting something from them." "It's something that India is looking forward to. (They made) a great comeback in the second Test match. (The) first Test match, it was close. I remember my coach telling me, catches win matches, so we dropped a lot of catches." He continued, "At one stage I thought it was a hot potato (which) nobody wanted to catch, but we overcame that in the second game."
