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The South African Cricket Team is one of the top ranking
teams in the world, rated at par with the world champions
Australia. Also known as The Proteas, South Africa is one
of the strongest contenders to win the ICC Cricket World Cup
2007 in West Indies. The Proteas became the third Test playing
nation in the world, when they played its first Test match
way back in 1889 against England. South Afirca produced several
world-famous cricketers, such as Hansie Cronje, Allan Donald,
Gary Kirsten, Kepler Wessels, Jhonty Rhodes and Shaun Pollock.
The South African cricket was isolated from the international
cricket, as a result of ban by the International Cricket Council
(ICC) in 1970, because of its government's apartheid policies.
It was the period when South Africa was emerging as the top
test-playing nation in the world, after purging the powerful
Australians 4-0 with ease. South Africa was readmitted to
the international cricket in 1991, and became full member
of the International Cricket Council with Test and one-day
international status. They played their first ever One-day
international against India on November 10, 1991.
South Africa surprised the cricketing world in their first
ever world cup appearance in 1992, when they reached up to
the semi-finals. In the ICC World Cup 1999, South Africa again
reached to the semi-final but lost to Australia, as a result
of tie. Today, the South African team has emerged as one of
the most elite teams, competing with Australia for the acknowledgement
as the best cricket team in the world. South Africa is placed
in Group A of the ICC World Cup 2007 groupings, along with
Australia, Scotland and the Netherlands. The team will start
its world cup 2007 campaign against the Netherlands on March
16, 2007 in St Kitts and Nevis, West Indies.
| South African Cricket Team Profile |
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