0
0
More often than not, South Africa have headed into a Cricket World Cup as one of the tournament favourites. Except, of course, 1992 when they entered the arena for the first time – an unknown to them and to their opponents.
Yet, the Proteas have faltered on every single occasion – not necessarily in the group stages, but in the knock-out rounds. The tag started to stick – “Chokers”.
In 1992, the Proteas opened their first World Cup game against hosts, Australia – a game they were touted to lose. But, led by Kepler Wessles, who had previously played for Australia, led the South Africans to a convincing nine-wicket victory with Wessels making an unbeaten 81 and Allan Donald taking 3-34.
South Africa’s next two games, against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, were penciled-in as sure-fire wins, but they lost both by seven wickets and three wickets respectively.
In their final pool match, against India, the match had been affected by rain, reducing the match to a 30-over per side encounter. India made a daunting 180-6 with Mohammad Azharuddin making 79 from 77 balls and Adrian Kuiper taking 2-28 in six overs.
South Africa had to win the match to progress to the semi-finals, and having to score at six runs per over 31 years ago was something difficult to comprehend.
But an 86-ball 84 from Peter Kirsten guided the Proteas to a six-wicket victory with five balls to spare, sending South Africa into the semi-finals and a showdown with England.
England had made 252 for six in 45 overs with South Africa needing 22 from 13 balls. But then the rain came down again at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The delay saw the scoreboard drop the balls to seven, but still needing 22 runs, and then when play resumed, the requirement was for South Africa to score 22 runs from one ball. In fact, the target had been reduced by just single.
In 1996, South Africa cruised through the group stages in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They won all five of their group matches against Pakistan, New Zealand, England, the United Arab Emirates and Netherlands.
However, the choker-tag was to drop again when the Proteas faced West Indies in the quarter-final in Karachi. Brian Lara smashed 111 runs from 94 deliveries as the Windies posted 264-8 while Brian McMillan claimed 2-37 in 10 overs. In reply, Off-break bowler Roger Harper claimed 4-47 to help bundle the Proteas out for 245 in the final over to send the Proteas crashing out.
In 1999 in the United Kingdom and Netherlands, the Proteas again cruised through the pool stages, winning four of their five matches with their only loss being a shock defeat to their neighbours, Zimbabwe.
In that match, Neil Johnson put in a man of the match performance, scoring 76 and claiming 3-27 as Zimbabwe won by 48 runs. In the Super Six stage, the Proteas beat Pakistan and New Zealand but lost to Australia.
It was the Australians they would face again in the semi-final – and it was in that match, with South Africa needing nine runs off the final over to win and go to their first final. Lance Klusener, who was to be named man of the tournament, cracked the first two balls Damien Flemming to the boundary, leaving the Proteas requiring just a single from four balls.
The third ball was clubbed to mid-on, but no chance of a run. The next ball would live forever in world cricket memory as Klusener duffed his shot, and called Allan Donald through for a quick single that would have sent the Proteas through, however, Donald didn’t react, and then dropped his bat before being run out by Adam Gilchrist.
With the scores tied on 213, Australia progressed to the final due them having a better nett run-rate in the Super Stage than South Africa.
Shaun Pollock’s disastrous reading of the Duckworth-Lewis calculation in 2003 – on home soil – saw the Proteas crash out in the group stages. The South Africans had to beat Sri Lanka in their final pool match to progress, but with Pollock thinking that the Proteas were on target – in fact one run short – the match was tied and New Zealand progressed at the expense of the hosts.
The West Indies hosted the 2007 event, with the Proteas heading to the Caribbean as the world’s top-ranked side. The Proteas overcame Scotland and Netherlands with ease but lost by 83 runs to Australia, who had scored 377-6 batting first.
In the Super-8 stage, South Africa won all their games, barring a shock 67-run defeat to Bangladesh, which left the Proteas facing off against Australia in the semi-final in Gros Islet. South Africa were skittled for just 149, leaving Australia to reach their target in the 32nd over.
As per normal, the Proteas cruised through the group stages of the 2011 tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. They won five of their six pool games, losing only to England by a narrow 5-run margin.
