S Africa-W Indies clash today
Thursday, 24 February 2011
NEW DELHI, Feb 23 (AFP): South Africa will bank on their recent form and fitness of key player Jacques Kallis when they take on an upredictable West Indies in their opening World Cup clash today (Thursday).
The South Africans enter this Group B match on the back of 11 consecutive one-day wins against Ottis Gibson's side and a 3-2 series victory over India at home.
With Kallis declaring himself fully fit and ready to resume his all-round duties, South Africa appear a formidable side.
But what Grame Smith's men should avoid is trying too hard to prove that they have left behind the baggage of their past and were capable of delivering the goods in crunch situations.
The South Africans have perplexed their fans, showing an ability to play top-notch cricket but still leaving them waiting for a first World Cup.
South Africa's failure to qualify for the second round at home in 2003 cost Shaun Pollock the captaincy and his successor, Smith, led a largely lacklustre campaign in the West Indies in 2007.
Although South Africa reached the semi-finals for the third time, it was no surprise when they were beaten by a strong Australian team.
"A lot is made in the media about the choker thing," said Kallis, playing his fifth World Cup.
"We don't even think about it. I think the media uses this tag far too often, in fact every time the team loses a match.
"They should go and look up the meaning of chokers in the dictionary first. This tag does not haunt us. Eleven of our 15 players will be playing their first World Cup so it's not something we are even thinking about."
The South Africans enter this Group B match on the back of 11 consecutive one-day wins against Ottis Gibson's side and a 3-2 series victory over India at home.
With Kallis declaring himself fully fit and ready to resume his all-round duties, South Africa appear a formidable side.
But what Grame Smith's men should avoid is trying too hard to prove that they have left behind the baggage of their past and were capable of delivering the goods in crunch situations.
The South Africans have perplexed their fans, showing an ability to play top-notch cricket but still leaving them waiting for a first World Cup.
South Africa's failure to qualify for the second round at home in 2003 cost Shaun Pollock the captaincy and his successor, Smith, led a largely lacklustre campaign in the West Indies in 2007.
Although South Africa reached the semi-finals for the third time, it was no surprise when they were beaten by a strong Australian team.
"A lot is made in the media about the choker thing," said Kallis, playing his fifth World Cup.
"We don't even think about it. I think the media uses this tag far too often, in fact every time the team loses a match.
"They should go and look up the meaning of chokers in the dictionary first. This tag does not haunt us. Eleven of our 15 players will be playing their first World Cup so it's not something we are even thinking about."