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There'll be cheerleaders to celebrate each four, six and wicket
© S Rajesh
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If it's Twenty20, it has to be about music and dance. That's exactly what hit us the moment we entered the Wanderers early in the afternoon. The occasion: preparation for a brief opening ceremony on Tuesday. It's only likely to last about 15 minutes, but music and dance will be as integral to the game as bat and ball - there'll be cheerleaders to celebrate each four, six and wicket, while more music will accompany each batsman to the crease. It promises to be fun.
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Twenty20 is all about youth and energy, and there was plenty of both around in the morning at the ground. It wasn't all happy at the start,though. A group of about 20 children from the King David school in Linksfield came expecting to see some of their heroes - Jonty Rhodes, Makhaya Ntini, AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs were all mentioned in the list - but were denied entry into the practice area by overzealous security. The wait was frustrating, but it paid off in the end, as permission was granted, access was allowed, and the kids chirped out with
dozens of autographs.
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There was another group of kids for whom this trip to the Wanderers would
have perhaps meant even more. As part of the ICC's program with UNICEF, a
group of kids from the Johannesburg Child Welfare Society visited the
ground and spent time with the South African team. Graeme Smith and
Rhodes had a visibly enjoyable time offering catching practice to the
children, for whom this was probably one of their most unforgettable days.
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