World Cup Farces - A look into South Africa’s previous failings - Part 2 - Opinion
The Choker tag had not surfaced back in 1996 as the cricketing world began to acknowledge that South Africa were struck by misfortune and still had the ability to bounce back. A lot was expected of them in the run up to the 1999 Cricket World Cup as Hansie
Cronje’s side was the most consistent outfit in world cricket for the most part of three years. They had however, been rather unfortunate to have lost in the Titan Cup final of 1996 and murmurs about being unable to take on pressure kept on surfacing. South
Africa needed something special to try and turn the tables and it was widely believed that Cronje’s side had the venom to make it to the finals and win the cup.
That tournament which was held in seamer friendly conditions in England, Wales, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750
and New Zealand were crushed by an array of top quality players who fielded, bowled and batted magnificently.
They also meant business on the field. Then came the all important Super Six clash against fellow juggernauts Australia, at Headingley. South Africa posted an impressive 271 after http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HH-Gibbs-c1549 smashed a brilliant hundred. Just as Australia were about
to lose the game, the very same player managed to drop the opposition captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 managed to get to the target with two deliveries to spare. Worse
was to come for South Africa at Edgbaston as they needed 214 to win in the World Cup Semi Final against the same opposition. South Africa losing out on points in the Super Six clash meant that they had to win the game. In a thrilling final over South Africa
could only manage to tie the game and bowed out for the second semi final in their World Cup history. Protea fans the world over were gutted.
Then came the chance to host the 2003 Cricket World Cup at home and silence their critics, who began to whisper the 'c' word. It wasn’t to be after South Africa lost important games to the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 in the lead up to the all important group
clash against Sri Lanka at Kingsmead in Durban. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marvan-Samson-Atapattu-c74969 managed to help himself to a magnificent hundred on a lively wicket to help Sri Lanka post 268. South Africa in response was on their way to achieving that total before disaster struck.
The heavens opened up in Kingsmead and a gross miscalculation of the runs needed to score, left South Africa one run short of a much needed win to qualify for the Super Sixes. The Proteas had capitulated once again.
The next two world cups were perhaps indicative of how South Africa failed to capitalize on their past failings and succumbed to defeats due to their own poor play. The psychological impact of failing has always lingered in the mind of the 11 players who
embrace the field to prove a point. Sadly for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, the World Cup farces that they had encountered would always make them the archetypal chokers of the ODI game.
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