Lucky 13 - the Proteas XIII versus England's IX.''Come on, lucky 13!'' Superstitious Proteas fans believe the current English team, including South African expats on Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss, is an auspicious omen.

There is no love lost between South Africa captain Graeme Smith and once South African, now English glam-pop cricketer Pietersen. The fall-out was, as ever, over a sportsman's right to re-align himself within international cricket. The prodigal son, KP, took offence when Smith refuted his allegations that he didn't have a future in South Africa and thus England was his only escape (any local-development minded individual would fire bullet holes in that type of logic).

Pietersen snapped back with a vicious heavy-handed personal attack and called the South African a 'muppet' - and thus began the hate-hate relationship between the ex-compatriots.

'Proteas supporters believe England having everything to do in the upcoming showdown against South Africa, the best team in 2008, while their side looks about as menacing as Elton John biting a pillow'


I personally have never like the pop star-like Pietersen. He reminds me of Lance Klusener having a bad-hair day, so he's dead to me and England can happily have him, lock, stock and barrel.

Andrew Strauss...a Johannesburger. Well, the more of them we can get rid of the better. I'm actually not aware of any bad-blood between Strauss and the Proteas and he seems to follow the Allan Lamb school of thought when it comes to bagging his homeland, i.e. do it with the bat! Not that KP hasn't done that, too, but KP's total lack of class is the difference.

Whatever the case, Proteas supporters believe England having everything to do in the upcoming showdown against South Africa, the best team in 2008, while their side looks about as menacing as Elton John biting a pillow.

Lucky 13 omen aside, the Proteas have planted Andre Nel in England for the last three months to do a reccy of the place prior to their arrival. Nel and the Proteas brains trust (Nel's mother-in-law) have sussed out the British ovals and prepared a list of snack bars at Smith's insistence.

Stocked and sorted, the Proteas will be sweeping in to mop up the English after the Kiwis have been despatched to the Land of the Long White Cloud.

That rumbling you hear on the horizon, however, might merely be Smith as we ship him ahead while the rest of the team use air transportation.