Proteas no longer the chokers: de Villiers

Chennai, Feb 11 (PTI) Tired of being tagged chokers,South African wicketkeeper A B de Villiers today said theProteas are set to prove their detractors wrong by handlingbig match situations calmly at the World Cup starting February19.

"We''ve shown recently that we can play in big situationsand under pressure," the big-hitting batsman said at theteam''s open media session here.

"We do not need psychologists and we are focusing onsmall things. We are not worried about failing under pressureat all," he added.

Talking about their past performances in the World Cup,de Villiers said the pressure on the current lot is a lot lessthan what it has been in previous years.

"We are not focusing on what happened in the past. Wehave a different look now. In recent times, we have been theopposite of chokers. ICC tournaments are different, there ispressure in the knockouts but we will be ready for it," deVilliers said.

De Villiers'' opinion was echoed by batsman Colin Ingram.

"We are a very structured team and I don''t think weshould try to change that," Ingram said.

"We''ve been able to win a few games in tight situationsbut up to now we have not played a perfect series yet. If wepolish what we achieved in those games, we will be able to dothat.

"We have more than enough flair, I don''t want us to bethe unpredictable side of the tournament and I think we are atthe level where we can read situations and adapt," he added.

Tipped to keep wickets for the for the first time in amajor tournament for South Africa, de Villiers was adjudgedthe ICC ODI Player of the year 2010.

"It will be physically challenging for me but it''s forthe best for the team and I have been preparing well," deVilliers said of his role as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

"It''s going to be tough for all the wicketkeepers. I''veseen local keepers do make mistakes too. We just have toremember that when we let through a bye, it''s not the end ofthe world." PTI VS/RE PM