South Africa’s choking habit still there
South Africa of late is performing well and has shown formidable results both in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test matches. The upcoming series against Pakistan would be a ground for their preparation of next year’s World cup .
South Africa has players in top form at the moment, namely Hashim Amla and AB de Viliers. Their bowling is also blending well as Morkel and Steyn would provide the fire power required at the very top level. Steyn, who is currently ranked top at the Test
match rating, would have further chances of proving his mettle by targeting a questionable Pakistani batting lineup.
In One Dayer’s one would rate South Africa as favorites as they are in top form after demolishing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 records and matches have not always been a source of a
future prediction.
They have travelled a long way to become one of the strongest sides in the World. But performing in crunch matches or tournament deciders has not remained their specialty and they have always managed to find it difficult to perform in such matches.
History has shown that more than any other team South Africa is the one that can choke in those situations where one would least expect.
After their return to the International cricket back in 1992, South Africa was commended for its hard work and strong performance in the 1992 World Cup and were positioned as a formidable opposition in International cricket.
I would really like to know the name of those cricket fans that have not seen the memorable semifinal of 1999 World Cup. In that match Australia made a solid start to their innings but with some disciplined bowling by the South Africans they were unable
to score freely and managed 203 runs in the end.
South Africa started pursuing their total in an effective manner. For South Africa everything was going just fine until Shane Warne came to the party. Warne took four important wickets for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 at a crunch time of the innings and converted it into
Australia’s victory, which eventually turned into their World cup win when they defeated http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in the final.
But it was South Africa, who actually helped Australia achieve this feat. It was the last over, Lance Klusener by smashing the ball all over the park had placed South Africa in what would have been their first World Cup final.
However, all of a sudden Lance Klusener and Alan Donald did the unthinkable. They ran off a ball that was in the hands of the fielder. Adding to their misery http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lance-Klusener-c72175 ran but his partner on the opposite side was taken up by the heat of the moment and
forgot to run. The match was gone and so was the tournament, a match which featured Proteas habit of throwing the match away in crunch situations.
For South Africa they have came a long way after the 1999 semifinal. They do seem to play consistently in most of the series and tournaments but now and then they do lose some
crunch matches. When they are performing well in a series, suddenly when a crunch or a crucial match comes, they panic.
It has been observed over and over again that their body language does seem to change more than any other team and they become nervous, vulnerable and panicky in big matches. In the recent past during the T20 World cup they lost a crucial
match against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s side was not in good form in that tournament and needed that win to keep their hopes alive for a place in the semifinals. It was a target of 149 but Proteas failed to perform in a crucial match and ultimately lost it, again showing Proteas’s vulnerability
in high profile matches.
One may think if it would have been some league match they might have chased an even higher target. But sadly this was not to be. In their defense one can say they have won many matches and series from very difficult situations.
In every second series they do come out as winners in some awkward situations We all realize and appreciate it but more than any other tournament it’s the World Cup, which seems to
haunt them the most. Commentators from almost all the countries do rate them very high but also place them in the category of
chokers.
Something similar happened in the semifinal stage of the T20 World Cup where South Africans had to chase Pakistan’s target of 150. It was quite possible and the Proteas were throughout in the game but again they cracked at the crucial moment by not delivering
when it mattered.
Result, South Africa had to face another semifinal loss with five wickets in hand. There are number of Test matches as well in which South Africa has shown this behavior.
South Africa is a strong outfit, has a number of International tournaments under its belt and is respected throughout. For them nothing is more important than to play consistent cricket. They do play consistent cricket but now and then lose
vital matches.
This label has certainly given their rivals a weakness to exploit. This
psychological advantage over the Proteas is the one, which each country realizes and hopes that it would work in their favour.
South Africa has worked on this issue and has improved in this manner. Not so long ago in 2006 in a series decider of an ODI series they chased the Aussies World record total of 434 and proved otherwise. One expects them to improve even further.
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