There is something that just hits different about a one-day international at the Wanderers.
Perhaps it’s the enthusiastic car guards’ enactment of a textbook Jacques Kallis forward defensive shot to entice you to choose one of them to guide you to the parking lot as you make your way up Corlett Drive.
Or the tangible electricity in the air that only a capacity “Bullring” crowd can generate.
This is ramped up even further when the opposition are Australia, that gets these Joburgers bristling like no other.
Many are not shy to tell you “I was here” on that historic day back in 2006, when Australia were humbled.
There are certainly plenty of reminders plastered around this coliseum of South African cricket of its greatest day.
From the “438” memorial shine that sits underneath the Unity Stand to various other cut-outs featuring Herschelle Gibbs’ marvellous 175, to Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini embracing each other after the winning runs were struck upon entering the Charles Fortune Media Centre.
But yesterday was about creating new memories. And with the ODI series deadlocked at 2-2 – just like it was 17 years ago – the stage was set for another epic encounter in the storied history of these two great rivals.
Initially, it was not going to script. The home crowd were stunned into silence when captain Temba Bavuma was left sprawling on the lush turf – run out for his first ODI duck.
Everyone wanted a retake. Like when the legendary WG Grace said, “They came to see me bat, not you bowl” and promptly put the bails back on his stumps after being bowled first ball in the last game of his career – but to no avail.
Quinton de Kock was, though, indeed playing his last ODI in SA. It was a full circle moment, for it was here that he started his career while still a schoolboy close by at King Edward VII School (KES).
And it is here that he has always been shown unconditional love – regardless of his delinquent behaviour elsewhere.
Everyone wanted nothing more than one last breathtaking innings to bid De Kock farewell on a high note. Alas, it was not to be.
There were four boundaries to wet the appetite – one sumptuous straight drive that saw De Kock hold the pose – but he departed for 27 off 39 balls after being caught at slip.
Although disappointed, the Wanderers rose in unison to give an emotional De Kock, who acknowledged the applause by raising his bat, a standing ovation all the way back to the dressing-room.
From here on, the sole focus switched to how much the Proteas would actually manage after the early wobble.
Aiden Markram and David Miller ensured the bowlers would have something to defend, before Marco Jansen and prodigal son Andile Phehlukwayo had everyone dancing to the tunes of that 2010 World Cup hit “Waka Waka” with a few lusty blows towards the end.
The party had now officially started, confirmed with the parachutists who came flying out of the clear highveld sky during the break.
The Australians simply had no chance against the sea of green that was now all encompassing.
And so it proved, with Jansen following up his batting pyrotechnics with a maiden five-wicket haul, and Keshav Maharaj completing his fairytale comeback with four wickets on the very ground where he snapped his Achilles just six months ago.
By now, the crowd was in full voice, with the open bleachers raising the roof, especially when the Springboks’ 76-0 winning scoreline over Romania at the Rugby World Cup was read out over the loud speakers to add to the frenzied atmosphere.
“The Wanderers crowd psyches you up like few other places. You just feed off the energy. I wanted to run in and bowl six bouncers in a row,” Jansen beamed after the 122-run victory.
It was the perfect World Cup send off, with the Gwijo Squad and brass band striking up a few local tunes that the Proteas will certainly hold dear when they are far away in India in a couple of weeks’ time.
@ZaahierAdams