A B D E F G H....X Y Z

Did you spot thing odd ?

or did I miss something?

Here is the explanation:

There is a possibility that the administrators in charge of cricket in the largest economy of Africa will omit one letter from the language/communications guide for the present and future bunch of cricketers. It is to taken as a precautionary step to avoid what had happened 5 times before 2011, and what happened the 6th time in 2011.

Whether it succeeds or not is a separate issue.

I would not name that letter, nor use that word. I leave that job to the zillions of better enthusiasts and experts than me, who would try to dissect what happened in Mirpur on 25th night. 

It is very hard to analyse it all.

1992 gets repeated in 1996, then again in 1999, then again in 2003, 2007, and now again in 2011.

When there are instances of  the "not the best" excelling in sports, and at times in life too, it is very difficult/sad/tragic/use what you may like to describe why the Waca-Waca nation is somehow unable to get its share of joy/glory/triumph/again use what you may like.

Something similar to Holland having the distinction of "the best side never to have won the World Cup".

Is it their fate that they can't win?

or is it that their destiny was decided way back in 1991 when they re-entered the cricket arena?

or is it something else?

Forget the team for a moment, quite often in life, the output does not justify the efforts put behind it, or the potential or talent used in coming up with that output. One feels sorry at those moments for those who experience it, but the those who experience it may not exactly know how to react/what to do.

Some exhibit optimism and say 'good try, but better luck next time'.

While some others go into the extreme opposite and stop trying.

Many others lie somewhere between the two extremes.

South Africa are certainly not in the second category, and position themselves in the first one.

But despite all that, when will that "next time" come for them?

Just the other day, I made a debut at Sardar Patel stadium at Motera. It was another matter that my debut was to do with my first appearance for any international cricket match/world cup match and had nothing do with the action on the field. During the game as well as after the game I was contemplating the possible scenarios.

South Africa beats New Zealand

England somehow manage to pull of a win against Sri Lanka

India continues its record against Pakistan at the World Cup.

South Africa take revenge against England for the group stages.

and in the Finals, India play gallantly but lose to South Africa.

That was to be "the next time", "the moment" for them !

But, all my scenario analysis now seem to be an exercise in futility.

There is no problem withe bunch of cricketers, nor with the coaches in place. Its just that things do not always work out the way they would like, and that such situations arise when it matters the most.

They should take a break for some time, relax and then move on.

After all that is life.

To be crestfallen is an easy task, but to have the courage to move forward is another one.

They have shown this courage in the past, and they need to show it even now.

They will have two ICC events (T20 World Cup in 2012,2014) before the one in Australia/New Zealand in 2015 to make another attempt for that "next time", and they should try to prepare for that.

But seriously,when will that "next time" come?

PS: This post was an attempt to view things from the perspective of a South Africa fan, and the bit about cricket administrators mentioned at the beginning was a product of imagination.