MUMBAI (AFP): South Africa insist they will not be burdened by scarring from their chequered record in World Cup knockout matches when they face old rivals Australia on Thursday for a spot in the final.
The Proteas have made four semi-final appearances in the showpiece – in 1992, 1999, 2007 and 2015 — but have fallen to defeat every time, twice losing to Australia.
In 1999, they lost to Australia after a dramatic tie at Edgbaston which saw their rivals go through due to a better group stage finish.
Eight years later, South Africa went down by seven wickets after being bundled out for just 149 at St Lucia.
Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, however, could be the stage for redemption for South Africa who made the semi-finals by winning seven of their nine league matches.
They have also been racking up impressive totals including the highest score in World Cup history of 428 against Sri Lanka.
The Proteas have won their last four meetings with Australia, including a 134-run thrashing in the league stage in Lucknow four weeks ago.
“There isn’t a lot of mystery about what’s lying ahead,” said fast bowler Gerald Coetzee who has claimed 18 wickets in seven matches.
Five-time champions Australia are coming off seven straight wins at the tournament.
That run included Glenn Maxwell’s one-man rescue mission when his unbeaten 201 led Australia to victory from the brink of defeat at 91-7 against Afghanistan.
Rassie van der Dussen, who made 76 in South Africa’s concluding group win over Afghanistan to take his tournament total to 442 runs, also shrugged off past disappointments.
“I was 10 years old (in 1999),” said Van der Dussen. “In that year they had a really good chance to win the World Cup. I think we have a good chance as well.”
Leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi insisted the past “doesn’t matter one bit”.
“We’re a different group of players. Before we got to the World Cup, nobody said that we’d be in the semi-final and here we are,” he told South Africa’s Independent media.
“That’s what propels this team – instead of feeling pressure, we see it as an opportunity to do something special. No South African men’s team has been in the World Cup final and that for us is very exciting because it is an opportunity to do something that no other team has done.”
– Bavuma fitness worry –
Australia opener Travis Head was four when the drama of Edgbaston was played out in 1999 so prefers to focus on the challenge ahead.
“The boys have been invested for a long time so if we’re going to spend that much time here we might as well try and go the whole way,” said Head.
“I’m sure everyone has thought about that (making the final).
“It hasn’t really been spoken about as a group, but we know what’s at the end of this tournament and what’s up for grabs.”
The fitness of South Africa captain Temba Bavuma remains a concern after he picked up a hamstring injury against Afghanistan.
But Bavuma, who missed two group games through illness, is expected to play after he batted in the nets at Eden Gardens.
South African batting has stood out at the World Cup.
Opener Quinton de Kock’s 591 runs is second only to the 594 of Virat Kohli.
The 30-year-old De Kock, who will quit one-day internationals at the end of the tournament, has four centuries to his name. One of those came against Australia in the group stage.
But chasing remains an issue for the Proteas as their two defeats — against India and the Netherlands — both came batting second.
Australia have mastered chases.
After Maxwell’s epic knock against Afghanistan, Mitchell Marsh smashed an unbeaten 177 as Australia overhauled the 306 of Bangladesh with 32 balls and eight wickets to spare.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa’s 22 wickets has put him on top of the bowling charts.
Opening batsman David Warner is one run short of 500 including two centuries and a highest of 163 in the win over Pakistan.
Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc and Maxwell both missed the game with Afghanistan but are expected to return for what will be Australia’s eighth semi-final in 13 editions.
However, rain could play spoilsport with downpours forecast for Thursday as well as Friday’s reserve day.
No special treatment for injured Bavuma
South Africa coach Rob Walter said on Tuesday that injured Temba Bavuma will not receive preferential treatment because he is the team captain.
The 33-year-old batsman hopes to be fit for the World Cup semi-final against Australia in Kolkata on Thursday after straining his right hamstring against Afghanistan last Friday.
“No one is bigger than the team at the end of the day. That applies to Temba and everyone else,” said Walter after a practice session in the Indian city.
“Being skipper will not give Bavuma extra protection if the injury does not heal sufficiently and inhibits his play.”
Bavuma took part in a floodlit training session at Eden Gardens on Tuesday and did not show any signs of discomfort.
But Walter warned that there are still hurdles the skipper must clear before he can lead South Africa into a match that will decide who faces India or New Zealand in the final.
“We still need to check him out in the high-speed zones as we progress from when the injury happened to the rehabilitation that has taken place during the past 72 hours,” said the coach.
“Each day brings some new elements to test before deciding whether he is ready and match fit to play in the semi-final. The progression has been positive, which is awesome.”
– Modest form –
Walter said he is not overly concerned about the modest current form of Bavuma, who has scored 145 runs in seven innings at the global showcase.
“Temba has not scored the runs he would have wanted to at the World Cup. However, when I watch him train and play I sense a big score is just around the corner.
“We are not part of the conversation about Temba being dropped. He is one of our best batters this year.
“That said, he is not undroppable, nor is any other member of the squad. No one is bigger than the team.
“Hopefully, we will be able make a call on Temba before Thursday. In an ideal world, you do not want to wait that long, but I need to give him the best chance to play for his country.”
If Bavuma is ruled out of the showdown with Australia, his place will be taken by Reeza Hendricks, a right-handed batter.
South Africa believe the Kolkata pitch will take spin, and may bring in left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi at the expense of Lungi Ngidi or Gerald Coetzee.
Current form favours South Africa after a 134-run victory over Australia in the pool stage, but all four previous semi-finals appearances by the Proteas have ended in disappointment.
And two of those exits, in 1999 and 2007, were against Australia.
Rain is forecast for Kolkata on Thursday and Friday, the reserve day, and if both days were washed out, South Africa would progress to the final on net run rate.
