London, May 12: The South African team set five goals for the 1998-99 cricket season, including winning its first World Cup at its third attempt.If the Proteas win the World Cup - goal No 5 - it will be a testament to their unparalelled all-round strength.It all began last September when a second-string South African team beat a full-strength Australia to win the Commonwealth Games gold medal in Kuala Lumpur.Since then, it has won a mini-World Cup in Bangladesh, thrashed West Indies and New Zealand in both Tests and limited-overs series, and now as strong favourites.Hansie Cronje has captained South Africa in 100 limited-overs internationals and has a 76 per cent success rate.``The players have started realising that they can compete with the best in the world,'' he said. ``To me, that is a major step towards the right direction.''``I think we are flying in formation now.''Despite unsuccessful, and controversial, World Cup campaigns in 1992 and 1996, South Africa has remained the team to beat in One-day cricket, boasting a galaxy of world class all-rounders Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Jacques Kallis, Nicky Boje and Derek Crookes.``Those (World Cup) memories are still fresh,'' Cronje said. ``Some of the players have played in both tournaments and think they owe the South African people a world title,'' he added.In Sydney in 1992, South Africa, was deprived of a place in the final by default after a farcial rain-rule reduced its target from 22 runs off 13 balls to scandalous 21 off one ball. In Karachi in 1996, after remaining unbeaten in a group that included hosts Pakistan, New Zealand and England, it was knocked out in the quarter-final by West Indies.``If you try your best and you still lose, you can't ask for more than that,'' Cronje said. ``There have been times when people back home have felt that we really could have played a little better and won.''The South Africans have vowed to bid a fitting farewell to the duo of chairman of selectors Peter Pollock and coach Bob Woolmer.The two will end their commitments at the end of the World Cup. Since returning to international cricket in 1991, South Africa has won 101 of its 164 matches and clinched tournaments on home soil, in England, Sharjah, Kenya, Bangladesh and Pakistan.Although Sri Lanka re-invented One-day cricket with pinch-hitting, Woolmer has been the mastermind behind a tactical revolution in limited-overs cricket, which makes South Africa the most innovative and efficient side.Woolmer, who took over from Mike Proctor in 1994, has worked hard in turning average players into all-rounders by making them proficient in more than one area.Boje was an ideal example. He was a spinner for his state and since coming under the wings of Woolmer at national level, has been regarded an all-rounder.``Yes, I guess our all-round depth and our seam bowlers are our strength,'' says Cronje, himself a One-day all-rounder. ``We've got to make sure our planning is spot.'' South Africa opens the tournament on Saturday against India at Hove on May 15.
