Memories of that amazing 438 game

Saturday marks the tenth anniversary of that amazing ODI between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers. Stuart Hess recalls events of that day.

Some of the moments that one can recall from a big event can be downright weird.

For whatever reason when Ricky Ponting was dismissed in the 438 game - Freshlyground’s ‘Doo be doo’, was belted through the public address system at the Wanderers. Very rarely does a Wanderers crowd cheer an opposing player, but that day Ponting, the Australian captain, got a standing ovation as he departed the Bullring.

“Woh, doobee, doobee , doobee do baieee Doobee, doobee, doobee do baieee.”

Saturday will be the 10th anniversary of that match and when people ask what I recall from being there and covering it, off the top of my head I remember Freshlyground’s hit single blasting out in the background as Ponting departed the arena after his pulsating innings of 164.

The other memory involves Gavin Hood. Exactly a week earlier the film Tsotsi, which he directed, had won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Hood, and the two stars of the movie; Presley Chweneyagae and Terry Pheto, were parading the Oscar around the field during the mid-match lunch break.

I’m not sure how much Hood knows about cricket, but in thanking the crowd, who were politely cheering the trio while coming to terms with what they’d just witnessed from Australia’s batsmen, he exclaimed his complete confidence that South Africa would win. “We’re gonna win!” Hood screamed. A lot of people laughed. Loudly. I may have too. 435? Come off it, Gavin Hood, nice Oscar dude, well done, now get back to the Long Room and continue quaffing champers, may have been in my thoughts.

I’m not sure how many people actually left the Wanderers at the lunch break that day. Many say the stands emptied out. I don’t remember it being like that. A lot of people remained, perhaps too numb to move. I’ve had one person admit to me that he did leave. I heard from another gentleman, who lived near the ground, that he got a ticket from an angry bloke who’d left, which the person used to later get into the stadium so he got a chance to witness history.

Looking back 10 years later the 438 game - left an indelible mark on South African sport. It’s not in the category of the 95 Rugby World Cup win or the 96 Africa Cup of Nations win - as I rather over-excidetly claimed the following day a decade ago - but it’s a much valued and important landmark.

And if my memories of that day aren’t topped by Herschlle Gibbs hitting sixes, or Ponting handing over his share of the Man of the Match award then I don’t mind. Gavin Hood, an Oscar and Freshlyground - ‘Who, Doobee dobee, doobee do baieee.’ - The Star