Former Australia opener David Warner has called the crowds at the Test series between South Africa and Australia pathetic.
Warner made the comments in a social media post on Tuesday, Sky Sports reported. Large parts of the stands were empty during the first Test in Durban and the first two days of the second Test in Gqeberha.
“We keep hearing how important Test cricket is, but where are the fans in South Africa?” Warner said.
“Empty stands, no atmosphere, and we’re supposed to believe the format is thriving? You can’t keep calling Test cricket the pinnacle of the game if no one turns up to watch it. Harsh reality, but someone has to say it. Pathetic,” he said.
South Africa lost the first Test at Kingsmead by 214 runs. Just under 20,000 fans came to the ground over the five days. That was less than a fifth of the stadium’s capacity.
The match was South Africa’s first home Test since January 2025. It was also their first home Test since they became World Test champions.
After the Durban Test, the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union (KZNCU) said it would hold a thorough internal review into why so few people came.
“A Test match of this quality, featuring the Proteas and Australia, deserved greater support in the stands,” KZNCU CEO Heinrich Strydom said in a statement.
Strydom said the union knew that supporters had many demands on their time and money. He said it needed to understand what made people decide to attend.
“We need to listen to our supporters, reconnect with our communities, and continue to find ways to make Test cricket more accessible, engaging and appealing to families and cricket lovers of all ages,” he said.
Former England captain Michael Atherton also criticised the turnout. He said the first Test started on a Friday, ran over a weekend and featured the top two ranked teams in the world.
“If you can’t drag a crowd in given that context, it’s a worrying sign,” Atherton said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.
Another former England captain, Nasser Hussain, said he did not believe Test cricket was dying. He said crowds were not always full in India and Pakistan either.
Hussain said bad light was the bigger issue. Play went off for bad light at half past three on the first day.
“What can we do to make sure that sitting in a stand on a hot day is very much a good experience for the people that have paid their money?” Hussain said.
Warner was at the centre of the ball tampering scandal on Australia’s last tour of South Africa in 2018. He was vice captain at the time and received a one-year ban.
This is the first time South Africa has hosted Tests as early as October in a summer. The usual Test period runs from November to March.
The SA20 now takes up most of January and February, and the IPL starts in March. This has pushed Tests to the edges of the season.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Sky Sports. Image: Sky Sports. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.