from IOL, January 17, 2003
It is strange seeing Shaun Pollock in plainclothes and not in his trademark cricketing whites.
Sunglasses perched atop that familiar flaming carrot top, he's wearing black slacks and an open-neck blue shirt for an interview at the United Cricket Board's Illovo offices.
A naturally laidback character off the field, as he contemplates a home World Cup which is now just three weeks away, Pollock's demeanour matches his casual attire.
"I tried to play down the World Cup during our recent series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in order for the guys to focus properly on those games and in a way I kind of banned World Cup talk in the dressing room.
"We left each other three hours after the last Test finished against Pakistan, so we haven't had much time to discuss the tournament. Only when we get together again next week for a camp in the Drakensberg will we have carte blanche to really discuss it and the guys will get a lot more excited about it."
The nerves are beginning to jangle, but it's only at the tournament's opening ceremony on February 8 at Newlands when Pollock really expects to feel the enormity of the occasion he's about to take part in.
"It's the event everyone looks forward to. Happening just once every four years it's the Olympics of cricket. The vibe's always good. At the opening ceremony, when all the players are around and you realise you are with all the cricketing greats of the current era, it really hits home. We will probably be more nervous for the first game (against the West Indies on February 9) than we have been for a long time," said Pollock.
He vividly remembers what South Africa was like during the 1995 rugby World Cup and is again expecting an incredible atmosphere once the cricket version of the event gets underway.
"Initially, when you start the World Cup, for the first few deliveries you are really conscious of how big an occasion it is. You enjoy it and the adrenaline flows. Then your game mind kicks in and you concentrate on what you're doing.
"It's going to be a month and a half of non-stop cricket, non-stop articles in the papers and stories on television. Wherever you go it's just cricket and you get caught up in the cricketing culture and the experience. It's a unique thing to experience in your own country and growing up here something you would never have imagined would be possible," said the skipper, wide-eyed.
How big a factor will "that" run out at Edgbaston in the 1999 semifinal against Australia be this time round?
"That was as close as we've got. There's no doubt it's still in people's minds, but we've discussed it as a team and we've put it behind us now. We've got to focus on playing as well as we can," said Pollock.
If they do that, he feels they have every chance of finally winning the tournament.
"We would be disappointed if we didn't win it this time. There's an element of luck and you have to ride that and have your fair share to win. We've worked together well over the years as a unit and feel we're well-equipped to give ourselves a chance to win the tournament.
"We've got a very good balance of youth and experience and we take a lot of confidence into the tournament. We've got depth in all departments, we've got six bowlers and can bat down to number nine in any given game. The enthusiasm's right up there and there's a real motivation to work hard. The guys want it. We've got to guard against wanting it too much, but we really want it," said Pollock.
As much as the team wants it, so do millions of success-starved South Africans.