The hoodoo of the knock-out rounds again afflicted the Proteas as they were bundled out for 172, chasing 222 for victory against New Zealand in Dhaka.
In 2015, South Africa progressed out of Pool B alongside India, Pakistan and the West Indies Downunder. The Proteas faced-off against Sri Lanka at the SCG in the quarter-final, decimating the Sri Lankan batting line-up, who were bundled out for just 133. A 57-ball unbeaten 78 from Quinton de Kock steered the Proteas to a convincing nine-wicket victory in less than 20 overs.
The semi-final against New Zealand will be remembered for many things – rain, controversy and some big-hitting. South Africa batted first, and with their innings curtailed to 43 overs, the Proteas made 281 for five thanks to a patient 82 from Faf du Plessis, a blistering unbeaten 65 from 45 balls by AB de Villiers and a scintillating 18-ball 49 from David Miller.
Due to the rain curtailing the Proteas’ innings at the end of the 43rd over, New Zealand’s target was revised to 298 runs from 43 overs. Johannesburg-born Grant Elliott had guided New Zealand to 286-6 at the end of the 42nd over, needing 12 runs from the final six balls – to be bowled by Dale Steyn.
A bye and a single from the first two balls left New Zealand needing 10 runs from four balls before Daniel Vettori managed to steer a yorker from Steyn past third man for four before taking a single.
Five runs – two deliveries, the tension was thicker than sludge. Then, Elliott cracked Steyn over long-on for a massive six to end the match and the hopes of the Proteas faithful.
The match had started controversially for the Proteas as the in-form Kyle Abbott had been left out of the side in favour of Vernon Philander. Abbott, who had taken nine wickets at a misery average of just 14, compared to Philander’s four wickets at 33, also boasted an economy rate of just 4.19.
Rumours abounded that Philander’s inclusion at the expense of Abbott had been a directive from top of South African cricket, something that did not go down well with the fans back home, with some claiming that the decision had cost South Africa their first ever World Cup final.
South Africa had a poor 2019 event in England, losing their first three games to England, Bangladesh and India before a no-result against the West Indies gave them their first points of the tournament.
All in all, the Proteas won just three games from nine in 2019 but the last edition will-be forever remembered for one of the most classic finals ever played on the world stage.
New Zealand batted first after winning the toss but Chris Woakes (3-37) and Liam Plunkett (3-42) restricted New Zealand to 241 for eight. England were then reduced to 86-4 before a wonderful 110-run stand between Jos Buttler (59) and Ben Stokes (84 not out) revived the chase and looked set to hand England the trophy.
However, Lockie Fergusson (3-50) and James Neesham (3-43) restricted England to 227-8 at the end of the 49th over. England needed 12 runs from six balls with just two wickets in the bank. But, Stokes was still at the crease.
Trent Boult bowled two dot-balls to start, leaving England needing 15 from just four balls but then Stokes bludgeoned Boult for back-to-back sixes over mid-wicket to leave England needing just three runs from the final two deliveries.
Stokes stabbed a yorker from Boult down to long-off and scampering for a second run, saw Adil Rashid run-out at the non-strikers end without having faced a ball. Stokes again stabs the ball down the ground and in turning for the winning run, saw Mark Wood run-out at the non-strikers end, leaving the scores tied and sending the match into a Super Over.
England batted first and scored 15 runs in their six balls. In reply, New Zealand took 14 runs from the first five balls, leaving Martin Guptill requiring to score two runs form the final delivery to hand New Zealand their first ever title.
Guptill managed to get Joffra Archer away to deep mid-wicket and in returning for the second run, found himself short as Buttler whipped the bails off. The scores were level after 50 overs a side. The scores were level after the Super Over. England had won the title based on the fact that they had hit more boundaries than New Zealand – a penalty shoot-out of sorts.
And so, we head off to India for World Cup 2023. The Proteas have probably one of the best top-6 in the tournament. Can they stump the bogey of their ‘Choker’ tag and actually make the final this time? Can they go even better and lift their first major ICC trophy since their Champions Trophy win in 1996?
Only time will tell…
