India vs South Africa - 2nd One dayer at Gqeberha !!

Cricket post only – yet something on a Lt. Genl, a language and a name that most Cricketers among others found too difficult to pronounce !! – Gqeberha – what or where is this ? and its Indian connection !!

Lieutenant-General Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin GCH KCB FRS FRGS (1772 –1841)  was a British Army officer of the Napoleonic era and later Member of Parliament.   

Xhosa is a Nguni language and one of the official languages of South Africa and Zimbabwe.  Xhosa is spoken as a first language by approximately 10 million people and as a second language by another 10 million, mostly in South Africa, particularly in Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng, and also in parts of Zimbabwe and Lesotho

 

A win always sounds sweet and India enjoyed the outing in the 1^st One dayer at South Africa.  In a brief less pressure chase at JOhannesburg, the young debutant  Sai Sudharsan displayed lot of promise and could face some difficulty with SA planners having made some homework !  The bowling attack seemed so meek on paper -  Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan went into the first ODI of the series with just seven wickets between them but bowled South Africa out for 116 in conditions that had swing, seam and uneven bounce.

Unlike Faiz Fazal – Sai Sudharsan would get his next match – India is set to make another change – keeping Shreyas Iyer and   Rajat Patidar  likely to get his first cap for India  as India eyes  to clinch the three-match series at St. George’s Oval in Port Elizabeth.  Even though Shreyas Iyer had been named by the BCCI for all three matches of the ODI squad, on Saturday the Indian cricket board stated in a press release that Iyer will join the Test squad following the first of three 50-overs game.  The most like for like replacement   is Rajat Patidar, who looks likely to make his debut in Port Elizabeth. With 1963 List A runs to his name, Patidar has been a regular number four batter for Madhya Pradesh and a name in IPL.

Port Elizabeth's St George's Park staged the first Test to be played outside England or Australia in 1888-89 (England winning by eight wickets) and in 1969-70 hosted the final Test before South Africa's 21-year isolation. It also staged South Africa's first rugby international, also against England, in 1891. In 1896 it witnessed one of Test cricket's most remarkable games. England's George Lohmann took 7 for 38 in South Africa's first innings and then 8 for 7 in their second as they were bowled out for 30.

Situated within sight of the ocean, the ground became famous for the enthusiastic band that plays during Tests. But ahead of the 2003 World Cup they were banned from playing inside the ground, amid safety concerns, and have only made sporadic appearances since. The ground has brought mixed fortunes for the South African side. In 1992 they secured a superb win by 9 wickets, Allan Donald claimed 12 for 139, on a pitch that many had said favoured spin bowling and was a fast bowler's nightmare. But in 1997 they lost to Australia by two wickets, after leading by 101 runs on the first innings, as Mark Waugh played one his most valuable Test innings.

Located near the city centre, St George's Park is easily accessible by public transport, car or on foot, and, as with other South African grounds is still a blend of open space and covered seating.  St George's Park Cricket Ground (commonly known as St George's Park / Crusaders Ground)   is the home of the Port Elizabeth Cricket Club, one of the oldest cricket clubs in South Africa.

It is no longer  Port Elizabeth but “Gqeberha” since Feb 23, 2021,  name  change was gazetted  by sports, arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa.     It is the Xhosa name for the Baakens River, which flows through the city. Xhosa is one of South Africa's 11 official languages and one of the few in the world that has a "click" sound, which can be difficult for non-Xhosa speakers to master.

One tweeter reflected the views of many: "My Xhosa people. Teach us. How do you pronounce Gqeberha?"   One tweeter broke it down phonetically, saying the "Gqe" was a tongue click, "bear" for "be" and adding a guttural "g" before the ha: "Click bear gha."

Gqeberha   previously named Port Elizabeth, and colloquially referred to as P.E.,  is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa's second-smallest metropolitan municipality by area.  Port Elizabeth was founded in 1820 by Sir Rufane Donkin, who was the governor of the Cape at the time. He named it after his late wife, Elizabeth, who had died in India. The Donkin Memorial in the CBD of the city bears testament to this. It was established by the government of the Cape Colony when 4,000 British colonists settled in Algoa Bay to strengthen the border region between the Cape Colony and the Xhosa. It is nicknamed "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City".  In 2019, the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee recommended that Port Elizabeth be renamed Gqeberha, after the Xhosa and Southern Khoe name for the Baakens River that flows through the city. The city's name change was officially gazetted on 23 February 2021.

              The city's warm oceanic climate ranks it among the top cities in the world for pleasant year-round weather.  The city is known for many blue-flag beaches along the city's urban coastline; its popularity as an international and local holiday destination; and its rich and diverse cultural heritage. It is a gateway city for the Eastern Cape's adventure, outdoor and African big five game safari tourism.   

Now will India win at the holiday destination ! – a haven for Tourists.

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
19.12.2023