02:17
Muhammad Aslam
South Africa’s squad for the three Twenty20 matches was recognisable only by the tracksuits worn by the players as they touched down in Adelaide on Tuesday, minus all their stars.
Dale Steyn, who is yet to forgive Michael Clarke for reportedly calling him a cheat in a bitter aftermath to this year’s Test series, has remained behind in Sydney.
WATSON RETURNS FROM THE WILDERNESS
AB de Villiers, accused by David Warner of ball tampering, and paceman Morne Morkel, who broke Clarke’s shoulder with a vicious spell of bowling in Cape Town, have been holidaying with their partners in Byron Bay.
Faf du Plessis, who likened the Australians to a pack of dogs, and run-machine Hashim Amla, are still at home in South Africa.
The big five won’t officially join their teammates until November 10 when the five-match one-day series gets underway in Perth.
In fact, one of the only international players of note in this South African T20 squad is 15-Test spinner Robin Peterson — ironically the only man to visit the Australian dressing room for a beer following the dramatic series win by Clarke’s side back in March.
The rest of the Proteas wanted nothing to do with the chirpy Australians, and those tensions boiled over to a one-day tri-series in Zimbabwe in August.
South Africa captain de Villiers claimed that the Australians’ sledging in the Test series had become personal, and said Clarke’s men couldn’t expect the Proteas to be mates with them off the field as a result.
Clarke, who apologised to Steyn both in person and in the media following their blow-up, indicated in Zimbabwe that Australia wouldn’t be losing any sleep if the Proteas were holding grudges.
Shane Watson — another protagonist from the Test series who will line-up against South Africa in the T20s — predicted the verbal battle will pick up where it left off.
“Relations were a bit rocky, no doubt,” said Watson.
“There might be a few scars floating around from that Test tour that might pop up a little bit.”
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