Chokers! Dutch expats KO SA at World Cup
Proteas dejected
South Africa’s Proteas choked again at the T20 World Cup in Australia, going down to Netherlands by 13 runs and ultimately falling out of the tournament.
Coach Mark Boucher admits the Proteas, who only had to beat the Netherlands to advance to the semifinal from Group 2, have themselves to blame for having to pak their tassies on Sunday.
Chasing 159 for victory at the Adelaide Oval while South Africans were still asleep yesterday morning, the country’s top-order failed to build on starts and they finished with 145/8 in 20 overs to send India and Pakistan through to the semifinals from their group.
Boucher says: “It’s disappointing to have an exit like this with this particular squad because I believe we deserve better as a squad.
“We’ve got ourselves to blame…”
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and decided to bowl first.
Ironically, it was South African-born Netherlands players - Man of the Match Colin Ackermann (41* off 26 balls) and opener Stephan Myburgh (37 off 30) - who did the most damage as they ended on 158/4, with Keshav Maharaj returning bowling figures of 2/27.
It wasn’t the biggest of totals to chase down, but SA needed their batsmen to come to the party… but they choked, with all of them getting started (Quinton de Kock 13, Bavuma 20, Rilee Rossouw 25, Aiden Markram 17, David Miller 17 and Heinrich Klaasen 21) but no one could get a big score.
With another SA-born fast bowler Brandon Glover wreaking havoc with bowling fixtures of 3/9, it was the expats who came back to ultimately choke their country of birth to death.
After qualifying from Group 1, New Zealand will now face Pakistan in their semifinal, with India and England locking horns in the other final-four clash.