Have South Africa taken a big step in removing the CHOKERS tag

[abmk]

Smith's was ludicrous but I found Kallis' worse because the previous ball he had played a glorious shot through the covers for 4. Then he tried charging and McGrath took out his off stump.

Crazy stuff.

yeah, that was absolutely nuts !

[abmk]

All that is true but Warne is NOT the reason they tied the game.. If you are at it, I would say Pollock bowled even better than Warne in that game... In the end, it didn't matter. They tied the game coz they choked, else they would have won. Simple as.

agreed, but Warne's delivery to dismiss gibbs ( when SA were cruising at 50 odd for no loss ) was an absolute beauty, even by warney's standards

[vcs]

agreed, but Warne's delivery to dismiss gibbs ( when SA were cruising at 50 odd for no loss ) was an absolute beauty, even by warney's standards

Legendary celebration as well. WAG.

[silentstriker]

[GingerFurball]

If we want to add to the list of South African chokes, we might as well look at their Test record since beating Australia in Australia and having a chase to climb the mountain to number 1:

vs Australia (h) - L 1-2
vs England (h) - D 1-1 (failed to close out 2 Tests and had to win the last to salvage the series)
vs India (a) - D 1-1 (blew a 1-0 lead)
vs West Indies (a) - W 2-0
vs Pakistan (n) - D 0-0 (cost themselves a Test with a defensive declaration)
vs India (h) - D 1-1 (blew a 1-0 lead)

[vcs]

If we want to add to the list of South African chokes, we might as well look at their Test record since beating Australia in Australia and having a chase to climb the mountain to number 1:

vs Australia (h) - L 1-2
vs England (h) - D 1-1 (failed to close out 2 Tests and had to win the last to salvage the series)
vs India (a) - D 1-1 (blew a 1-0 lead)
vs West Indies (a) - W 2-0
vs Pakistan (n) - D 0-0 (cost themselves a Test with a defensive declaration)
vs India (h) - D 1-1 (blew a 1-0 lead)

You're really stretching the definition of 'choke' there.. it was not as if they failed to take the last wicket after having plenty of overs/time to do it. And Pakistan looked like they had an outside chance of chasing down that target at one stage IIRC before they agreed on a draw.

However, they must be annoyed that they cannot seem to put India away after taking the series lead against them every time in recent series. Very irritating when that happens, especially at home. Overall, they haven't really built on that excellent year they enjoyed in 2008.

[Teja.]

Don't think you can call 1-1 in SA against India a choke. The first match, SA annihilated us, agreed. But it was not like their lack of mental strength cost them the series. India just bowled superbly in the second game and Laxman played the Innings of the year to win the match.

The third game was pretty evenly matched, IMO. If anything It was a bit of a 'choke' for Dhoni to let SA off and not attack full-on when SA had Kallis and Boucher in before 100 in the third Innings. Sure, Smith could've declared 10 overs early on the fourth day but don't think even that was an obvious error tbh.

The aforementioned two facing off for 1-1 in India was even less of a choke. SA murdered India in the first test and India returned the favour in the second. Both games were won by an Innings. While one might say SA were a couple of overs away from drawing and winning in India, It's easy to forget that an entire day was rained off and the game competitively, had no business reaching the end of the fifth day.

[Blaze 18]

You're really stretching the definition of 'choke' there.. it was not as if they failed to take the last wicket after having plenty of overs/time to do it. And Pakistan looked like they had an outside chance of chasing down that target at one stage IIRC before they agreed on a draw.

However, they must be annoyed that they cannot seem to put India away after taking the series lead against them every time in recent series. Very irritating when that happens, especially at home. Overall, they haven't really built on that excellent year they enjoyed in 2008.

Don't think you can call 1-1 in SA against India a choke. The first match, SA annihilated us, agreed. But it was not like their lack of mental strength cost them the series. India just bowled superbly in the second game and Laxman played the Innings of the year to win the match.

The third game was pretty evenly matched, IMO. If anything It was a bit of a 'choke' for Dhoni to let SA off and not attack full-on when SA had Kallis and Boucher in before 100 in the third Innings. Sure, Smith could've declared 10 overs early on the fourth day but don't think even that was an obvious error tbh.

The aforementioned two facing off for 1-1 in India was even less of a choke. SA murdered India in the first test and India returned the favour in the second. Both games were won by an Innings. While one might say SA were a couple of overs away from drawing and winning in India, It's easy to forget that an entire day was rained off and the game competitively, had no business reaching the end of the fifth day.

Agree.

[GingerFurball]

Don't think you can call 1-1 in SA against India a choke. The first match, SA annihilated us, agreed. But it was not like their lack of mental strength cost them the series. India just bowled superbly in the second game and Laxman played the Innings of the year to win the match.

The third game was pretty evenly matched, IMO. If anything It was a bit of a 'choke' for Dhoni to let SA off and not attack full-on when SA had Kallis and Boucher in before 100 in the third Innings. Sure, Smith could've declared 10 overs early on the fourth day but don't think even that was an obvious error tbh.

The aforementioned two facing off for 1-1 in India was even less of a choke. SA murdered India in the first test and India returned the favour in the second. Both games were won by an Innings. While one might say SA were a couple of overs away from drawing and winning in India, It's easy to forget that an entire day was rained off and the game competitively, had no business reaching the end of the fifth day.

That's the difference between the two sides though. India were absolutely owned in the first Tests of both series yet found a way to somehow square the series.

India are deservedly the number 1 side in the world because they've been beating everyone and rescuing series that they have no right rescuing. South Africa at the end of 2009 had a glorious chance to really cement their push for number 1, and instead have spent the last 2 years losing and drawing series. That's what I mean when I'm referring to it as a choke - not that they necessarily choked in any individual series, but have found ways not to win series they should have won when a great side would have done the opposite.

Maybe instead of using the "c" word, I should have held it up as an example of their mental fragility.

[marc71178]

You're really stretching the definition of 'choke' there.. it was not as if they failed to take the last wicket after having plenty of overs/time to do it.

Well not in every series they didn't, no...

[Howe_zat]

What's left of the flag

Can't believe this post went past unnoticed. Immense.