The dust has settled, but the pain remains.

Every time I think about it and talk about it I feel a frustrating sinking feeling. All we had to do was beat the Netherlands… But it was not just about losing to the worst-ranked team in the tournament, it was the body language of some of the players in the match that irked me.

A lack of energy was the reason given by the now departed Mark Boucher, an excuse that won’t ever sit well with me. How can there be a lack of energy in a game when the stakes are as high as they are?

I think the main thing every cricket fan expects is an effort to be put in – as a bare minimum. It’s how you lose that matters to us. At least for me, as a fan, the effort shown by the players matters.

Now that the T20 World Cup exit is behind us and the new season has begun, it’s time to analyse what went wrong and where the problems lie regarding South Africa’s relationship with ICC tournaments.

In this issue, we look ahead and try to discover what the Proteas need to do moving forward.

How do the Proteas become the captain of their ship? How do they create a winning mentality in a team environment where the “chokers” tag has haunted them for generations?

We put together a magazine that highlights the characteristics of a winning mentality. This will help the next generation of cricketers understand what it takes to make it at the highest level and provides insight to everyone who has gone through decades of heartbreak.

So sit back, grab a beverage and a snack, and enjoy issue 28 of Cricket Fanatics Magazine.