Today's cricket international between Ireland and South Africa at Downpatrick will be a notable occasion, for at least two reasons. This is the first time the countries have met since 1951 at College Park; more importantly, the efforts of all concerned to ensure that the game will go ahead is a moral victory over the neanderthal zealots whose nocturnal visit reduced the pavilion and facilities of the host club to smouldering rubble last month.

Yesterday, the picturesque ground at Strangford Road looked positively en fete. Let's hope for good weather today, for the staging of this match in Downpatrick is heartening proof that, despite the bigots and the zealots and their campaign of hate, fulfilling and unifying sporting life can, and will, go on.

Against this background, the first visit of South Africa's national cricket team to this island in 47 years is movingly apposite. Sport in general and cricket in particular played a huge role in the birth of the new South Africa; our men of violence and our men of intransigence, from both sides of the divide, should take note.

Anyway. The capacity crowd expected today should be in for plenty of entertainment, for several Test stars have been included in the South African line-up.

Among them are Gary Liebenberg, Paul Adams, Shaun Pollock and Jonty Rhodes. Not to forget, of course, the captain, Hansie Cronje, back to take on several members of the Ireland team he played beside in last year's Benson & Hedges Cup campaign.

So the stage is set for a fine sporting occasion, local die-hards always permitting, of course. Last evening there was a road-block at the nearby village of Clough and some northern-based members of the Ireland squad had to employ their knowledge of the by-ways in order to join their colleagues. Maybe they won't play very well. But, like John Pullin's famous England rugby team way back then, at least they turn up.