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Jonty Rhodes' arrival in Australia has sparked hopes of a South African revival. Neil Manthorp reports for BBC Sport Online from Melbourne.

There is a common belief in the cricketing world that Jonty Rhodes is an effervescent livewire who cannot stop clapping his hands and shouting words of encouragement to his team mates.

That's when he is not making spectacular, diving stops at backward point.

But that is only half the story.

No player makes a significant difference to a team by shouting "come on boys" or "keep going boys", no matter how many decibels they can produce or how sincerely they want to raise the team's performance.

Much more

Rhodes does so much more than merely make a noise. His comments are witty, pointed and appropriate.

Team mates are visibly lifted by his contribution to their labours while opponents laugh in the face of the innocent 'boy next door' image that is so easily perpetuated.

Rhodes is a master sledger, pure and simple, though wit and acute observation are his weapons rather than aggression.

It is those same powers of observation that allow him to say the right thing at the right time to a struggling team mate.

He seems to know their thoughts, from the cold of practise to the heat of an international match.
Allan Donald hugs Rhodes
Rhodes is South Africa's cheerleader-in-chief

"It takes one ball, just one ball," he tells a despairing bowler, "and it could be this one."

Shaun Pollock has played all his provincial cricket with Rhodes at KwaZulu Natal and, of course, their international careers have been entwined since the South African captain made his debut in 1995.

Morale booster

"There's always a great vibe when Jonty's around, he's a great team man and he does great work for team morale," Pollock said after South Africa's five-wicket loss to Australia A in Adelaide on Thursday.

South Africa's form in Australia has been disastrous and Rhodes faces a toughest assignment in turning the fortunes of the team around during the one-day triangular tournament also featuring New Zealand.

Not that Rhodes is admitting it: "I can't make that much difference - I'm only one player," he said on arrival in Australia.

Having retired from Tests 18 months ago, the 33-year-old faced relentless pressure to make a comeback for the Australian series but he remained true to the promise he made to spend more time with his family.

He was also quick to refute any suggestions that he should feel guilty about South Africa's 3-0 thrashing although he admits it was hard watching his team mates suffer on television:

"I didn't think it would be as painful as it was watching them lose," he said.

For the moment Rhodes is sticking mostly to scoring runs and doing the 'little things' that make so much difference rather than rousing, motivational speeches.

He top scored with a gutsy 69 in Adelaide and was everywhere in the field.

Ever present

"As a bowler you notice him all the time," Pollock said.
Pollock celebrates with Rhodes
Pollock appreciates Rhodes' presence

"He always comes and takes your hat to the umpire and replaces your bowling mark at the start of the over plus, of course, if you bowl a bad one outside off stump he's bound to stop it.

"He can't keep quiet and everyone knows that, so there is a continuous bubble out there," Pollock says with an unmistakable sense of gratitude.

South African cricket is in desperate need of Jonty Rhodes at the moment.

Given the racial tension created nationwide by the recent selection saga, it may not be an exaggeration to suggest that his country needs him, too.

He must infuse his timid, bruised colleagues with the self-belief that has been beaten out of them by Steve Waugh's team.

He must be a political peace-broker between the players, the selectors and the administrators and he must carry on being the team's most consistent match-winner.

Not much to ask, not for Jonty.