Every World Cup can be counted upon for high scores, exciting
cricket and drama. The drama often comes in the form of an English collapse, like those mentioned yesterday, but another country involved in more than their
fair share of drama, and collapses, is South Africa.
The South African’s usually arrive with a strong squad and a
strong claim over victory, but as strong as their squads have been, getting
over the line has been a problem. As tournaments have gone by, and South Africa
have fallen in tight games in the latter stages, they have been labelled as
chokers.
This World Cup will be no different in at least one respect,
questions will be raised about the ability of South Africa to get over the
line, whether the label is a fair one or not.
In 1999 the Proteas had more than one foot in the final
before their first major meltdown. Having slipped to 61/4 chasing Australia’s
total of 213, Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes put together a partnership of 84
and Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener’s big hitting gave them a great chance.
Wickets continued to fall until they entered the final over on 205/9, Klusener
still at the crease, and on strike.
The left-hander hit the first two balls of the over for four
drawing the scores level. A run-out was narrowly avoided on the third ball
before a mix-up on the fourth led to both batsmen ending up at the same end.
The run out, and tie, meant Australia went through due to their superior record
from the previous round.
More examples of narrow losses in bizarre circumstances have included a miscalculation in 2003 that led to a Duckworth-Lewis tie, and their elimination, following an incorrect message from the dressing room, and a miserable collapse in the 2011 quarterfinal against New Zealand.
Graeme Smith’s decade as captain was littered with attempts
to distance his side from the chokers label, but having failed to get over the line in
a major tournament, they’ll face question marks again in Australia and New
Zealand this year.
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