Rob Houwing’s TV sport column

I am always pleased when the SABC get their small share of the television spotlight on major international cricket, otherwise dominated worldwide by the “luxury” satellite market.

So you would like to think they’d make the most of it when a chance comes up, like it did for healthy chunks of the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

But I felt the national broadcaster flopped rather painfully in their studio presentation of the final between England and Australia in Bridgetown.

Despite the sad non-presence of South Africa for the showpiece, a final is a final and warrants a pretty heavyweight panel for discussion during the various breaks.

So, with due respect: was the lean presence of anchor Mluleki Ntsabo and Claire Cowan, a twice-capped South African women’s player in 2003, the right sort of ammo to fire at us?

Ntsabo is still cutting his teeth at the cricket anchoring trade, to be fair, and comes across as a little nervy and uncertain of his questions while Cowan, though not saying anything glaringly short of common sense, hardly set the world alight either with any out-of-ordinary observations.

The situation cried out for the presence of at least one recent or current Proteas-capped player or coach – maybe an invited guest didn’t arrive, or something?

Compare the SABC mini-team to the SuperSport panel: seasoned anchor Peter Davies, not too long back from an enriching stint in the United States at ESPN, plus Daryll Cullinan and Paul “Gogga” Adams. Surprise, surprise, it made for notably superior fare.

But something else irritated me beyond belief while I examined the SABC offering: the top of the screen – left and right -- was alive with what could best be described as the sort of hectic-on-the-eye activity you might see on a one-armed bandit in a casino.

There was a niggly little Standard Bank rotating-text advertisement, which seemed to go on forever, as well as an SABC logo that spins like a coin and also cries out, frankly, for a fly swat!

I just had to revert to SuperSport with speed.

*According to the SuperSport commentators’ roster, Springbok Gcobani Bobo will be a studio guest for the Stormers v Waratahs Vodacom Super 14 semi-final at Newlands.

Getting the occasional fresh face into the SuperSport mix is a good thing, and the 30-year-old former Lions, Sharks and Stormers utility back is presumably on vacation after the completion of the league phase of the Guinness Premiership season.

His Newcastle Falcons side finished a safe enough ninth on the table, with Bobo doubling between centre and wing for them.

Any observations from him on how club rugby in the “north” currently measures up to the Super 14 might be worth listening to.

Rob’s awesome foursome:

1. Bulls v Crusaders, Vodacom Super 14 rugby semi-final
Soweto, Saturday 17:00, SS1, SS HD & M-Net
Despite the Bulls being defending champions and the current Stormers team being pretty much in virgin territory as semi-finalists, there is a school of thought that the former will have it tougher in the early game against Richie McCaw and his wily Crusaders. That lobby may just be crafty Stormers fans coaxing a Newlands final! But that’s putting a few carts dangerously before horses anyway. My own fancy is for the Bulls to pip the New Zealanders in the novel arena of Orlando Stadium, especially if they get their noses in front early. But if they don’t …

2. Stormers v Waratahs, Vodacom Super 14 rugby semi-final
Cape Town, Saturday 19:10, SS1, SS HD & M-Net
Look, with the Waratahs’ travel issue and all that, the Stormers would probably be considered most neutrals’ favourites. But not necessarily by much. Which Stormers team will pitch? There’s been a bit of a “hot week, cold week” tendency of late and that is perhaps the biggest threat to their being tripped up here. But you would imagine Schalk Burger’s outfit will not be a la-la land for a match of this magnitude, and if their pack gets on the front foot and starts irking that master combatant on the deck, Phil Waugh, they’ll be halfway to landing a maiden final appearance.

3. West Indies v South Africa, first cricket ODI
North Sound, Saturday 15:30, SS2 & CSN
Uh, did this have to be at the Sir Viv Richards stadium again? The Antiguan venue with the funereal, ropey pitch and generally soulless feel featured both Twenty20 encounters and now it stages not only the first ODI but also the second on Monday! It seems, with due sympathy to the Master Blaster it is named after, a pit of a place. Still, it is where the Proteas must kick off the ODI series, as we finally bid adieu to T20 combat after what has seemed like insufferable months of it. As Kepler Wessels advised: the Proteas must set their own standards in the Caribbean and do everything to avoid being dragged down to the current level of the hosts.

4. Inter Milan v Bayern Munich, Uefa Champions League soccer final
Madrid, Saturday 20:45, SS3 & SS HD
Do you reckon this has “Bayern win” written all over it? After all, Inter have conquered the hardest yards, in certain respects, by disposing of stellar Barcelona in the semis, and the Special One saw fit to proclaim it was the “greatest moment” of his career. So mega-greatness clearly awaits, but German soccer sides are renowned for stomping on intended celebratory cakes. My money? Bayern! The lucrative Coca-Cola Championship playoff final, determining who gets the last of three promotion spots to the English Premiership next season, is also worth watching: Blackpool v Cardiff, live on SS3 at 16:00.