After another loss at the hands of the Proteas, iafrica.com columnist Eric Simons wonders if the current Australian team is starting to feel the pressure.

Every walk of life has its stresses that have to be overcome if you want to be really successful and those that best deal with the pressures and stresses their life throws their way are the ones that rise to the top.

International sport is no different. It is a fantastic lifestyle with so many privileges and honours that make all the hard work worthwhile. But naturally it is also a very stressful life. What makes international sport so difficult is that while in your office, the pressure and scrutiny is limited to the confines of that setting.

In the world of sport the scrutiny is a magnifying glass that in today?s world of news and broadcast knows no bounds.

Imagine driving home from work after a losing a huge deal through a major error on your part and every person at every intersection, every person you encounter when you stop at the local shop to buy your newspaper and even your neighbours know you messed up today. That is what it is like to lose a game your country desperately wants you to win.

Dealing with pressure

Many sportsmen try to deal with the pressure of the sport life by convincing themselves that we must not forget it is only a game.

After a match where the Proteas suffer one of those gut wrenching defeats you are most likely to hear some kind of statement being made in the change room that tries to put the game in perspective. Something like "at least the sun will rise in the morning."

It is not an attempt to trivialize the match and its importance but simply a way to deal with the pain of losing. Imagine the hollow feeling you have when you see your favourite team lose. Now try multiply that by about ten and you might have an understanding of what it is like to actually be a part of the team that loses that game ? losing a game that as an individual you are desperate to win not only for yourself but because you know the entire country is watching and willing you on to win.

But before you start feeling sorry for the cricketers ? don?t ? because that is exactly why they are playing the game at the top level. It is those that do not want just to be average that makes it at the top ? those that thrive on tough situations and challenges ? in sport and in life.

If they don?t want the pressure then they are in the wrong job. Dealing with pressure and stress takes confidence and self belief. When you are confident and on a high there seems nothing you can?t do and nothing you can?t achieve. The problems start when that confidence ebbs away.

When you stop believing in yourself and your team and the pressure becomes a burden rather than something that excites you and drives you to greater heights. I know no other way to describe it on a sports field but to say that it is as if you can actually feel the blood running through your veins and you can feel each beat of your heart.

Australian cricketers have been on a high for so long. For so long they have believed ? more than that ? they have known that they can get themselves out of any hole. They have known ? as they say in the change room "that someone will come to the party."

It seems that their hard won state of mental supremacy is slowly but surely disappearing and they are feeling the pressure. I have never seen an Australian team throw away such dominant positions and each time it happens it creates a little more doubt in their minds.

Creating more pressure

It creates a little more pressure on the individual with the bat or with ball in hand. They can?t play with the freedom and confidence we have seen for so long.

Today Australia were 170 odd in the 30th over and the rule of thumb is you should try and double your score from there. In the past South Africa would certainly have been chasing 320 plus ? today Australia only managed 269 and were bowled out.

There have been many such situations over the past few months that have highlighted this shift but the fielding lapses in the first ODI at the most crucial time spoke volumes ? not about the fielding ability of the Australians but about their mental state.

But take nothing away from the South African bowlers, fielders and in particular Johan Botha today. Johan has grown tremendously as a captain and leader through the matches he has led the team in Australia.

Ricky Ponting has tried to put added pressure on him with his comments in the media about us missing Graeme and not knowing who the leader was in the middle. For once Australian words are coming back to bite them.

The more important thing for South Africa though is that by definition ? when Australia are in a winning position ? we are in a losing position and each time we win from there our mental state shifts slowly towards the belief that we can get ourselves out of any hole ? that we can win from anywhere.

Growing this positive mental state is a slow process and we must be patient and realize that it is still fragile. Also we must remember that Australia have had a few major players sidelined through injuries ? players that will make a huge difference when the battle resumes on our shores but in the past this has not mattered ? Australia have still managed to win.

Now I feel they are doubting and we are starting to believe.

  • Do you agree with Eric's sentiments? Are the Australians wilting under the pressure? Leave a comment below!