Sport · Singapore Bureau
T20 cricket ties easing tensions between South Africa, Australia
South Africa spinner Simon Harmer believes the shorter format of Twenty20 cricket has helped ease the animosity that characterised Australia's previous Test tour, with the two nations set to begin a three-match series at Kingsmead on Friday.
LSN Singapore ·
DURBAN — South Africa's Simon Harmer expressed optimism that upcoming T20 clashes with Australia will proceed without the hostile atmosphere that marked the visitors' last Test tour to the country.
The Proteas spinner attributed the improved relations partly to the influence of Twenty20 cricket, which he suggested has fostered a more collegial environment among international teams despite fierce on-field competition.
"The T20 format has definitely softened some of the edges," Harmer said ahead of the opening match at Kingsmead on Friday. The three-match series represents an opportunity for both nations to compete intensely while maintaining the respect that has increasingly characterised shorter-format international cricket.
Australia's previous Test tour was marked by significant tension between the teams, with various incidents generating considerable controversy. The shift to T20 cricket offers a different dynamic, with compressed schedules and the carnival-like atmosphere of the format potentially creating a different competitive environment.
The series will provide early indication of whether the improved relations between the two cricket nations hold firm when competition intensifies on the field.