• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

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

Top_Cat

Top_Cat

Request Your Custom Title Now!
vcs said:
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.
Click to expand...
Spot on, more so before Test series' especially against the Aussies. Worse, after losing, epic dummy spits ahoy.
 
Jono

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
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

Top_Cat

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Last edited:
T

tooextracool

International Coach
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.
 
GotSpin

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
:laugh::laugh: South Africa. Never ending laughs.

That's a seriously long Windies tail though with Ambrose coming in at 8
 
Last edited:
vcs

vcs

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Yeah I remember that collapse against the Windies. Ambrose, Walsh, WAGs.
 
S

Shifter

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Top_Cat said:
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.
Click to expand...
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

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
vcs said:
Yeah I remember that collapse against the Windies. Ambrose, Walsh, WAGs.
Click to expand...
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

Top_Cat

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Shifter said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Last edited:
GotSpin

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
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.
 
Top_Cat

Top_Cat

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Yeah, Sanz is probably right about the tag of chokers starting with that match. After the WI Test, pretty sure the attitude from people was "First Test back after 20-odd years, they're allowed a slip-up, etc." but it was only later people started more seriously wondering about their play under the pump.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top