Vusi Voetsek: Proteas to once again raise hopes of a World Cup victory

So, for once, rain and inclement weather saved the day for the Proteas.

The South Africans qualified this week to go to the 50-over World Cup after Ireland’s ODI match against Bangladesh was rained out. It meant the South Africans avoided having to play in a qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe to try get into the tournament later this year in India.

Well, thank goodness for that, because, let’s be honest, there would be no guarantee that the Proteas would advance from the qualifying tournament, even though they would be big favourites going in.
We all know what happens to the Proteas when they’re considered favourites.

Qualifying tournament

Now, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Ireland, Netherlands, Nepal, Scotland, Oman, UAE and USA will play off in a tournament in Zimbabwe, between 18 June and 9 July, to determine which two teams join the other eight for the World Cup.

It’s a very competitive group, and it’ll be sad to not see some of these teams in India in the main event.

I’m thankful the Proteas aren’t a part of it because knowing them, well, you just never know.

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May the Proteas now catch a wake-up and never again get themselves into the position they found themselves in recently. They’re too good to be touch-‘n-go and not qualifying automatically.

But while the team’s qualification is good news, the down side is coach Rob Walter and his team won’t have much time to prepare for the tournament.

The next time the Proteas are in action is in late August and September, in three T20s and five ODIs against the Australians.

At least the competition will be strong, however, the pitches are likely to be somewhat different to what the Proteas and Australians can expect in India. Or maybe they won’t be, if a few words are whispered in the ears of the groundsmen in Bloemfontein, Potchefstroom, Centurion and Joburg.

Anyway, those two series’, even though one is a T20 series, will be crucial for preparation, because there won’t be many more opportunities to get things right and sorted out before the tournament starts on 5 October.

Maybe, for once, going into a World Cup with no one giving the Proteas a chance, and little fanfare about their readiness and preparation, will work in their favour. They should have the team and depth though to be considered among the serious challengers, but who knows. We can dream, like always.

PGA Championship

It’s the year’s second Major next week; the PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York.

Tiger Woods won’t be there, but all the other big guys will, including Rory McIlroy and a host of LIV Golf Tour players, so we should have another exciting major.

Unfortunately, as was the case at the Masters in April, South Africa is unlikely to have a serious challenger for the title. And it is a tournament that hasn’t been all that good for the Saffas.

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The last time a South African won the PGA Championship was in 1972, when Gary Player won the second of his two titles, the other coming in 1962. Nick Price, who represented Zimbabwe, won titles in 1992 and 1994.

South Africa’s hopes next week will lie with Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Dean Burmester, Thriston Lawrence and Ockie Strydom — all very good golfers, but serious Major contenders? We can dream, like always.