Top cricketing nations and the trait they are associated with
Cricket is a game of diversities which may pertain to its various different aspects such as playing conditions, style of play and approach towards the game. While the sport remains the same anywhere it is played, it is these small diversities that make it look different across the different cricket-playing countries.Over the past several years, some of the top cricketing nations have been linked to certian traits which seemingly set them apart from the others. Each country has its own trait which goes a long way in defining the way cricket is played there.Let’s take a look at 5 top cricketing nations and the trait they are associated with:
#5 South Africa - Pace
Just like Pakistan, South African cricket too has been primarily associated with pace throughout their cricketing history. The only difference is that they also have the conditions which are ideal for nurturing pace bowlers in their own backyard.
Rolling back the years to the time before they were banned from playing international cricket, it was fast bowlers like Neil Adcock and Peter Pollock who were South Africas primary strengths. And ever since their return to cricket in the early 1990s, things have only got better for the Proteas in terms of fast bowling.
It began with the likes of Allan Donald and Fanie de Villiers, the former being a terror for batsmen in his heyday and Shaun Pollock soon joined in. Donalds exit brought in another champion fast bowler in Makhaya Ntini who joined forces with Pollock to maintain the dominance of South African pacers in world cricket.
A few years later, the baton got passed on to the men who are currently carrying the mantle of the countrys fast bowling legacy, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. While these two dont even look close to stopping at this point, the Proteas already have young pacers like Kagiso Rabada knocking at the door.
This goes a long way in explaining why pace is the trait that fits South African cricket best.