The upside of being the underdogs

Not for the first time South African cricket followers can look forward in 2011 to an epic year. In fact, they look forward to an epic year every four years.

South Africa's obsession with the World Cup is regarded as unhealthy by many within the game, but at least the passion and desire are there. An obsession with winning is far better than apathy about losing.

There is so much more to international cricket than the International Cricket Council's showpiece knockout tournament, of course, but nothing quite captures the imagination of the public -- especially the South African public -- than the trophy their national team has never won. Or even threatened to win.

The difference this time, and it really might make a difference, is that the Proteas will not be starting among the favourites. That won't mean the players put themselves under less pressure to win but, despite their ranking and record (in bilateral series) against all the other leading cricketing nations in the world, they will be disregarded as contenders for two reasons.

The first is their dismal record in the tournament. The second is the location -- the Asian subcontinent. India and Sri Lanka are consequently regarded as shoo-ins for at least the semifinals while Pakistan, as always, are rated in equal measure as potential champions and first-round losers to Zimbabwe. Or Canada, for that matter.

Big-occasion temperament aside, the Proteas would appear to lack the bowling skills or depth to function on flat wickets that offer little more than a modicum of turn.

Excited and hopeful
The batting unit may have the ability to score 300, but that's exactly the kind of score that can be chased down on Indian and Sri Lankan pitches with our bowlers lacking the nuances of mysteries like reverse swing and pace-change -- and the onus to implement them.

If that all makes sense, why is there reason to feel excited and hopeful? A team with obvious defects may be able to win two or three games in a row, but not an extended tournament like the World Cup. Surely? No, not this time. Not this year. The World Cup is only three games long, effectively.

The format, which reduces 14 teams to eight, means the quarterfinalists need win only their final three games to become champions after a protracted and largely pointless series of six games.