Time for Proteas to show their class

SOUTH Africa’s cricket team will be looking to buck a losing trend when they clash with Sri Lanka in their World Cup quarterfinal match in Sydney tomorrow morning.

The Proteas have rightly become known as a team of chokers and it is a tag they persistently try to talk down whenever the subject is broached.

It is the elephant in the room that they will never manage to rid themselves of because of one almost unbelievable statistic which has haunted the South African game for almost three decades.

It is hard to believe, but South Africa have never been able to win a knockout match at a World Cup finals since first entering the global showpiece way back in 1992.

South African cricket legends like Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards were never able to win a World Cup because they never had the chance after the country was kicked out of the world body because of apartheid.

Though it may be difficult for greats like those to come to terms with this, it must be even more maddening for modern-day players like Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith, who had the chance to sip from the World Cup numerous times, but failed.

But it is not all doom and gloom because tomorrow presents South Africa with a golden opportunity to end this sickening run of World Cup reversals.

A win over Sri Lanka would rewrite history and imbue the players with a sense that this time they could go all the way. Make no mistake, though, they are facing a huge challenge against an Islander team who are previous world champions and have many quality players within their ranks.

Some doubts have been expressed about the make-up of the South African team and even the world’s best strike bowler, Dale Steyn, has failed to make his presence felt in the tournament. Now is the time for Steyn and company to stand up, be counted and get that knockout monkey off our country’s back.

Bring it home, Proteas!