With a new South African national selection panel to be named by the United Cricket Board on July 26 Hansie Cronje has contrary to some perceptions said ``Yes, if it is offered to me I would love to continue to captain my country.''

The message from Cronje was load and clear and that he is looking forward with relish to fresh challenges, first against Zimbabwe and then against England. With a seasons record as captain of 30 matches 5 loses and 1 tie the new selection panel will do well to renew his contract.

Speaking for the first time since the tie to Australia in the semi-final Cronje spoke out in detail about his inner feelings. ``The sad part about being a good sport is that you have to lose to prove it. Sometimes I think that I would rather be a bad loser than a good one.

``Yes, I lie awake at night and think about it. Night after night I have dreamed about it, nine, 10 nights in a row. All the time I am looking for one run. Where is that one run? Back in 1994 we had lost 11 matches in a row. Bob Woolmer was the most consistent coach in world cricket: played seven, lost seven. At that stage we were ranked seventh in the world in one-day cricket and fifth in Test cricket. Bob spoke of a five-year plan to culminate in us being rated as No 1 in Test cricket and to win the World Cup in 1999.

``Going into the World Cup we were rated No 1 in Test cricket, a position maybe inflated by the West Indies whitewash, and No 1 in one-day cricket. Did we achieve our goal? No, we failed we did not win the World Cup because of one run. You ask me if I am disappointed? You are damn right I am!

``You watch things and you think you know what disappointment is. But I promise, you will never know the true meaning of disappointment till you have been there yourself.''

Asked about the positives over the last season Cronje singled out the emergence of new fast bowler David Terbrugge, Daryll Cullinan's 275, Herschelle Gibbs' double century, Jacques Kallis' consistency with the bat and ball, Lance Klusener's value on and off the field and the whitewash of the West Indies.