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

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by vcs

Yeah, I know people have watched SA.. and I agree they froze terribly in the 2007 semi after talking themselves up a great deal. I do think that is what makes people take extra pleasure in their failure.. they talk themselves up before the event, especially against Australia, and then fail to deliver.

Spot on, more so before Test series' especially against the Aussies. Worse, after losing, epic dummy spits ahoy.

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

SA were considered chokers well before '99 and not just in ODI cricket.

Here it i when it all started :- YouTube - India V South Africa 93

Watch the last 3 minutes or so, this was comical cricket.

[GingerFurball]

TEC is slightly wrong, South Africa didn't lose the 1999 semi final.

[Jono]

Yeah I noticed that to, but for all intents and purposes it was a loss. They had to win to get through. A tie was to be knocked out.

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by Sanz

Here it i when it all started :- YouTube - India V South Africa 93

Watch the last 3 minutes or so, this was comical cricket.

That's a good'un but reckon it started here.

Only Test: West Indies v South Africa at Bridgetown, Apr 18-23, 1992 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

2/122 at the end of day 4 chasing 201 to win in their first Test after re-admission, two experienced players at the crease, last 8 wickets fell for 25. Epic choke.

[tooextracool]

To be honest, the real choke artists were the class of the 1990s. The McMillans, Donalds, Cronjes, Kluseners etc were all terrible under pressure and choked for no reason. I'd argue that only Jonty Rhodes maintained his composure on the big stage and had a calming influence on the rest of the team.
The problem for the next generation of South African players and the ones that are playing right now is that they have had to contend with the added pressure of knowing that they have historically been chokers. So much so, that they have put even more pressure on themselves in order to break the hoodoo and that has only made things worse. They have to break it eventually, and I think most people are spot on when they say that whilst winning a knock out game in this world cup may quell part of the notion that they are chokers, the bottom line is that they will continue to be called chokers by the media and the masses until they win a world cup.

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

That's a good'un but reckon it started here.

Only Test: West Indies v South Africa at Bridgetown, Apr 18-23, 1992 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

2/122 at the end of day 4 chasing 201 to win in their first Test after re-admission, two experienced players at the crease, last 8 wickets fell for 25. Epic choke.

Yep. Came on to post just that.

Was it their first test back? Or their first away match?

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by Burgey

Yep. Came on to post just that.

Was it their first test back? Or their first away match?

First. Look how many Test debutantes are at the bottom of the card.

[GotSpin]

South Africa. Never ending laughs.

That's a seriously long Windies tail though with Ambrose coming in at 8

[vcs]

Yeah I remember that collapse against the Windies. Ambrose, Walsh, WAGs.

[Shifter]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

That's a good'un but reckon it started here.

Only Test: West Indies v South Africa at Bridgetown, Apr 18-23, 1992 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

2/122 at the end of day 4 chasing 201 to win in their first Test after re-admission, two experienced players at the crease, last 8 wickets fell for 25. Epic choke.

Because SA are the only/first team to lose a match from what should be a winning position in the history of cricket. All teams have failed from positions they should of won from and all teams have faltered under pressure.

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by vcs

Yeah I remember that collapse against the Windies. Ambrose, Walsh, WAGs.

Yeah I remember hearing as the match progressed how it looked like SA were going to romp it, especially at stumps on the next-to-last day.

Mind you, Walsh and Ambrose had a habit of doing that to a few teams, not just SA.

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by Shifter

Because SA are the only/first team to lose a match from what should be a winning position in the history of cricket. All teams have failed from positions they should of won from and all teams have faltered under pressure.

Can I come to a party at your place? You sound like a riot.

Such a non-point. Of course it happens to everyone (Australia against South Africa, Melbourne, 1993) and it may well be that the Saffies haven't choked much more often than others (doubt it). But the tag of 'choker' isn't a factual one; for a team who traditionally rated themselves awfully highly going into Tests and ODI's in the 90's, the ultra-defensiveness when they fall on a heap coupled with the god-awful dummy spits makes it Just. So. Entertaining.

Without checking, I think you'll find that SA probably played more ODI finals cricket than Australia in the 90's but the difference in the two teams in terms of results was that, given they didn't make them as often, if Australia made a final, they generally won it. And winning is the only game in town.

[GotSpin]

Every time SA came to tour Australia they've talked themselves up massively only to fall in a big heap. It was hilarious. And as soon as they actually win here, we turn it around and thump them back in their own backyard.

[smalishah84]

Originally Posted by Top_Cat

Can I come to a party at your place? You sound like a riot.

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