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Journalism of Courage
SA cracking under pressure: Woolmer
South Africa8217;s World Cup players are in danger of cracking under the massive pressure of expectation, according to former coach Bob Woolmer.
They already need other results to go their way as well as to win all their remaining games to reach the Super Six stage. The team has been widely criticised in the media, with skipper Pollock and fast bowler Allan Donald the prime targets. 8216;8216;It doesn8217;t look like it at the moment but South Africa are hard to beat at home,8217;8217; Woolmer added. 8216;8216;They have to understand that and get stuck in and not worry about the Super Sixes. 8216;8216;They have to try and relax and enjoy their cricket.8217;8217;
Woolmer said New Zealand and West Indies deserved credit for their wins. 8216;8216;They have done their homework and come hard at them. At the moment, there has been no response. 8216;8216;It may sound harsh, but I feel South Africa have not got better 8212; they8217;ve stood still. It looks as if they are playing the same way as they used to, but with a team which is not as experienced or probably as good as it once was.8217;8217; Earlier South Africa batsman Gary Kirsten had defended Pollock8217;s captaincy, saying: 8216;8216;I don8217;t think you can single out individuals 8212; certainly not the captain 8212; for a lack of performance8230; It8217;s all of us to blame.8217;8217;
Go and get drunk, players told
South Africa8217;s struggling World Cup squad should go on a drinking binge in a bid to get their campaign back on track, according to one of the country8217;s leading newspapers.
The Johannesburg-based Star suggested on Tuesday that Shaun Pollock8217;s side should 8216;8216;do what the rest of the country did on Sunday night8217;8217; and 8216;8216;get hammered on beer and wine and leave the regrets in the bottom of the bottle.8217;8217;
South Africa, the pre-tournament second favourites behind Australia, lost two of their first three games and need other results to go their way if they are to sneak through to the second round from Group B.
The Star said Australia had come back from a similarly poor start in 1999 to win the trophy, before repeating its suggested solution for bringing the home side success. 8216;8216;Beer 8212; it8217;s the fuel of all champion teams,8217;8217; it said.
Waugh not writing off SA
Deposed Australian one-day skipper Steve Waugh today said he was not writing off South Africa from the World Cup saying the Proteas were still Australia8217;s main danger.
Test captain Waugh said the South Africans have a chance similar to Australia8217;s 1999 barnstorming finish to win the Wworld Cup.
After losses to West Indies and New Zealand, South Africa must win every game and hope West Indies beat Sri Lanka just to survive the pool matches.
Australia, just as with South Africa this time, lost two of its first three games in 1999 but still won the World Cup in England.
8220;I think they are still in with a good chance of doing well,8221; Waugh said, adding, 8220;I see their start as very similar to ours in 1999, and if they can turn it around and gradually peak towards the end of the tournament then there is no reason why they can8217;t do well.8221;
8220;To write them off now would be pretty foolish because I still think they are Australia8217;s main danger,8221; Waugh said.
