South Africa look the part of World Cup champions
South Africa have always flattered to deceive at the World Cup, often succumbing because of a school-boy error made under pressure
Tariq Engineer
25-Feb-2013
South Africa have always flattered to deceive at the World Cup, often succumbing because of a school-boy error made under pressure. Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Peter Roebuck thinks this South Africa team might be poised to exorcise the ghosts of teams past and finally lift the World Cup.
Now, Graeme Smith's side seems strong and sincere. Certainly it is a melting pot, with a formidable opener of Indian extraction, a coloured spinner and middle-order batsman, a black fast bowler and a leggie born in Karachi. And all of them deserve their places. And it was all achieved without the expected blood bath. With every passing year the game learns to focus a little less on faith, race, gender and sexuality and more on character.
Tariq Engineer is a former senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo