THE Castle Lager
Proteas lost three wickets for six runs off 13 balls to derail their
runs chase in their opening group match against India at the ICC
Champions Trophy tournament Cardiff on Thursday.
Having
been set 332 for victory the Proteas were bowled out for 305 off the
last ball of the 50th over to lose
by 26 runs. As a result their second group match against Pakistan has become a virtual knock-out fixture.
The Proteas were well in the game after 30 overs after an inspired partnership of 120 in 20.4 overs between Robbie Peterson and AB de Villiers for the third wicket enabled them to reach 180/3. At the same stage of their innings India had been 179/1.
But they lost a wicket in each of the next three overs, all being key wickets with De Villiers dismissed for 70 off 71 balls with seven boundaries, JP Duminy for 14 and David Miller being run out without facing a ball.
There was still hope when the last two recognised batsmen, Faf du Plessis and Ryan McLaren, came together with 144 needed off 103 balls. But, when Du Plessis was dismissed, the run rate soared out of control although McLaren fought to the end, making a career best 71 not out off 61 balls with 11 fours and a six.
There were several other areas where the Proteas came up short apart from the middle-order batting collapse. Most important of these was the quad muscle injury suffered by Morne Morkel while bowling the 34th over of the innings. It meant that he could not complete his complement of overs, having been the most impressive seamer on either side until he was injured.
It probably cost the Proteas a good 20 runs as the other three seamers, who struggled with their execution, were very expensive. Having said that, the Indian seamers were equally expensive with none of them, apart from Morkel, conceding less than seven runs to the over.
It was left to JP Duminy to pull the South African attack together with an outstanding 1/42 in a full quota of 10 overs.
What must be really worrying for the Proteas must be the fact that they were outfielded by India, probably for the first time ever. This also cost them vital runs.
The stars for India were their opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan who made his maiden ODI century. The pair put on 127 for the first wicket in 21.2 overs and made sure that India always had enough wickets in hand throughout their runs chase – a crucial difference between the two sides in the end.
Today’s match will also cause all sides to have a tactical re-think. It had been assumed that under England conditions seam and swing bowlers would play a dominant role and that specialist Test-quality batsmen would be required at the top of the order.
That has not been the case either today or in the warm-up matches. India used three spinners against the Proteas and this was a key factor in their victory.
It would not be surprising to see the Proteas play both Peterson and Aaron Phangiso in the next match. Phangiso, who substituted for Morkel, also raised the standard of the Proteas’ fielding and that has become another consideration.
by 26 runs. As a result their second group match against Pakistan has become a virtual knock-out fixture.
The Proteas were well in the game after 30 overs after an inspired partnership of 120 in 20.4 overs between Robbie Peterson and AB de Villiers for the third wicket enabled them to reach 180/3. At the same stage of their innings India had been 179/1.
But they lost a wicket in each of the next three overs, all being key wickets with De Villiers dismissed for 70 off 71 balls with seven boundaries, JP Duminy for 14 and David Miller being run out without facing a ball.
There was still hope when the last two recognised batsmen, Faf du Plessis and Ryan McLaren, came together with 144 needed off 103 balls. But, when Du Plessis was dismissed, the run rate soared out of control although McLaren fought to the end, making a career best 71 not out off 61 balls with 11 fours and a six.
There were several other areas where the Proteas came up short apart from the middle-order batting collapse. Most important of these was the quad muscle injury suffered by Morne Morkel while bowling the 34th over of the innings. It meant that he could not complete his complement of overs, having been the most impressive seamer on either side until he was injured.
It probably cost the Proteas a good 20 runs as the other three seamers, who struggled with their execution, were very expensive. Having said that, the Indian seamers were equally expensive with none of them, apart from Morkel, conceding less than seven runs to the over.
It was left to JP Duminy to pull the South African attack together with an outstanding 1/42 in a full quota of 10 overs.
What must be really worrying for the Proteas must be the fact that they were outfielded by India, probably for the first time ever. This also cost them vital runs.
The stars for India were their opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan who made his maiden ODI century. The pair put on 127 for the first wicket in 21.2 overs and made sure that India always had enough wickets in hand throughout their runs chase – a crucial difference between the two sides in the end.
Today’s match will also cause all sides to have a tactical re-think. It had been assumed that under England conditions seam and swing bowlers would play a dominant role and that specialist Test-quality batsmen would be required at the top of the order.
That has not been the case either today or in the warm-up matches. India used three spinners against the Proteas and this was a key factor in their victory.
It would not be surprising to see the Proteas play both Peterson and Aaron Phangiso in the next match. Phangiso, who substituted for Morkel, also raised the standard of the Proteas’ fielding and that has become another consideration.
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