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
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25 Apr 2007, 23:33 pm
I should be excited, but how can I be?? Beating a cricket minnow in a semi-final is nothing to be proud of.
25 Apr 2007, 23:34 pm
youwha, sorry man, I feel for you, but don’t worry, come the rugby wc we’ll give them hell.
25 Apr 2007, 23:38 pm
Ian 1044
“However, I have a feeling that SA will contest the rugby WC final with France!”
Very kind of you. And I know you harbour a certain hope for OZ in the rugby. Just coz they’re your team and I for one, would never right them off, the smart buggers that you are. Who knows: Oz vs SA final? Green and gold vs Gold and green…
25 Apr 2007, 23:40 pm
right – write
25 Apr 2007, 23:41 pm
1051,
Hey Mr Wendell, have a dollar, no in fact man brother, have two. Two dollars means nothing to me but it sure is a big deal for you.
25 Apr 2007, 23:43 pm
wendell,
Ouch, I think at the moment everyone is a minnow for your team.
25 Apr 2007, 23:45 pm
Robo, you a regular?
25 Apr 2007, 23:46 pm
regular reader
25 Apr 2007, 23:50 pm
25 Apr 2007, 23:55 pm
LOL @ fetching beers ..
The Boks must watch and learn…cos this couldhappen to them as well …although I think the ‘good’ form of the Super 14 is gin to rub off onto the rest of the year ..
Half our side wont be around ..
Pollock
Kallis (MIGHT be around )
Boucher (Isnt AB a wicketkeeper?)
Kemp
…..
time to get FRESH blood in there now, who’r the guys we have coming up … is there any so called ‘black’ talent ..
25 Apr 2007, 23:55 pm
I have much more hope for our rugby boks in September, Barring injuries to key players such as Schalk, AP, Frans Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Matfield etc., we’re in witha great chance.
At least Jake does learn from his errors, albeit slowly and reluctantly. Just wish he’d get over his Smittie obsession, though I suppose it’s too late now for this WC.
So embarrassing when Bismarck comes on for Smittie and adds so much value.
25 Apr 2007, 23:56 pm
yeah, I just sit back and laugh sometimes…had to get a little involved tonight. So much hope yet so much disappointment…
25 Apr 2007, 23:56 pm
Anyhow, got to go. Nag ou grote. Have a good one.
25 Apr 2007, 23:56 pm
think boucher might still be around, depending on his bat. ab is a wicky but also a brilliant fielder.
26 Apr 2007, 00:01 am
esp,
lekker slaap
26 Apr 2007, 00:03 am
Good morning and congratulations to Australia.
Well called, Ian, and enjoy the moment, best wishes for the final.
At least this time rund, there can be no arguing and gnashing of teeth, with neither rain nor a brain explosion leading to our exit.
This time, the harsh reality is that we were comprehensively beaten by a considerably better side.
One side walked the talk, the other continued talking, froze in the advancing headlights.
Again, our inconsistency was a feature.
Ah well, enjoy yourselves, Australia.
Fellow saffas, while it’s no time for recriminations, if anything good is to come from this, we need to learn the harsh lessons.
We need to pick genuine one-day sides, we need to find variety in our attack, we need a spinner of some note, and we need a decent coach if we’re to persist with a greenhorn captain.
Anyone placed the call to Duncan Fletcher yet?
No?
Why am I not surprised?
Cheers
26 Apr 2007, 00:12 am
Thanks Joe, tough luck. I suspect our roles will be reversed come the rugby WC
What makes SA’s situation even more difficult is that they cannot pick their best team due to AA.
They need a captain in the mould of Hansie (except for his betting). Graeme Smith does not cut it. He has a lot to say before games, but does not consistently back it up on the field. Until he can, he should learn to keep his mouth shut.
There must be a better coach than Arthur?
26 Apr 2007, 00:19 am
keo, bru, great webpage, seriously. fantastic. mba from harvard, no jokes, and your webpage among the best compared to anything.
26 Apr 2007, 00:20 am
well done aus. did anyone actually expect us to win?
the manner of defeat is a pity though. we cant be too harsh on the team. aus were just better in every department. there is no shame in losing to a better team.
26 Apr 2007, 00:20 am
Congrats Ian, great performance by your team ably assisted by a SA team doing their utmost to yet again talk the talk but not being able to deliver…
26 Apr 2007, 00:21 am
Oh and Joe, the needs that you listing above, how many has changed in the last…oh say 6 years?!
26 Apr 2007, 00:22 am
Thanks Koos,
I was disappointed that SA didn’t perform better. They’re a better team than their loss today. I feel for the SA supporters. Another disappointment-they deserve more, especially from a team that promised so much, but delivered so little.
There’s always the rugby WC
26 Apr 2007, 00:23 am
Graeme Smith not a bad player but bad captain we need someone more humble not quite sure who though!
26 Apr 2007, 00:26 am
Morning Ian
The irony is that an exceptional young black spinner, Thandi Tshabalala, and an experienced and useful “black” batsman, JP Duminy, were left at home (as were Johan van der Wath, Lance Klusener etc).
