Hashim Amla

As we write, Hashim Amla is, dare we say it, closing in on a century. Superstitious South Africans can contact us by e-mail if we've knackered it up for him by saying that.

You might expect us to write about how Hashim Amla has an important ambassadorial role to play as a South African Muslim of Indian descent; how he may be able to more subtly transmit the Republic of South Africa's overt message of racial equality; how he might one day be able to communicate that message to a proportion of the population who are still resistant to the idea, having been immersed in the apartheid system during their formative years; how his actions may speak louder than a thousand well-meant words.

Regular readers will know that we're just going to talk about his smashing beard.

Very regular readers - those who've gone and read every word we've written on King Cricket - will know that we're going to go on and on and on about his smashing beard.

Facial furniture is very much on the wane in international cricket. Allan Border's Australia had Border himself, David Boon and Merv Hughes with first-rate moustaches. More recently, India have had a number of classic moustaches on the faces of Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble and Saurav Ganguly. Sadly, neither team, nor any other in world cricket can really offer much these days.

Hashim Amla: Standard bearer in so many ways.