South Africa Shed its Choker Tag?

After South Africa’s heart-stopping win over Pakistan, Keshav Maharaj presented an unusual sight having paddled a short ball from Mohammad Nawaz to the boundary. Faced flushed with exertion and emotions, Maharaj shouted “come on” over and over and thumped his chest. This may have been the most emotion he has ever displayed on a field as he made no bones how much the win meant for him. He was at it again on Wednesday celebrating the fall of Trent Boult’s wicket that brought South Africa to the brink of another famous victory. The crushing of New Zealand by 190 runs was toasted with an abandon that belies a team that has historically faltered at the edge of greatness.

It was Maharaj who had held his hands to his head at Dharamshala amid fluffed catches, mis-fields and Kamikaze batting that allowed a steely Netherlands to shock the Proteas. “Not again,” would be the refrain running through the slightly built left arm spinner’s mind. Somehow, the Proteas have pulled up their socks and got into a different frame of mind that resolutely puts what happened yesterday out of their thought process. The consideration of “what if…” has done in good teams and a brain freeze is something the South Africans do not want. After putting up another big total, they ensured the Kiwis never had a chance. The New Zealanders, drained by a high scoring and tiring game against Australia, were also plagued by injury but the South Africans are in prime form.

It is never easy to get rid of mental bogeys that can be nothing less than voodoo spells. England great Geoff Boycott could never reconcile getting out to Eknath “Ekkie” Solkar’s gentle swingers. Alan Border was left scratching his sparse beard after Roger Binny’s medium pace got him through the gate and Ricky Ponting was spooked by Harbhajan (Turbanator) Singh. The same is true of teams. Pakistan have found it difficult to get past India in ODI world cups and has lost matches in T 20 world cups by a whisker. The jinx can be broken anytime, but when it persists the albatross becomes just that much heavier. Steve Waugh’s supposedly apocryphal jibe at Hershelle Gibbs – you’ve just dropped the world cup – for dropping a catch while prematurely celebrating the Australian’s wicket was a long time back. But somehow the tag has stuck and caused successive South African sides considerable misery.

It just might be that the team led by Temba Bavuma is getting out of a hole that has consumed their predecessors. The manner in which the Proteas went about the demolition of New Zealand was impressive. Hit for a six in the previous ball, Maharaj kept one up to Mitchell Santner and the ball fizzed and turned sharply knocking the stumps over. Of course, a big score and falling wickets meant Maharaj could bowl full but it is equally clear that he is in top form. The flight and spin would have reminded Santner, also a left arm bowler, of the dream balls he has himself bowled to get rid of batsmen.

Will South Africa make it to the final? Making it past the semis will test all contenders not just Bavuma and Co. With the bowling finding form and balance, they are looking like a formidable team. Win or lose, they have an opportunity to laying an old and malignant demon to rest.

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Rajeev Deshpande

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