Where to now for Proteas?

After South Africa had their egos deflated (once again) following their ousting from the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, it is the West Indies who may have to feel the full might of a Protea-backlash.

The South Africans are of course not quite packing their bags yet, despite being knocked out of the Twenty20 World Cup,  they are soon to begin a series against the West Indies.

Despite their band of swashbucklers, the Windies should be on their guard for a motivated South African unit, who are seething at their continued failure to shine in cup tournaments.

This is the criticism being leveled at the South Africans from all and sundry.

It was deemed in the beginning to be too harsh, especially by the powers-that-be at SA Cricket.

Largely driven by the local and international media, who used the word “chokers” to describe the South Africans’ lack of silverware at the big cup tournaments.

The mantle, is now weighing heavily on the shoulders of Graeme Smith and his charges.

A Cup tournament is after all a one-off event, where even the most consistent of teams don’t necessarily hoist the trophy aloft at the end of competition.

It’s probably due to South Africa’s skill levels, and talent that they have at their disposal, that rankles the average SA cricket fan; as it concerns their team’s barren run in cup tournaments.

The exception being a Champions Trophy a few years ago.

Instilling into a team, the skills of going about winning a one-off tournament like the World Cup, is not an easy thing to do, or is it at all possible some may ask?

Coaches though, harp on preparedness, and the right balance being the essential ingredients.

This is where the South Africans are probably found wanting at the World Cup.

Last year, the Proteas managed an unbeaten run into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals, before stumbling with the final in sight.

After being bundled out in the West Indies, and their loss by 11-runs to Pakistan, Graeme Smith’s outlook was positive.

“Going into that tournament last year, (in England) we had played a lot together as a team, we were coming off one of our most successful seasons and the confidence in the group was good” said Smith.

But prior to this tournament in the Windies, the Proteas came off an eight-week break.

Smith agreed that the lack of contact or proper preparation had affected their confidence.

Now, if in fact there was no preparation or only little preparation in the build-up, those whose job it is to prepare the team have to be disciplined.

Smith himself should know better.

Are the South Africans just expecting to pitch up and compete like that?

Any South African fan has to question the balance of their limited overs teams.

Morne Morkel is a one-trick pony more suited to bullying out the opposing batsmen on bouncy wickets, and at Test level only.

More often than not, he is no-balling at crucial times while he serves no purpose from a batting point of view.

Loots Bosman may hold the world Twenty20 record for highest opening partnership with Smith, but hasn’t really fired at all.

Even Dale Steyn’s going for quite a few, though on bouncier tracks as he showed in Barbados against Afganistan, he is a match-winner.

Why on earth management left Charl Langeveldt out of their first match in the Windies is beyond comprehension.

Here’s a man with his fine line and length bowling, and yorker deliveries, which is important in a format such as the Twenty20.

Mark Boucher’s credentials are indisputable, but signs of wear and tear are showing.

Smith looks out of nick, and his captaincy shortcomings come under the spotlight, especially in the shorter versions of the game.

Smith wouldn’t even throw his ball to his spinners on a cabbage patch of a pitch, but that’s what SA Cricket in general has encouraged, look what Pakistan have done with Saeed Ajmal, Afridi etc.

There is a lot of talent back in South Africa from which a more balanced team can be chosen to the field of play.

Sentiment, as the Australians have shown countless times, has no place in sport.

South Africa must start wielding the axe, and start wielding it properly.

There is a long-held belief that there is a clique running the South African team, and if that is indeed the case, its a serious indictment on the game and their fans.

SA Cricket get your house in order.