South Africans may chase blues away by backing the Men in Blue

It was left to former opener Andrew Hudson to offer some practical advice. ‘‘The fans should pick a team now and follow it for the Super Six’’, he said on TV. ‘‘And since India seems to be the only team that can beat Australia, the Men in Blue would be a good choice.’’

That said, last night’s defeat has put a serious spoke in South Africa’s bid to promote cricket. It ranks a distant third, behind the clear frontrunners football, and rugby and much was being pinned on a good performance from the hosts to raise the profile of cricket.

Like India, this country is full of billboards and TV commercials which presume that the other 13 countries are here to make up the numbers. One example is the South African Airways ad: ‘‘Dear Polly, we got them here, now it’s your job to send them back.’’

Someone now has the thankless task of changing the ad copy.

As the financial implications dawn on them, the organisers are doubtless surviving on aspirins. Added to the exit of the hosts is the entry of minnows Kenya, with few fans in these parts; the prospect of empty stands looms large.

While the immediate impact is not known, a salesman — of Indian origin — at the ICC merchandise store here gave this tip in a conspiratorial whisper: ‘‘Don’t buy now, in days to come the prices will fall.’’ Very likely. The atmosphere at Centurion’s Sandton shopping mall, one of the biggest in the country, last night changed faster than the Durban weather as the South Africans went from firm prospects to maybes to no-hopers. But at least they retained their sense of humour, which brings us back to the Aussies. Despite no history of conflict between the two nations, the South Africans can’t stand the people they call the ‘‘pumpkins’’ — due to the colour of their jerseys — and whom they share a keen rivalry in rugby and cricket (the Aussies are currently world champions in both). Checking into my hotel here today, the lady at the hotel reception said, ‘‘Just promise us you guys beat the sheep people.’’ Sheep people? She answers with this: ‘‘What does an Aussie do with two sheep? Go on a double date.’’ Suddenly, it seems, India is at home. Add the 42 million here to the billion back home and the numbers seem to be on India’s side.