Wednesday, 11th April 2007 at 4:03 pm

South Africa: the rollercoaster continues…

If South Africa’s rehab centres are filling up fast with eyed patients clad in replica one-day shirts, then it’s the crew in the Caribbean who’re squarely to blame, having subjected South African fans to an emotional rollercoaster of a World Cup so far. Consider the evidence…

• Herschelle Gibbs hits six sixes in an over, as the Dutch are slaughtered in a fashion only the South African fan can take true pleasure from
• A sensational start to the run chase against Australia suggests another famous win is on the cards, before a late implosion gives national self-belief a battering (and further enhances our love of all things Australian)
• A nightmare burst from Lasith Malinga does more to get quitters smoking again than any event in South African history - but we somehow hold on to win by one slender wicket
• Top of the world on April 1 (and US$175 000 richer as a result), the planet’s number one cricket team proceeds to execute the unthinkable, and lose to a delighted Bangladesh
• And then, with questions arising everywhere, a new-look Jacques Kallis goes berserk, AB de Villiers gets his first ton, and Mark Boucher shows his unbridled belligerence, as the West Indies are all but knocked out of their home tournament…

…a sentiment we can all identify with, 2003 still fresh in the mind. We’ve gone a little better this time, but the schizophrenic performances - and uncertainty of best XI - means further progress is far from assured. Wins over England and New Zealand (probably just one will do) will guarantee a semifinal, but from there? The rampant top and middle order are the game’s most destructive when they fire, but ignition isn’t a certainty, and Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka all look more rounded sides.

So where to from here for South Africa? Ideally, more of the destruction we saw against the West Indies (although even then, the bowling raised questions, particularly Graeme Smith’s five overs at 11 or so an over). But this chameleon outfit, playing on the back of South Africa’s ill-fated World Cup history, could as soon win the tournament, as go out before the semis. Which will it be? I’ll consider the possibilities further, over a bottle of vodka and a large order of prescription drugs…