Also Omar Henry, the first “black” spinner to play for SA and a disciplinarian coach (and ex-selector)could justifiably coach the team.
But I suspect SA cricket politics is complex and these personalities/players aren’t currently “in” with the powers that be.
Africa is a continent with a history of rule through patronage, and I gather that our SA cricket is no different, which obviously keeps our best side from ever being assembled. Young Graeme seems to have inordinate influence – but don’t ask me why!?
26 Apr 2007, 00:32 am
citizenc,
It seems crazy to leave behind an exceptional young spinner-as the saying goes, “if he’s good enough, he’s old enough.” Petersen was never going to cut it. They should have gambled as we did with Tait.
26 Apr 2007, 00:40 am
Tshabalala will probably walk into the SA pro20 squad for that “World Cup” later this year, based on his performances through the season. Rather sad he wasn’t given the opportunity earlier. Peterson is brave but just isn’t up to it (like a million amateurs like me
)
Tait was magnificent to watch – what a replacement for McGrath!
26 Apr 2007, 00:43 am
Wifey is complaining and the boerboel starting to **** and snore, so I’m out of here for tonight.
Congratulations Ozzie for a thorough victory, but I am rooting for Sri Lanka on Saturday.
26 Apr 2007, 00:54 am
Citizenc, I can understand you farting but how do you get the snores in whilst blogging?
26 Apr 2007, 01:09 am
Go back and read the first 20 posts on this marathon thread and laugh at the rubbish spoken!
26 Apr 2007, 01:43 am
Tackler are you a fluffer ?
26 Apr 2007, 01:47 am
#1079 LOL true! well, the question is now, will GSmith resign??
26 Apr 2007, 01:47 am
Tackler posting as Aidoc…..what a TOOL,a DORK if ever I`ve seen one !
26 Apr 2007, 02:03 am
wpf
Hoezit!
Kakkerige krieket, ek se. (Dis apartheid se skuld!)
Bokker dit, ons kyk maar rugby verder.
26 Apr 2007, 02:17 am
More Pete and wp, lekker kuk game this morning! I made a point of not getting my hopes up thorughout the tournament and I think I did well, still does not make the loss any nicer…
26 Apr 2007, 02:39 am
Tickler, at least the first 20 had guts to post instead of hiding away until it’s all in the bag as ‘others’ do!
26 Apr 2007, 02:41 am
Morning Koos
Yip, disappointment.
We have to gun for the rugga now.
26 Apr 2007, 03:09 am
I warned you all WEEKS ago that the Aussies would wipe the floor with SA! Exactly what happened!
And I’ll tell you now that NZ will win the RWC final and that they won’t be playing the Boks in that game.
26 Apr 2007, 03:16 am
Well Tackles, no surprises in anything you say…really. If the ABs’ do manage to fark it up though(and past history tells us it is very possible) I hope you will still be around.
26 Apr 2007, 04:04 am
This will help the typical Aussie sports fan forget that rugby exists. Aussie TV will aslo show 1000 hours of cricket coverage/discussions this week and only briefly comment on the rugby and any other sport they are not winning.
Losers!
26 Apr 2007, 04:08 am
chch
Maybe they won’t have much coverage, after the final!!!
26 Apr 2007, 04:10 am
chch, they don’t show a lot of rugby fullstop
26 Apr 2007, 04:16 am
Ah chch do you live in our wonderful country then? Isn’t it a marvellous day?
26 Apr 2007, 04:20 am
Koos I’ve spoken to you before about how you are in denial about your love for all things Gold and your secret desire to let rip a few Aussi, Aussi, Aussi … Oi Oi Oi’s. With the Saffa’s gone, you can now embrace the glorious gold!
26 Apr 2007, 04:24 am
Alas, time for a new cricket captain.
26 Apr 2007, 04:38 am
Smith is such a dumb **** bag.
Always shooting off his big mouth, and never dilivering, and have eat humble pie over and over again.
It puts unnecessary pressure on the rest of the team and the rest is history.
As they say, the fish rots from the head….
26 Apr 2007, 04:38 am
Clyde you muppit, you forgot about the green in front of the gold yet again!!!
Anyway, this game called ‘cricket’, what is it all about, can you tell me a little more Clyde…? Don’t know much about it…
26 Apr 2007, 04:38 am
Hi Koos and Clyde, latest news boys, Reds to to keep most of their tight Five, good news,
as for the cricket, i can’t say its my No1 sport but when that team gets into the grove its not a ? if they will win or not but by how much, and thats with Warne out.
Sri Lanka are going down big time
26 Apr 2007, 04:40 am
Shellby, just got it, its a vicious circle, his poor form as captain is because of his weight problem, his weight problem in turn is due to all the humble pie he eats, he eats all the humble pie because of his poor form…and so it carries on!
26 Apr 2007, 04:42 am
SAus, all made undone by the news that they will also keep their coach…
26 Apr 2007, 04:44 am
Oh as for the final, I will not put the house on the Aussies but they will be the better bet you have to think. Having said that you take SL to light at your own peril. They have been quietly getting the needed results to get them to the final and the Super 8 game left Oz with nothing to go on. Lets hope for an enjoyable and close final…
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