Sport24 columnist Arthur Turner (File)

Arthur Turner

The Proteas' defeat against Pakistan in the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 was against a better team on the day and certainly not due to choking. This defeat is a classical example, as the final was, of the unpredictability of the 20-over game. Also, both games illustrated how a brilliant individual performance can influence the result.

The Proteas lost a closely contested match by seven runs and to term them chokers based on that performance is harsh. Sri Lanka, like South Africa, also only lost one game in the tournament - the final. The performance of the West Indies in the second semi-final looked more like a team choking to me.

In the end the Proteas were beaten by Shahid Afridi who was brilliant with both bat and ball on the day. He was supported by Umar Gul who bowled a great spell at the end of the South African innings. There was not much Graeme Smith and Mickey Arthur could do about those two outstanding performances.

I highlighted in a previous column the inability of Smith and Jacques Kallis to dominate the 'power play' overs. Pakistan’s winning margin of seven runs was exactly the difference between the 'power play' scores of the two teams.

Smith’s poor form was a big contributing factor to this problem. I wonder to what extent his elbow injury contributed to his batting woes and whether he was fit enough to lead the Proteas. Kallis on the other hand finished the tournament with a good strike rate of 126 and average of 59.50, but this does not tell the story of his performances in the 'power play' overs.

The reaction of the South African public has understandably been one of anger and frustration aimed at the team and especially at Smith and Arthur. However, let’s not forget that they have built one of the great South African teams from the ashes of 2005 when we lost to an average England team in a home series. The Proteas are the best team in world cricket right now in all forms of the game and one defeat does not make them a poor team - or chokers. 

I was quite amused to see the British media also getting on the bandwagon with the chokers tag. Personally, I thought it was a bit rich coming from a nation who has never won a global trophy and has lost in three Cricket World Cup finals and also a Champions Trophy final.

Arthur and his management team will be fully aware that the challenges the Proteas face are not their performances in Test cricket, One Day Internationals or Twenty20 cricket, but the need to win a global trophy. They will be aware that they need to address their poor conversion rate in ICC events by analysing their tactics and personnel.

They have three opportunities to rectify this problem in the Champions Trophy in South Africa in September, World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in 2010 and the World Cup in India in 2011. It is clear that the South African public will not settle for any thing less.

I have no doubt that we have the players and leadership to do it and it is only a matter of time before the Proteas emerge victorious.

Arthur is a former cricket administrator and current player agent.

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