It is going to be a battle of egos when South Africa meets Australia in their crunch ICC World Cup clash in Lucknow on Thursday, according to Proteas star batter Quinton de Kock.
The Proteas and Australia share a storied rivalry, even more so at World Cups, with the Aussies holding sway in two semi-finals back in 1999 and 2007.
But more recently, it has been the Proteas that have held the upper hand, winning the 2019 World Cup tie in Manchester, and being victorious in 15 of the 20 bilateral ODIs the teams have contested over the past few years.
There is certainly not much love lost between the two sides, though, especially after the infamous ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal that broke out during the Newlands Test in 2018 – when three Australian players, including then-captain Steve Smith and David Warner, were involved in a ball-tampering scandal.
De Kock, who has had his own skirmishes with Australia in the past, certainly believes neither team will take a backward step on Thursday (10.30am SA time start).
“I think it’s just because you’re playing against such a strong team,” he stated on Wednesday in response to what makes the rivalry so fierce.
“Australians and us have always had a great history, a good competitive background – so yeah, I think that’s just what it is.
“It’s just a big rivalry. I think it’s just international cricket... it’s just the way it is.
“Both teams are strong teams, both got big egos, both want to win, want to beat each other.
“I think that’s what it just comes down to.
“Both teams are going to come out fighting, and whoever makes the right choices under pressure will be the stronger team at the end of the day.”
De Kock is fresh off a maiden World Cup century in the last game against Sri Lanka, but is also playing his last ODI tournament after deciding to quit 50-over international cricket after India.
The 30-year-old is not focusing too much on his retirement, and simply wants to help the Proteas to advance to the playoffs at the World Cup.
“I think I’m pretty much the same, whether retired or not retired,” he said.
“It’s just a matter of working on one or two things and just going out there and just getting it done.
“I have been working on one or two things in the (previous) Australian series, and now here in our preparations, just to get it done out there. I think it helped.”
Cape Times