South Africans will not dwell on unhappy past

CHENNAI,  (Reuters) – South Africa are determined to  make a new start at the World Cup opening on Feb. 19 after   semi-final exits in 1992, 1999 and 2007 and a shock  quarter-final loss to West Indies in 1996.

AB de Villiers, who will add the wicketkeeper’s role to his  batting duties, said on Friday the team were not looking back.

“We really are not focusing on that at the moment,” he told  reporters. “The thing that has happened in the past is history.  We’ve got an all-new side with a different look.”

“ICC events are difficult things, you have to peak at the  right time. It has nothing to do with choking or throwing a game  away. It’s pressure and other teams may have played better that  time.

“(In the) last two years, three maybe even, we played the  big situations vey well. We are going to do exactly the same in  this tournament.

“We don’t need extra help or psychologists. We’ve got little  things to work on but definitely it’s not about choking.”

Team mate Morne Morkel was equally confident.

“We have a lot of young and fresh guys, all hungry to get  success and start our own legacy,” he said.

“(This is an opportunity) also for those guys who played  before us to do something special. We have the team and got the  backing from home…we’ll be ready. We have a point to prove.”

Morkel and his new ball partner Dale Steyn will spearhead  South Africa’s attack and the 26-year-old was confident of  success even though the subcontinent’s flat pitches will deny  him his customary steep bounce.

“I think it can also play in my favour,” Morkel said.

“I have seen here the bounce can get really inconsistent.  Tall bowlers, if they hit the deck hard and get inconsistent  bounce, that can count as a favour.”

A safe pair of hands behind the wicket will instill  confidence in Morkel and his bowling colleagues and de Villiers  said he was ready for what looked like a tough test of his  keeping skills.

“It’s a different role for me,” said the Pretoria-born  player who will turn 27 on Feb 17.