End of the World

25 Apr 2007

Australia shattered the Proteas’ World Cup dreams with a crushing seven-wicket victory in St Lucia.

This was a truly abysmal performance from a South African side that spoke a great game beforehand. Unfortunately, when it came time to actually deliver the goods on the field, they froze like a deer in the headlights.

The Proteas were guilty of overconfidence following their victory against England — a side ranked seventh in the world. All of a sudden they believed they could beat Australia (based on what?) and told anyone who cared to listen that they had a great shot. Like during their last tour Down Under, when Graeme Smith had so much to say, that bravado backfired badly.

When Smith won the toss on Wednesday and decided to bat first, he knew the pitch would offer the bowlers something early on. The captain must have regretted his decision the moment he was castled by Nathan Bracken for 2, playing an overly aggressive shot.

Having watched his captain throw his wicket away, key batsman Jacques Kallis went in similar fashion to Glenn McGrath for 5. AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs played sensibly, before the opener, on 15, edged a Shaun Tait delivery to Adam Gilchrist.

It soon got a lot worse.

Ashwell Prince had a brain explosion when he chased a wide delivery from McGrath and edged it to the ‘keeper. Mark Boucher then nicked the first ball he faced to Matthew Hayden at first slip to leave the Proteas’ innings in tatters at 27-5.

Gibbs and Justin Kemp temporarily halted the carnage, adding 60 runs for the sixth wicket, before Tait had Gibbs (39) and Andrew Hall (3) caught behind. Shaun Pollock then gave Brad Hogg a simple return catch and the Proteas were 103-8.

Andre Nel, to his credit, managed to stick around for a lot longer than most of the established batsmen. However, the tailender stupidly chose to exchange words with Shane Watson, which is acceptable if your team’s on top, but only makes you look like an idiot when you’re in major trouble. In any event, Nel scratched his way to 8 off 41 balls, before lobbing an easy catch to Micheal Clarke off Tait.

Having made virtually no impact during the World Cup either with bat or ball, Kemp kept going at the other end. He was given a life on 48 when Tait dropped a sitter on the boundary, only to be prevented from reaching fifty when Watson bowled Charl Langeveldt to close the innings at 149.

South Africa needed early wickets to fight their way back into the game, and they struck early when Langeveldt bowled Gilchrist. Australia should have been 6-2 when Prince dropped Ponting, who raced to 22 before having his stumps rearranged by Nel.

A 66-run partnership between Hayden and Michael Clarke settled any nerves Australia may have had, before Hayden mistimed a drive off Pollock and was caught by Smith for 41.

Clarke (60*) and Andrew Symonds (18*) then finished the job with 111 balls remaining.

South Africa 149 (43.5 overs)
Justin Kemp 49*, Herschelle Gibbs 39, Shaun Tait 4-39, Glenn McGrath 3-18
Australia 153-3 (31.3 overs)
Michael Clarke 60*, Matthew Hayden 41, Shaun Pollock 1-16
Australia won by 7 wickets
For the full scorecard click here


1,112 Comments

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 23 » Show All

  • 1.JL1: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:33 am

    1

  • 2.JL1: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:33 am

    2

  • 3.Black Cat: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:38 am

    Lets hope so Keo

  • 4.Martin: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:39 am

    absolutely, aussies run of fortune will come to an end today.

  • 5.saffa_guy: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:40 am

    Just like in 1995, the Sporting Gods will smile on our guys today. Go Proteas!

  • 6.JL1: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:41 am

    Are those our hearts talking??

  • 7.saffa_guy: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:42 am

    JL1,

    Yep those be our hearts – happened in RWC ’95, so could very well happen again today

  • 8.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:42 am

    Hier gaat ons!!! Dis sulke tyd.

  • 9.JL1: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:44 am

    Hi Pietman

    Saffa_guy, we have the batsmen and fielders. Today our bowlers need to be creative and frustrate the ex-convicts into playing poor shots

  • 10.cab: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:48 am

    well, we’ve been the form team in the past and have been pipped at the post, so perhaps by just scraping into the semis we’ll nail them. yes, i think that will happen. 2-0 SA.

  • 11.jaimie: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:49 am

    aussies will win

  • 12.Brickwall: Don't run into it!: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:51 am

    I have three numbers for you: 438!!!

    We can do it!!

    Go Boys, beat these arrogant pieces of shite!!

  • 13.Martin: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:52 am

    and i’m leaving work at 1pm, going to watch my son play rugga and then home to watch the sa clobber australia.

  • 14.Basson Koos: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:52 am

    My nerves gaan dit nie hou nie, mens sal sweer ek moet 15:30 op die veld draf of die beurt open!

    SA by 38 runs or 3 wickets!

  • 15.saffa_guy: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:53 am

    In RWC 95, the All Blacks destroyed all comers. In the opinion of many they were the best team of the tourny. That said, on the day of the final, passion and guts prevailed. May it once again be repeated today.

  • 16.Brickwall: Don't run into it!: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:53 am

    I say it again. If Polly can do some damage upfront we WILL beat them. Lets hope it does’nt go the wrong way like last time though.

  • 17.Martin: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:53 am

    #11 – the race to the toilet?

  • 18.JL1: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:55 am

    We must win, previous WC has been so unfair to us

    Go SA!!

