Features

Proteas keen to end drought

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 18/09/2009
Cricket betting

The fourth staging of the ICC Champions Trophy gets underway in South Africa later this month, with the tournament having been moved from Pakistan due to previous terrorist attacks.

The tournament will, therefore, offer the hosts a chance to finally lay their international bogey and secure a major trophy, having gained a reputation as 'bottlers' by losing in the latter stages of the Champions Trophy, World Cup and World Twenty20 in the past.

That standing began to take form at the 1992 World Cup, when the Proteas reached the semi-finals in Australia, only to be beaten by England in a game that was ruined by rain which ended any hopes of South African victory.

In 1999 in England came a defining moment in South Africa's 'bottling' history when they threw away a winning position against Australia in the semi-finals.

Chasing only 214 to win at Edgbaston, the Proteas, who are the online favourites to win this year's Champions Trophy, were poised for victory in the final over, before a comical mix-up between Lance Klusener and Allan Donald meant that the scores were tied.

That left the Baggy Greens to progress to the final thanks to their win over South Africa earlier in the competition, with Australia sweeping aside Pakistan in the Lord's final.

Can South Africa finally show they are not bottlers and win the Champions Trophy? - Latest Cricket Betting

In 2003 a major mistake in calculations by skipper Shaun Pollock saw South Africa fail to progress from the group stages on home soil, with Smith being handed the reins following the fallout from the early exit.

Four years on, South Africa again had a chance to lay their international bogey, but again they came up short against Australia, the nation which has most enjoyed taunting the Proteas about their failures.

Batting first, South Africa made a mere 149 all out in St Lucia and the Aussies stormed to a seven-wicket semi-final victory with almost 20 overs to spare.

When Twenty20 cricket became an international fixture, South Africa were given the honour of hosting the first ICC World Twenty20 in 2007.

Much-fancied to finally clinch international silverware, the Proteas again flattered to deceive and were knocked out at the Super Eight stage, failing to reach the semi-finals.

Two years later in England came yet another semi-final loss, this time to Pakistan, when South Africa were edged out by seven runs at Trent Bridge.

All that adds up to four semi-final failures when the pressure is on and the history of the Champions Trophy offers little comfort for the Proteas.

In 2002 they reached the last four in Sri Lanka before being beaten by ten runs by India, having looked set to chase down 262 for victory when they reached 192-1.

Two years later in England, Smith's men were knocked out in the group stages, as eventual winners West Indies won a pool which also included Bangladesh.

In 2006 in India came another last-four reverse as the Proteas were beaten by six wickets by the West Indies in Jaipur, with Chris Gayle blasting a superb unbeaten century to heap further misery on South Africa.

They must now hope that home advantage will allow them to enjoy happier times in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, as they seek to finally shake off the tag of 'chokers'.

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