Markram faces his Faf moment
The South African cricket team is struggling against Australia in a Test match plagued by power outages, security issues, and poor batting performance. The team faces a significant deficit and a difficult path to avoid defeat.
Why it matters
The match highlights the logistical and performance challenges facing international cricket in South Africa.
How much worse can this get? Bad light has plagued the Kingsmead Test, and on Monday there were no lights at all because a power outage struck central Durban shortly after 8am.
The gizmos needed for the match to go ahead as planned — DRS, communications between the onfield and television umpires, and such — had backup batteries. Happily the electricity fluttered back into life minutes before the players took the field.
On Friday a set of keys was stolen from a supposedly secure area at the ground and a car driven out of the ground. For days several streets not far from the cricket heaved with xenophobic unrest, which has since eased with the help of the army.
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