Who the hell knows how a team brimming with talent manages to stuff up when faced with the simplest of tasks? Who can explain the inexplicable? As I thought that today's match was just a formality and it would be a cake walk for South Africa, I get a call from Nilendu sir, almost shocked he says "sir kya kara rahe ho ?". He is my colleague in office and is responsible for maintaining the health of the systems, I thought one of my modules may have busted out on production. Confused, I asked him what happened, he says "arre SA gayi, lost their 7 wicket".
It was then that I realised that all my predictions about a possible India - SA world cup final has been destroyed. I did not watch the match but when I read the analysis and the fall of wickets I must say that the batsmen rotated themselves through the middle faster than the bowlers had in the first half(considering there were 11 bowling changes made by SA by the 25th over).
Cricket writer Dileep Premachandran surveying the ruins of a simple chase, summed up the collective feeling of the time best when he posted on Twitter:
"This cannot be happening. It simply cannot. I mean, how many times can you be a parody of yourself?". Another comment from ace commentator Harsha Bhogle as he watched the implosion: "Are the South Africans the Karna of cricket? Cursed to lose their skills when they most need them?".
I would have loved to hear Navjot Singh Sidhu blast out at the Proteas. But I feel dejected and a bit surprised at the way the South Africans lost the match. The wicket had nothing to do with it. The bowling was pretty ordinary and the South Africans were one of the contenders for this world Cup.Their misery at the World Cup continues, they are yet to win any knock out match in the world cup. Hope this talented side get the green side some time in future, till then Congrats Kiwis, well done.
It was then that I realised that all my predictions about a possible India - SA world cup final has been destroyed. I did not watch the match but when I read the analysis and the fall of wickets I must say that the batsmen rotated themselves through the middle faster than the bowlers had in the first half(considering there were 11 bowling changes made by SA by the 25th over).
Cricket writer Dileep Premachandran surveying the ruins of a simple chase, summed up the collective feeling of the time best when he posted on Twitter:
"This cannot be happening. It simply cannot. I mean, how many times can you be a parody of yourself?". Another comment from ace commentator Harsha Bhogle as he watched the implosion: "Are the South Africans the Karna of cricket? Cursed to lose their skills when they most need them?".
I would have loved to hear Navjot Singh Sidhu blast out at the Proteas. But I feel dejected and a bit surprised at the way the South Africans lost the match. The wicket had nothing to do with it. The bowling was pretty ordinary and the South Africans were one of the contenders for this world Cup.Their misery at the World Cup continues, they are yet to win any knock out match in the world cup. Hope this talented side get the green side some time in future, till then Congrats Kiwis, well done.
Unless SAfers develop player with ability to play spin, the way they have added attacking spinners to their arsenal, they would continue to choke. People argue about AB and Kallis being good players of spin, but in my opinion they are good players of spin on batting wickets and not on sluggish wickets like the ones available in Mirpur or Sri Lanka.
ReplyDelete