September 27 Friday 2002
South Africa are not chokers - Ponting 

COLOMBO: Australian captain Ricky Ponting has refused to brand South Africa as "chokers" despite their disappointing 10-run defeat by India in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Wednesday. 

Shaun Pollock's side reached 192 for one in the 37th over chasing 262 for victory before opener Herschelle Gibbs was forced to retire with cramp after scoring 116. When he departed South Africa lost their way completely to finish at 251 for six. 

Following on from losses to Australia in the 1999 World Cup and India in the 2000 Champions Trophy, the defeat again raised questions about their big-match temperament. But Ponting refused to subscribe to that view when he spoke to reporters on Thursday before Australia's semi-final against Sri Lanka on Friday. "It's not justified to call them chokers," he said. "It was an unfortunate thing last night with Herschelle Gibbs going so well and then the cramps in his arms and hands set in and he couldn't hang onto the bat. 

"It was the turning-point of the game, but as we all know in one-day cricket if the momentum is going your way, as it was for South Africa last night, then you lose wickets it's hard to get it back. "We always speak of that, that if you lose a wicket you don't want to lose another on top of it especially if you are chasing because it becomes hard. "South Africa aren't the first side to do what happened. It has happened to every side in the world a number of times so you couldn't label them as chokers on that performance last night," he added. 

Ponting did admit the way South Africa struggled to chase their target as the ball lost its hardness and the slower bowlers were introduced confirmed his thoughts about what to do if he won the toss on Friday. "I've said right through the tournament that I would prefer to bat first and I think all the sides are probably in the same boat," he said. "South Africa did get themselves into a good position but they lacked momentum through the middle part of the innings and dug themselves into a hole they couldn't get out of." 

However, Ponting played down the significance of the toss in Friday's match. "It doesn't bother us too much whether we bat or bowl first. "Our target is always to set a big total if we bat first or chase down a total if we bowl first and we'll just go out looking to perform well on the day. "If that means scratching around to get 220 and then defending it then we'll try to do that. We're still confident either way," he added. The winners of Friday's semi-final will play India in the final on Sunday. None of the remaining three sides in the competition have ever won the event, with previous winners South Africa (1998) and New Zealand (2000) both eliminated.