If they don’t choke. That is what many fans will say as they consider South Africa’s prospects at next month’s World Cup.
The ‘c’ word has been used after nearly every major limited-overs tournament that the Proteas have played since readmission to the international fold in the early-1990s.
Whether it is the right word to attach to South Africa’s results is debatable, however the reason it has long been prescribed to the Rainbow Nation’s sides doesn’t make for happy reading if you’re a Proteas’ fan.
South Africa has reached three World Cup semi-finals – 1992, 1999 and 2007 – and lost each of them. Embarrassingly the team officially placed eighth when it hosted the tournament in 2003.
At the Champions Trophy, the Proteas won the inaugural event – at the time called the ICC Knock-Out Tournament – in 1998. The team then failed to reach the final in the subsequent seven tournaments.
At Twenty20 level, South Africa has failed to reach the final at the five tournaments held to date. Since readmission, across the ICC World Cup, Champions Trophy and Twenty20 World Cup, South Africa have contested 10 semi-finals for just one win.
That record is an indictment on the various sides that have worn the national colours in the past 20-odd years. Since being welcomed back to cricket’s bosom The Republic has churned out high quality players – some of them greats of the game.
Yet despite squads that included names like Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Shaun Pollock, Allan Donald, Mark Boucher, Makhaya Ntini, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Hansie Cronje the Cricket South Africa headquarters is largely devoid of silverware.
Will it change this time around?
For mine, South Africa is the pre-tournament favourite, narrowly ahead of Australia. The Proteas are currently ranked third on the ODI rankings with 113 points, behind Australia (119) and India (115). Despite that place on the global pecking order I still fancy them.
The squad is laden with talent – some of it almost superhuman in cricket terms. De Villiers and Amla are the number two and three ranked batsmen in the 50-over arena. Opener Quentin de Kock has scored six centuries from his 35 ODIs and averages 43.6. Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy are both seasoned campaigners who have often played match-winning innings while Rilee Rossow is a free-scoring newcomer to the team.
But it is De Villiers and Amla who are the gold standard when it comes to the team’s batting. Skipper De Villiers is a player of freakish ability aptly highlighted by his world record 31-ball century earlier in the week against the West Indies.
In full flight – and of late that seems to be most times he strides to the pitch – he can prove unstoppable. He has the ability to score to every part of the ground, whether it is with classical strokes or the type that are improvised by only those who carry a level of genius.
His career strike rate of 97 through 177 matches underlines the potency of his batting as do his 19 centuries and 52-run average. At 30 years of age De Villiers is in the peak of his career.
Vice-captain Amla is a year older but his stats are equally impressive – 105 matches, 18 centuries at 55 and a strike rate of 89. His wristy flicks through the onside are a feature of his play as is his hunger to amass serious scores – he is his country’s only player to score a Test triple century.
Should the pair bat together for any length of time at the World Cup the crowds will be royally entertained to the same degree that their opponents will be frustrated. With abundant firepower we can expect the Proteas to score both quickly and heavily.
On the bowling front, Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel form a considerable pace bowling triumvirate with each bringing their own strengths.
Steyn is a pure Rolls-Royce. His ability to bowl genuine, controlled out-swing at over 145km/h has made him one of the game’s most destructive forces across all three forms of cricket. The number one ranked Test bowler in the world, he sits third on the ODI rankings.
Morkel continues to improve and he has the ability to bowl destructive spells with his praying mantis-like frame producing steepling bounce that can trouble the best, as Michael Clarke could clearly attest. Philander is wily, and like Steyn, a master of outswing although he operates at a significantly lower pace.
If injury besets the frontline trio there is capable back-up in the form of Kyle Abbott and Wayne Parnell.
Australian fans will remember leg-spinner Imran Tahir for his ill-fated Test at the Adelaide Oval in 2012-13 when he went wicket-less through 37 overs while conceding a whopping 260 runs. His efforts with the white ball have belied that performance.