  • 19.ducknmaul: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 11:58 am

    If we win the CWC, we will just brush aside the problems that lie beneath for the next year or so. Get rid of that Bear, Arthur and his captain, Graeme “We will peak at the WC” Smith

  • 20.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:00 pm

    Die Aussies gaan ons opf#k. Hulle is man vir man beter as ons. Aanvaar dit en beweeg aan. Kom ons hoop net dit is nie ‘n slagting nie.

  • 21.SW: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:01 pm

    KANGAROO PIE! GET YOUR KANGAROO PIE HERE! FRESH OUT OF THE OVEN!

  • 22.Basson Koos: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:01 pm

    If we bowl first we will need 3 or 4 wickets within the 1st 15 overs. Only then can we hold them back from getting 300+

    If we bat 1st we will need at least 270 on the board!

  • 23.Provincejoulekkading: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:02 pm

    GO PROTEAS GO

  • 24.Basson Koos: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:02 pm

    Hayden to make less than 10 and Ponting out for a duck!

    Polly is due for a hatrick!!

  • 25.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:03 pm

    Jes JL1, Cab en alle krieketfundi hier.
    Hoe hang julle balle vir hierdie ene?

  • 26.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:03 pm

    Koos, wat rook jy?

  • 27.SW: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:03 pm

    Bertus moenie so pessimisties wees nie. As ons die klomp geelbroek kriminele onder druk gaan sit sal hulle vou. Hulle dink hulle het klaar gewen, ons het niks om te verloor nie…. en ‘n Protea span wat niks het om te verloor nie is ‘n gevaarlike ding. Die 438-game is genoeg bewys daarvan.

  • 28.Boet and Swaer: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:04 pm

    Come, all you boets and swaers out there – do the cricketing world a favour and klap those pesky Aussies.

  • 29.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:06 pm

    SW, stem saam, maar ek skat ons kanse so op 30%, en, ons het nie ‘n Klusener hierdie keer nie.

  • 30.shooter: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:07 pm

    27 AGREE!

    met ‘n naam soos bertus sal ek nie eers in die openbaar verskyn nie.

  • 31.saffa_guy: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:08 pm

    Bertus,

    Our heads of course say the Aussies but our hearts say otherwise – call it patriosm

  • 32.gavin: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:11 pm

    as long as Pietersen doesnt play we fine
    he cant even turn the ball on a gravel road

  • 33.Bloutoria: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:12 pm

    Good form is not perpetual, Ausies were almost too good in the run-up. They have to fail sometime and they know it. Now is the time. Man will we hand over that “chokers” tag with pride! Ceremony will be right here, same time, tomorrow.

  • 34.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:13 pm

    #30 Shooter, kom hie lat ek jou bliksem, Bertus is ‘n trotse naam akomstig vanaf die Romeine, jou tappit.

  • 35.leitz: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:15 pm

    of is dit Lambertus van wie ons hier praat?

  • 36.Bloutoria: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:16 pm

    Might just add, SL looked GOOD! They will not be anybody’s bunny. Fernando will not play in the final. He was (rightly) taken apart by the ump. Wish they had some balls with Muri as well. Mother Chucker.

  • 37.shooter: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:16 pm

    Bertus, ek joke net, eks vandag so opgetens ek sal enige iets sê net om my mind te humour, sorry man

  • 38.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:17 pm

    #35 Watse naam is Leitz in elk’geval? Het jy ‘n mening anders as om makoukak te praat?

  • 39.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:18 pm

    Shooter, jy is vergewe, jou volle naam is nie dalk shooterking nie?

  • 40.JL1: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:18 pm

    SA performs well when the chips are down and when we “have to” win

    SA to sneak this one. It is going to a cracker of a game and will light up this CWC

    Bertus you mean Brutus…:lol:

  • 41.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:19 pm

    #40 I’ll stab you in the back Soutie

  • 42.Basson Koos: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:20 pm

    Rook niks Bertus.

    Is net positief! My bloed sal vandag ekstra groen wees en as ons verloor…, ook nie die einde van die wereld nie. Maar ek sal nooit se ons het nie ‘n kans nie!

    Jy klink soos een van daai ouens wat more sal kom se (as ons verloor) – “Het julle mos gese ons het nie ‘n kans nie”! En as ons wen **** ons seker nie weer van jou nie!

  • 43.Bloutoria: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:21 pm

    Hierdie is nu fun sonder Tickles nie.

  • 44.Vetkoek: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:21 pm

    Nervous as sin about this one.

    The only certainty is that every SA player will need to play their part to get a win here.

  • 45.Basson Koos: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:22 pm

    Bloutoria,

    Sal nie sommer vir Tickles sien vandag na gisteraand nie!

  • 46.JL1: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:23 pm

    Brutus you are real Tarzan out there, Bonehead

  • 47.leitz: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:24 pm

    Sorry Bertus, het jou verwar met iemand anders wat nie ‘n doos is nie.

  • 48.DonnerLeeu aka Katvis: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:24 pm

    Aggenee

    Kan nie glo hier hang bulle rond op hierdie thread nie. As hulle so sukkel om rugby te verstaan – wat nog van krieket :)

  • 49.Bertus: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:27 pm

    Ag nee Koos, as ons vandag wen vreet ek my groen onderbroek vol gate op, en ek sal jou groot om verskoning vra. Ek is realisties, nie pessimisties?

  • 50.Bloutoria: Reply to this comment
    25 Apr 2007, 12:27 pm

    Agg Donner Leeu, gaan k@k :)

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Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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