JOHANNESBURG: The pressure of the “chokers” tag caught up with South Africa and caused them to lose composure in their shock World Cup quarterfinal defeat by New Zealand, coach Corrie van Zyl said. South Africa, despite invariably showing superb form in the early rounds, has never won a knockout game at the World Cup. This time was no different as after losing just one match to top Group B, it lost a fifth successive knockout game Friday. “Pressure is obviously a major thing in the World Cup and in the knockout rounds, especially because you know it's your last opportunity,” Van Zyl told a news conference in Johannesburg. “It's important to keep your composure and we weren't able to do that. Maybe it was the burden of previous generations that caused us to lose composure. “The opposition see every opportunity to use the word ‘chokers' on and off the field for one reason: to get at us mentally. “But when our own fans keep reminding us of the past, it doesn't provide motivation, it just brings extra pressure. We need to deal with this in a different way as a nation, we need to stick together.” “The pressure all starts building up, the players always get reminded of the past,” said Van Zyl. “Most of this squad were not part of the previous World Cup defeats, but the people make them a part of it.” The Dhaka defeat was especially bitter for Van Zyl, who was an assistant coach at the 1999 World Cup, when South Africa was eliminated by Australia, and at the 2003 event they hosted. “It's hard to describe the disappointment the players went through. I've been part of three changeroom moods like that now. It will hurt for a long time,” Van Zyl said. The coach dismissed suggestions the make-up of South Africa's squad was wrong. “I don't think we needed anyone else apart from the 15 players we had there,” he said. “For those conditions, it was the right 15, without question, and it was proven right through the World Cup. We played some seriously good cricket, barring 10 overs on Friday night. “In hindsight, I would have prepared the same way and had the same personnel.” The 49-year-old former fast bowler believed the current squad still had it in them to win a future World Cup. “There's a new team culture, they're definitely taking a new direction and there's no question they will be No. 1 in the future and they will still win the World Cup if we all work together,” he said. “There's a lot of talent in the team, it's important to keep it together, and all that experience and the lessons they have learnt should stand them in good stead.” Van Zyl will now exit the coach's role and return to his job as Cricket South Africa's high performance manager. The governing body will consider the applications for his successor over the next fortnight, team manager Mohammed Moosajee said. Ponting looks to Tendulkar for inspiration Ricky Ponting is still defying calls for him to retire as Australia captain, saying on his return from a World Cup quarterfinal exit that he's thinking more of a “Tendulkar-sort rebirth.” Demands for Ponting's resignation were louder before his gritty hundred in the quarterfinal loss to Tendulkar's Indian squad, which still ensured Australia's worst World Cup run in two decades but salvaged his own career. Now the 36-year-old Ponting says he's hopeful of a late-career revival. “I guess with even making some runs in this last game that I've played and getting that really good feeling back about my batting again, hopefully it might be a bit of a kickstart for a Tendulkar-sort rebirth, if you like,” Ponting said. After admitting his nine year reign as Australian captain could end if the Australian selectors felt it was time to go, Ponting said he had decided the time of his own retirement. “I'll know the right time that it's time for me to not be playing any more and I haven't found that time just yet,” Ponting said. “Every decision I've ever made was always with Cricket Australia's thoughts at the front of my mind. It's always been about putting the team before me.