In ODIs he has an average of 21 and a strike rate of 29 along with an economy rate of 4.4, which is outstanding for a leg-spinner in modern form ODI cricket. He will prove a useful foil to the quicks.
One area where South Africa could be exposed is the fifth bowler or bowlers who will be required to make up 10 overs. Duminy will be part of that equation and will be expected to apply the brakes as best he can with his left-arm finger spinners.
De Villiers by nature is an attacking player and we can expect that to carry through to his captaincy. On paper – not that that is where matches are decided – this current Proteas’ squad may be the best balanced and most potent to step out in a major tournament.
Will they choke? They shouldn’t but only time will tell.
Jethro
Guest
Nah - can't see Sri Lanka going all the way. Their pace attack is way too dependent on Malinga who is returning from injury and their key senior batsmen are all ageing and probably playing one world cup tournament too many. I can't see anyone other than OZ, NZl or SA winning tbh. England might surprise and reach the semis or even the final but I suspect the sameness in their bowling attack will probably be the thing that ultimately inhibts them.
Bobbo7
Guest
Fair call re the AB scores. He made plenty of runs out here a few months ago and they still lost 4-1. They need him to make 100 plus. That said, with Dumminy back they are likely to bat a bit deeper. In the last series they were virtually 5 out all out. SA bring a bit if baggage to the WC. Watching them implode against NZ chasing in the QF of the last World Cup was astounding. They were cruising to victory in that game and just lost themselves for no apparent reason. That said they are better this time.
Jake
Guest
South Africas world cup to lose? They've gotta actually have one before they can lose it. My memory isn't so good these days but i'm quite sure the number of world cups SA can lose is a big fat 0
art pagonis
Guest
Super-human Safricans Glenn? I don't think so. I just think every team should be allowed 17 players minimum and this would enable Managers/Coaches to not over-use the great stars in Cricket. It would also see more spinners picked. Also "Substitutes" who can replace injured or ill players and bat, bowl, field or keep are essential in World Cup and other major tournaments..AND TESTS!
Charl
Guest
Nah - we just do "Dodge the bullet", "Highjack or be highjacked", or otherwise known as "how to obtain a BMW with paying too much", and "Ask who's in the bathroom prior to shooting" (that one is new in the curriculum, lots of interest shown) in 15 different languages. We did have a "Be polite and talk to people in a language you know they understand", which was cancelled due to lack of interest, because all the Grade Ones talk Fanagalo anyway. The "How not to choke when you play against Zimbabwe" is usually well attended.
Jak
Guest
"Is there a basic schooling requirement prior to being allowed into a national Australian sports team?" Yes, it's taught from the very first year of school and it's called how to perform under pressure or more colloquially - "how not to choke when you're favourites". Something that is obviously not in the SA school curriculum. Perhaps they should introduce it.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
In the 4-1 ODI series win at the start of the summer it basically came down to this: Get De Villiers ouf for less than 70 and Australia wins. It's quite surprising, because you look at their team and think they have strength from 1 to 11. But I think Australia has them covered in each area except for AB. He's just a freak who can single-handedly win matches for them. If Australia can get him out without too much damage sustained, then they are high odds to win. But if De Villiers can pull out a special innings in a crucial match, then he could turn the tables. I think Australia deserve to be favourites, especially since the main challengers are SA, England and India, and so far this summer Australia have done pretty well against all of them in the ODI's played so far. Of course, that could change. England could win today and then India beat Australia in the next match and suddenly things change. But at this point, Australia has pretty convincingly beat all the top contenders in ODI's this summer and therefore deserve to be favourites. But any team with AB in it is always a big chance!
JimmyB
Guest
I wouldn't concern yourself too much Charl. Don/JMW is a massive hypocrite.
Charl
Guest
Yeah, thought so - sledging is only ok if done by the Aussies, otherwise it is "bile"......
Riccardo
Guest
Hell Ronan. Those facts would suggest that the individual rankings system is a farce actually. What about team rankings? Do they fall into the same trap? While the All Blacks are number one and their recent record suggests they should be untouchable for some time, if the Boks had beaten them here last year they would have assumed the number one ranking. Not that I would have anything against the Springboks reasserting themselves at the top, but the wild inaccuracies of such a template belie the value of achieving that mantle. Is this the same for the ICC table?
Targa
Guest
It sounds as if Malinga will be right for the WC and if he is, I reckon SL could win it. No one is mentioning them, but they have a great batting lineup, are decent fielders and probably the 3rd best bowling attack (behind NZ & SAf)
Chris Pike
Expert
I agree. If South Africa don't win this World Cup, I don't know when they will. They have the best batsman in the world by far and he is surrounded by some very handy players. The pitches in Australia suit them perfectly. They have the best fast bowling attack. And handy spinners who can tighten things up in one-day cricket. They should be clear favourites for mine - then probably Australia and NZ the only other countries with a chance. India/Pakistan/Sri Lanka always struggle here, England not good enough, West Indies a shambles so competition is light on
:lol: Nein, Ich can nicht verstehe.
Don Freo
Guest
Bin ye ingels, prate?
Don Freo
Guest
I’ll have a crack, too Shaun Marsh Marcus Harris Klinger Voges Mitch Marsh Whiteman wk NCN Agar Johnson Paris Behrendorff Some people think I am biased...pfff! As if.... My team is the most balanced team and I'd defy any side to outscore or out bowl them. My only issue was Hoggy or Agar. Ages will be elected as God very soon. BTW...just to show how objective I am...I watched Jake Doran keep today. Everyone raves about his batting but his keeping is very, very polished. If his batting is what it is reputed to be, Sammy Whiteman might end up being a long term reserve keeper.
Don Freo
Guest
Not interested in any of that silly stuff. As if anyone thinks abuse and insult works. Precious! Light hearted, playful teasing is great. Nah! Just noticing the difference between a pleasant, light hearted post and the bile that some of you peddle. Love Biltong's stuff. I could have a beer with that man.
OK fine I'll bite. Warner De Kock Amla Du PLessis AB Smith Watson Johnson Steyn Morkel Starc If it is a slow track Duminy ahead of Watson and Tahir ahead of Starc or Morkel.
13th Man
Roar Pro
Heres mine Warner Amla De Villiers (wk) Smith Clarke (easy to forget him but odi record speaks for itself) Du Plessis Faulkner Johnson Starc Steyn Morkel That bowling attack is just ridiculously strong. But no spinner so over rate may be a problem.
Paul Giles
Guest
A lot of the anti Maxwell fever is not Maxwell's fault. In Victoria, he gets so hyped up, it is incredible. It's not Maxwell pumping his tyres up but the media. His performances have only been fair with an average of 28 with a great strike rate of 120. His bowling is ok for a 5th or 6th option with an ok 2 wickets per 3 games with an ordinary average of 41 with an ok economy rate for the 5th or 6th bowler of 5.4 runs per over. His bowling is expendable and he shows great promise with the bat in odi;s but doesn't deliver often enough. The selectors see similarities with Andrew Symonds and hope he can repay their faith in him like Symonds did in the 2003 world cup. Maybe he can do the same but for me it would be a total waste for James Faulkner to be batting no 8 especially when Starc and Johnson can both bat. My view is that Hazlewood is a quality bowler and we could bowl teams out really cheaply with the extra true bowler in the team. Teams that are 4/60 would struggle to repair their innings and get 234 and 267 like the last couple of games with the extra quality bowler in the team. Can someone give me a good reason why Faulkner with an average of 45 and strike rate of 109 is not good enough to bat at 7.
13th Man
Roar Pro
Yeah I really would have marsh in over bailey right now. He looked in superb touch last night in the big bash. I am still a bit iffy over whether he is a great test player but he is a class limited overs player.