Proteas captain Faf du Plessis says they’ve been doing some house cleaning in the build-up to the World Cup in England.
The Proteas kick off their campaign against hosts England next Thursday and Du Plessis believes whatever happens in that game, his team will be equipped mentally to deal with it.
He says: “Winning that first game, the media will start to speak of South Africa as a real threat.
“From going under the radar, that will change in a day [and we will be seen as contenders].
“[But] if you lose one game in a six-seven week tournament it’s not about how you get to the semis, it’s about getting there.
“When you get there, any team can win it.
“South Africa has been a very good league team over the last decade, we play series really well, not tournaments as good as we want.”
Du Plessis believes South Africa’s past failures in the tournament are waiting to haunt them again.
But he believes that, along with coach Ottis Gibson, they have equipped the players to deal with the pressure.
PLOTTING: Boss Ottis Gibson. Photo: Backpagepix.
He says: “I started this journey with the team a year ago. It feels like I’m the guy that speaks most of the mental side of cricket.
“I do see there is an area we need to improve on.
“I know the questions you are going to get; every player that goes to a press conference. I’ve been speaking to the players to help get them prepared for it when they get there.
“When we get to those tournaments people replay the baggage. They highlight the baggage.
"It’s almost like it's this big mirror in front of you all the time, it’s all you hear and all you see.
REFLECTING: Captain Faf du Plessis, centre, and Proteas teammates. Photo: Backpagepix.
“Our thinking is to get the guys to be more mentally free, you can’t fear making mistakes because you won’t be the best player you can be.
“Life doesn’t finish when you lose in a World Cup. If that’s the absolute worst-case scenario, life goes on.
“This is not the main event [of your life], hopefully that encourages the guys to relax a bit more.”