Worst choke ever

[Hurricane]

New Zealand, 1991-92. Chris Pringle bowled it. Was a pretty average over too - should have been a wide in there, plus one or two full-tosses. Just Reid was awful. I wouldn't necessarily call it a choke, given he was such a bunny.

Choke can be a term bandied around too much, as well.

Agreed wasn't a choke.

Aussie played with the batting order that day and it backfired no one came off and NZ defended a low total.

 

[G.I.Joe]

This whole thing started with that 99 semi final against Australia, though. You can't possibly have known that they'd choke before it actually happened. For that matter, I believe the c word is thrown around too liberally when it comes to RSA. Every time they lose it's ostensibly down to them choking! No denying they've performed worse than they should have in ICC tournaments, but why they are singled out for criticism every single time is beyond me. Of the major sides, England and New Zealand also haven't won a WC; and they've been playing all WC's since 75 unlike RSA who started in 92. All this tosh about them not having won an ICC tournament is incorrect as well. If my fickle memory serves me correct they were the first to win the ICC Champions trophy, which I believe was then called ICC knockout trophy or some such thing.

Winning a WC is considered to be the pinnacle of sport but it isn't always down to skill or the team choking or not choking. You do need a little bit of luck as well; be it India catching the mighty West Indies on an off day in 83, Pakistan sneaking through with a crucial point because of rain after getting bowled out for 72, SL getting points for other teams not playing them in 96...the list goes on.

All that doesn't really count of course. It's the results that matter. I'm confident RSA will turn it around win the near future.

That's as much of a fallacy as claiming that every SA loss in a World Cup is a choke, IMO. WI were clearly the more fancied side in 83, but India faced them thrice in the tournament and won twice. One can talk about off-days all one wants to, but cricket isn't played on paper, and 2-1 is 2-1.

 

[Furball]

Re: Donald's choke, every time I've seen that it looks like there was never a run there and Klusener shouldn't have run?

IIRC the ball before Donald almost got himself run out trying to run a ridiculous single before getting sent back by Klusener. Both players completely bottled it once Klusener tied things up.

The 1999 semi always gets brought up but IMO South Africa's performance in the 2007 semi final is the quintessential team choke, particularly when you consider the pre-game utterances from South Africa in the media.

 

[SteveNZ]

Was Donald to blame for the 1999 Aus vs SA loss? He was a bunny. If he had remembered how to run, SA would probably have won...

I believe he was, yeah. It wasn't his call - Klusener hit it down the ground (from memory) and ran. It's Donald's job to back the more experienced batsman but he was ****ting bricks. And probably had the run out being botched two balls earlier in his mind. And yes he was a bunny, but he wasn't facing. He was merely asked to run, which is in any batsman's make-up.

Incidentally, Fleming doesn't get enough kudos for the bowling of that over.

 

[Satguru]

I believe he was, yeah. It wasn't his call - Klusener hit it down the ground (from memory) and ran. It's Donald's job to back the more experienced batsman but he was ****ting bricks. And probably had the run out being botched two balls earlier in his mind. And yes he was a bunny, but he wasn't facing. He was merely asked to run, which is in any batsman's make-up.

I dont know why Klusener usually escapes blame for that choke and Donald takes all the blame. As you said, Donald had backed up a bit too far the previous ball and was almost runout... you cant really blame him for being a bit on the cautious side when it came to running a tight single.
It was Klusener's call, but seriously, the run was ridiculously tight, Klusener **** his pants even though he knew he had two more balls...totally unnecessary single. He should have had a talk with Donald after the previous ball telling him to get ready for the mad single, instead he was just like "Ima run to the bowler's end no matter what happens... dont give a crap if Donald is just standing there without a bat in his hand, im not gonna turn back"

 

[SteveNZ]

Very fair point. And now that I watch it again, I had it pretty wrong. Awful single, Donald had to hold his ground as the ball was going straight back towards the non-striker's stumps, where if whoever it was who threw it had hit, he would've been out.

Klusener=brain fade. Harsh to label him a choker given he got 31 off 14, however. That took some gumption.

 

[Satguru]

Donald had to hold his ground as the ball was going straight back towards the non-striker's stumps, where if whoever it was who threw it had hit, he would've been out.

Exactly

 

[ankitj]

India in WC 03 final worth a shout?It wasn't a choke from a winning position per se, but it was a choke in every other sense of the word. The occasion seemed to get to each and every one of their players, nothing exlempifying it better than Sourav's absolute brainfade at the toss; where he sent a great ODI side in to bat on a flat pitch, in a high pressure game. Zaheer, magnificent all tournament till that point, bowled the most horrible first over you'll ever see. Every thing went downhill for the Indians from thereon

Agree.

 

[Quaggas]

IIRC the ball before Donald almost got himself run out trying to run a ridiculous single before getting sent back by Klusener. Both players completely bottled it once Klusener tied things up.

The 1999 semi always gets brought up but IMO South Africa's performance in the 2007 semi final is the quintessential team choke, particularly when you consider the pre-game utterances from South Africa in the media.

I'm assuming you mean the losses to Ban and NZ in the super-8, which meant SA had to play Aus? Presumably losing to the 2007 Aussies (=semifinal) is hardly a choke.

 

[Jono]

Choke isn't the right word. "Psyched out" is a better description.

 

[Quaggas]

Choke isn't the right word. "Psyched out" is a better description.

Nah, while SA was ranked 1 in ODIs going in by a freak of scheduling, Aus were clearly a superior side - this had already been demonstrated (indicated, "hinted at"?) in the group stage in St Kitts & Nevis.

 

[Jono]

His point is they changed the way they played because of Australia's pre-match taunts.

It is not the fact SA lost to Australia, but the way they lost.

 

[Quaggas]

? They lost wickets trying to score big batting first. It sometimes goes pear-shaped, esp against 2007-vintage McGrath and Tait.

 

[NasserFan207]

Whenever I think of that game, I have to shake my head. How could WI possibly lose from there???

A lower order consisting of Otis Gibson, Roger Harper and Keith Arthurton.

Jimmy a bit of a surprise though tbh

 

[Satyanash89]

101/4 chasing 120 with with a run a ball left to win... and you lose 6 wicket for 7 runs in 13 balls... if that's not a choke, i don't know what is

Some of the most horrendous shots ever played too, just pathetic

 

[Valer]

Well the Akmal thread reminded me how did this thread not include Pakistan's efforts a the SCG in 2010?

 

[benchmark00]

 

[Jono]

 

[benchmark00]

Colour photo of Richmond grand final:

 

[Jono]