Johan Botha had heard about it. Now, he’s seen it for himself.
And the new South Australian cricket captain was shocked to witness a sorry old tale for the Redbacks on day two of their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania on Wednesday.
After watching Ricky Ponting crack seven sixes in an unbeaten 85 as Tasmania amassed 3(dec)-403, the Redbacks crashed to 7-93 at stumps.
Tasmanian paceman Luke Butterworth claimed five wickets and SA lost 5-10 in a spectacular collapse to surrender any chance of ending their streak of 17 Shield games without a win.
South African Botha, captaining the Redbacks for the first time, had been briefed about SA’s capacity to implode – but he was still alarmed to witness it.
“You have heard about it, and I have played in teams where it happens,” Botha said.
“It’s just momentum and it’s hard to stop.
“You have got to find one or two guys in your batting innings to just put their hand up and get a big partnership and stop the other team from rolling over you.”
Only Callum Ferguson (48) and second-gamer Sam Miller (23) reached double-figures as Butterworth sliced through SA’s batsmen, taking 5-29.
Butterworth initially took two wickets in four balls, including SA recruit Phil Hughes for three, as the home side slumped to 2-9.
Hughes was caught by Ponting at third slip – in identical fashion to dismissals which curtailed his Test career last summer: an angled fend across his body producing a nick to the cordon.
Ferguson and Miller seemingly steadied SA with a 63-run stand for the third wicket.
But Butterworth, returning for a second spell, dismissed Miller to trigger a collapse in which SA lost five wickets in 37 balls.
All-rounder James Faulkner took the other two wickets as Tasmania seized complete control, despite almost three hours of play being lost to rain on the second day.
“It was very tough,” Botha said.
“Now it looks really bad … but I’m sure the guys will try their best to fight back.”
Earlier, Ponting tuned up for the Test summer with a stylish 85, hitting the most sixes (seven) he’d ever tallied in a Shield innings.
But Ponting’s knock, which ended only when Tasmania declared in fear of losing too much time because of the rain, was eclipsed by Alex Doolan’s superb 149 and Mark Cosgrove’s 104.