It’s Cricket World Cup time and since their return to the international arena for the 1992 event, this prestigious tournament has more often than not forced South Africa to go into a cold sweat.
In six World Cups they’ve often been the favourites to raise the cup pre-tournament, but have disappointed on numerous occasions.
They have yet to make the final, although they have four semi-final appearances caused by a mixture of bad luck and bad management and even that dreaded ‘c’ word, choking under pressure at a crucial stage.
In 1992, they were obviously an unknown quantity considering they had only just started playing international cricket again after more than two decades, although they had some fine players and ended up having a great tournament. South Africa got to the semi-finals, but they were unlucky to miss out on the final.
They lost to England in the semis at the SCG, when the rain came and the rules often favoured the team that had batted first. At one stage in that match, South Africa’s target during the last rain delay near the end of the match was 22 runs off 13 balls, but then got adjusted to 21 off one delivery.
They were dudded somewhat, but to make the semis, without much international cricket behind them, was a sensational performance.
In 1996, they were disappointing and missed the semis. 1999 was the one that got away, as they stumbled at the last hurdle in one of the most memorable matches in the World Cup’s proud 40 year history.
They took on Australia and were chasing just over 200, but looked beaten with less than two overs to go with Shane Warne again dominant. But some powerful hitting by Lance Klusener in the 49th and final overs saw South Africa on the brink of their first final with the scores level with four balls left.
Klusener had been so cool and calculating with his beautiful timing and power and looked likely to be the hero of a nation, but all of a sudden panic set in and there were two horrible mix-ups when trying to run to win the game.
The first one saw Alan Donald survive only because Darren Lehmann missed the stumps from point blank range, but the next time, Klusener ran blindly after hitting the ball to mid-off, leaving Donald in his wake and well short of his ground.
A tie was enough to get Australia in the final. Even though the personnel has changed over the years, you could argue that South Africa mentally has never recovered from that semi in ’99.
In 2003, they were one of the hosts but didn’t even make it past the group stage with a miscalculation by them in another rain delayed match against South Africa.
They had to make 229 to tie, which they thought was enough for them to stay in the tournament. Mark Boucher hit a six to get them to that target with one ball left, and then didn’t score off the next one, only for the team to be told they had made a blunder.
It would have been a tough press conference for then captain, Shaun Pollock.
2007 saw them lose in the semis after again going in as one of the favourites and in 2011 they dominated the group stages finishing on top before batting badly when chasing New Zealand’s total in the quarter finals.
So, the moment of truth and redemption for the Proteas has arrived. They have an excellent team with some of the best players the game has ever seen, especially in AB de Villiers, who can turn matches in a blink of an eye with destructive hitting and improvisation.
Hasham Amla is a model of consistency, Faf du Plessis is in the same model, while Quintin de Kock and David Miller have the potential to add the icing on the cake at the end of innings.
They have an outstanding bowling line-up in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, who are generally difficult in any conditions to handle, but how will they cope mentally with the expectation to again make a final?
There are no excuses left for the Proteas. Their time is now. Australia obviously has tremendous momentum and are playing at home, although the record of host nations winning the World Cup in their own backyard is not great.
Anything less than being there for the finale won’t cut it again for South Africa. If they again fall short then expect a tough time back home for AB and his boys.
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