In the decade after South Africa’s readmission to international cricket, Daryll Cullinan was one of the standard bearers of the batting line-up. He made 14 centuries in 70 Tests and retired with a batting average of 44.21. Most would say that he was exceptionally gifted without being an all-time great.
So, when halfway through the Durban Test, he had a go at Jacques Kallis, one whose place in the pantheon is in no doubt, more than a few eyebrows were raised.
After the third day of the match ended with Kallis unbeaten on 78, Cullinan had plenty to say on a post-match analysis show.
“Sadly, the match has degenerated into a Kallis show,” he said. “He was a great cricketer, let us give him that, but take a step back from that, there is a Test match on the go and there is a series to win and I don’t get the impression South Africa are interested in that.”
Strong words, and ones that do not look very wise a day later with India facing an uphill battle for survival. No one will argue that Kallis’s 115 was a fluent bare-knuckle effort that had fans in a tizzy. What they cannot dispute, however, is the value of the innings to a team that was in real strife at 113 for three on the third morning.
Cricket is a game of partnerships, and Kallis added 127 with AB de Villiers and 86 with Dale Steyn. A 58-run stand with JP Duminy was sandwiched between the two. In total, he faced 316 balls and defied India for 393 minutes.
The likes of MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan must be sick of the sight of him. On their last tour here in 2010/11, he started off with a double-century, his first, at Centurion, before a hundred in each innings on home turf in Cape Town denied India what would have been a first series win on South African soil.
At one stage in the second innings, South Africa led by just 128 with only four wickets remaining. Kallis was batting a rib injury, and he winced wince after almost every stroke. He would add 103 with Mark Boucher, and bat for a total for 380 minutes and 240 balls to ensure that it was South Africa that finished the series stronger.
When people recall that series though, it is invariably the tussle between Sachin Tendulkar and Dale Steyn at Newlands that they enthuse about. Tendulkar finished that series with two hundreds and 326 runs. Kallis had three centuries and 498 runs. Look at those numbers, and you can begin to understand why those that champion Kallis’s credentials – not that he needs it – feel that he has not got the plaudits he deserves.
Thus, Cullinan’s view – one that will not win too many friends back home – is especially interesting.
“One thing that was shared by a few bowlers that played against South Africa, is that they never felt that Kallis could hurt them, they felt they could bowl at him, that there were always more dangerous players around him,” he said.
“I have always felt Jacques Kallis [often misses the opportunity] to stamp his authority on the game. That’s why there will always be question marks over where he fits in the bigger picture of the true cricketing greats.”
That seems like a ridiculous thing to say of someone who has 13,289 runs and 45 Test hundreds, but he does have a point. When I interviewed Glenn McGrath a decade ago, I asked him how he would bowl to the elite batsmen of his era. He was especially animated when talking of Tendulkar and Brian Lara, and of tussles he had with Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden in domestic cricket.
Echoing Cullinan’s words, McGrath spoke of those four and even Inzamam-ul-Haq as those who could upset a bowler’s plans with the brilliance and audacity of their stroke play. He seemed less worried by the steady accumulators like Kallis and Rahul Dravid, men he felt hurt you more with patience than anything else.
On his day, Kallis could be beautiful strokeplayer. His driving and cutting were pristine, a lesson for any kids learning the game, but you seldom saw him play with real freedom. There was always the feeling that the handbrake was on, that one foot hovered over clutch and brake.
Old-timers often scoff at comparisons between Kallis and Sir Garfield Sobers, once universally accepted as the greatest all-round cricketer ever.
I can understand why. Kallis was a byword for efficiency with bat and ball – someone you could rely on to come good when the team needed it most. Sobers, who often turned up in the dressing room in the previous night’s tuxedo, inhabited the other extreme. In that sense, comparing the two is as silly as contrasting the careers of Tendulkar and Dravid.
All you need to know is Kallis was in the Sobers class, and he is likely to leave the game with a match-winning hundred to his name.
There are many all-time greats, flamboyant and otherwise, who would have loved such a farewell.
sports@thenational.ae
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
FIGHT INFO
Men’s 60kg Round 1:
Ahmad Shuja Jamal (AFG) beat Krisada Takhiankliang (THA) - points
Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) beat Akram Alyminee (YEM) - retired Round 1
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Bhanu Pratap Pandit (IND) - TKO Round 1
Men’s 71kg Round 1:
Seyed Kaveh Soleyman (IRI) beat Abedel Rahman (JOR) - RSC round 3.
Amine Al Moatassime (UAE) walk over Ritiz Puri (NEP)
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Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
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