@maxbjourno
So they have got ‘ticker’ after all.
Australia recovered from a harrowing Cape Town Test to level the two-match contest – I refuse to call it a series – in Johannesburg.
Their sterling fifth day effort with the bat at the Wanderers brought a fitting climax to a disgracefully short, yet thoroughly gripping contest.
Who would have thought that Mitchell Johnson, so wildly incompetent with the ball, would emerge a hero with the bat?
Although that’s hardly relevant, and surviving on occasional glories of the past in the hope that lightning strikes twice should not be reason enough for the new Australian selectors to spare him.
Ricky Ponting defied the vultures circling over his Test career with a dogged 62 in the fourth innings, probably securing his place for the start of the Aussie summer.
But enough of the negatives, as one tourist enjoyed a superb debut in Johannesburg.
18-year-old Pat Cummins was ultimately forced to lead the attack with Shane Watson hamstrung, Peter Siddle innocuous and Johnson being Johnson.
Cummins looked jaded in spells – he’s played next to no First Class cricket in his life – but soldiered on to take 6/79 in the second innings before coolly knocking off the winnings runs on Monday as a terrified, white-as-a-sheet number eleven, Nathan Lyon, thanked his God of choice from the balcony.
His future could be a bright one if they look after him properly, as England start to reap the long-term rewards of singling out Steve Finn for special treatment during his breakthrough year.
There were highlights for South Africa, too, despite passing up the opportunity of a first home ‘series’ win over the Aussies since readmission.
Hashim Amla notched a classy century in each match while Graeme Smith’s unbeaten ton in Cape Town led his side to victory in an unbelievable first Test.
As with the tourists, it was a bowler on debut who shone brightest.
Man of The Series Vernon Philander bowled with accuracy and an intelligence that belied his lack of Test experience, while clearly showing why his First Class average is below 20.
He, along with Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, will make for exciting viewing in English conditions next summer.
So we move on from Sofa Towers and, after a timely break to recharge the batteries - or hibernate, in Hendo’s case – we should be back for England’s tour of the Emirates to take on Pakistan in January.
In the meantime we’ll be Tweeting, blogging and the like to keep things ticking over before our glorious rebirth in 2012.
Thanks for listening, we'll see you all then.
Max.