In contrast Hansie Cronje, beneath his dashing exterior, is a cussed old bird, a vulture in the clothes of a pheasant.
Accordingly, it might be imagined that Hollioake would lead his team with vim and vigour and that Cronje would hold back, forever putting threepenny bits in his piggybank.
Quite the opposite was seen from these tacticians in the early part of the match, before the home batsmen launched their attack. Hollioake does bat pugnaciously but sometimes captains like a player of tiddlywinks.
Several times affairs seemed to hang upon a wisp of wind and each time the South Africans attacked and England withdrew. Cronje has learnt to let go. Now Hollioake must learn to be himself.
The South African innings was most unsatisfactory. They batted badly, hitting across the line on a pitch demanding a broad bat. Only Jonty Rhodes and Lance Klusener batted with much sense after their captain had played some formidable strokes. Otherwise the visitors stumbled along. Nevertheless they kept attacking.
As captains must, Cronje set the example. He is happier working within a predetermined plan. In Test cricket, he is a worthy successor to Kepler Wessels and gives nothing away; in 50-over cricket he goes for his shots. As soon as he arrived, with his team in trouble, he began aiming drives through cover. Nor was Rhodes inhibited by his team's predicament.
For his part, Klusener had the nerve to thump Darren Gough over the top with 32 balls left and not a wicket to spare. Last year, Klusener was used as a hitter, but it didn't work; it rarely does.
England were more tentative. They had chosen only one top-notch paceman, Gough, who bowled admirably. Angus Fraser was missed. Presumably Chris Lewis was trying to fool his opponents by placing an off-side field and bowling at their pads. England could not maintain the pressure created by Gough's early wickets.
Hollioake was strangely reluctant to press. Doubtless Rhodes was pleased to find five men protecting the boundary as he took guard with his team staggering, a strategy allowing him to keep the score ticking along without taking risks. Timid tactics were also pursued in the early part of Klusener's innings, permitting the collection of easy runs.
Nor did Hollioake recall Lewis or Gough when the visitors were tottering. It is always tempting in these matches to try to slip through a few overs from the weaker bowlers when the batsmen are consolidating but it is almost always a mistake. As it was, Gough returned in fine style but it was too late, and Matthew Fleming's last over was collared. Hollioake wasn't assertive enough. A man who had lived on his wits, left them in the dressing room.
England did bat aggressively, their openers playing a range of forceful and disruptive strokes whereupon Alec Stewart opened his shoulders to drive powerfully and fearlessly. But the South African champion was chomping at the bit and presently he broke through.
Significantly Cronje did not miss his moment, immediately placing men at slip and gully for the new batsman and keeping a tight field for his spinner, building the pressure.
Already Cronje had shown his incisiveness by introducing Pat Symcox earlier than expected, a bold move that paid dividends. Pinned down, unable to escape with a soft single, Chris Adams was swiftly swallowed and it was left to the England captain to try to retrieve the situation.
Despite his limitations elsewhere, Hollioake remains a bristling and capable batsman and he did not hesitate to hit Symcox over mid-on. Now he must bring the same combativeness to his leadership.
Cronje dared to try his occasional off-spinner on a crumbling pitch and it worked. He was adaptable. England seemed contrastingly conservative.