New Zealand: 221 / 8 after their 50 overs
South Africa: 172 after 43.1 overs
New Zealand won by 49 runs
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first.
Mirpur – Steady, rather than spectacular.
That is what South African captain Graeme Smith expects from his team when they come up against New Zealand in their World Cup quarter-final on Friday.
“Up until now each one of the guys has contributed very well and seen that the pieces of the jigsaw fit perfectly,” Smith said on Thursday.
“It’s important that we keep on being as calculated and calm as we were in the group matches. Nobody has to do anything flashy now.”
Smith believes the fight for a place in the semi-finals would already have started around the selectors’ table – long before the South Africans walk onto the field at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.
With the Pakistani spinners having wreaked havoc in the first quarter-final against the West Indies on the same pitch, the selectors are likely to debate the make-up of the team until Friday morning.
South Africa may decide to use all three spinners after Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez took eight of the Windies’ wickets in the islanders’ disastrous innings of 112.
In such an event there will be space for only six specialist batsmen, with AB de Villiers set to be used as a wicketkeeper.
De Villiers, who is South Africa’s leading run-scorer at the tournament, handed the gloves to Morné van Wyk early in the tournament after exacerbating a back injury.
If the Proteas management do not want to risk him, Van Wyk will keep his place and one of Robin Peterson, Imran Tahir and Johan Botha will carry drinks.
Botha is the likely victim. While the vice-captain has hardly put a foot wrong, he has only been able to take two wickets against the 14 of Peterson and 12 of Tahir.
“It’s never easy to pick a team, but it can become a nightmare when everybody plays so well. But it’s a good position to be in because we know that every player will do his bit,” said Smith.
“Imran is a major asset for us and undoubtedly our most attacking spinner. And, even though Robbie has been part of the team for a very long time, the confidence we placed in him has done wonders for him over the last six months.”
Smith believes that the two can play an important role against a New Zealand batting line-up that at times in the tournament has looked extremely suspect against spin bowling.
“Their ability to take wickets in the middle of opponents’ innings’ has been one of our strengths to date,” he said.
“We’re not used to spinners playing such an important part in South Africa and that is why it’s fantastic that they can come here and show what they can do.”
The Kiwis have been boosted with the news that captain Daniel Vettori will be fit for the game.
“We have not had a great tournament, but any game against South Africa is a big one for us,” said Vettori.
“If each one of the batsmen in our top five can do their bit, and we are disciplined with the ball and in the field, we will have a good chance.”
Presentations
Oram is the Man of the Match for being everywhere, with the ball and on the field. “Thanfully I was tall enough and managed to get there for the Kallis caught. I don’t want to take credit for that one, but I suppose Kallis’ dismissal was the turning point of the match. Its so hard when you are injured continuously to get any rhythm, so the feeling has been better to be on the field. We believe we can go all the way now. This is among the best moments in my career, another one is beating South Africa in the 2003 World Cup.”
Tragies, maar almal het gewag dat dit moet gebeur. Ironies genoeg gaan NZ sleg verloor die volgende wedstryd.
Probleme het reeds begin met 1. Kaptein wat nooit op vorm was nie. 2. Geen Boucher en Morkel nie. 3. Geen BMT na ’99 nie.
New Zealand march into the semis once again. They have got to be the one team that lifts itself most for World Cups. And that too, coming off a horror run prior to the World Cup. Well done, Vettori and co.
Rain in 1992. Lara in 1996. Madness in 1999. Rain and madness in 2003. Madness and pressure today. South Africa’s list of World Cup tragedies just got longer. One has got to feel for them, they have been among the best teams in non-ICC tournaments.
Amar: “I will credit this win to John Wright. If NZ win the Semis too, Wright will become the first coach to take two different International sides to Finals!”
Fireworks in Mirpur, to mark the end of Bangladesh’s hosting role in this World Cup. Barring the stone-throwing incident, they have been worthy hosts. Take a bow, Bangladesh!
4. AB moes nooit paaltjiewagter begin speel het nie, het hom in die veld nodig.
wat kan mens nou se?paar manne het droog gemaak met die kolf.die krieket world cup bly maar buite die proteas se bereik.sterkte new zealand.
blerrie blerrie blerrie choakers!!!!
@ bdb:
Voeg by dat die beste coaches vir NZ en India werk. Ons het serious coaching issues in SA. Micky moet wens hy was maar daar. Ray Jennings ook.
smallies.die groot man smith se mos so rukkie terug in n koerant gese dat die proteas gaan hulle status as chokers verloor met die world cup.nou ja,daar tuimel die span inmekaar.
bestuurder: kepler
afrigter: gary
kaptein: ab
Now we better cheer our seconds, England go you good thing 😆
@ bdb:
Ja ek stem oor die kaptein, Johan Botha gee my die creeps, hy sal sukkel om die span te haal
Rain in 1992.
Lara in 1996.
Madness in 1999.
Rain and madness in 2003.
Madness and pressure today.
South Africa’s list of World Cup tragedies just got longer. One has got to feel for them, they have been among the best teams in non-ICC tournaments.
@ Pietman:109 – Piet, I a supporting India from here on. With the huge community of Indians that live in Durbs. My support for India and of course they have a saffa coach with Gary.
So go India.
@ superBul:132 – Super, Brave Cricket in 2007. Do you remember that. Us trying to slog everything instead of pacing ourselves?
Do you think the pitch played a part today? Commentators at the break said pitch was deteriorating. BUT surely we have Batsmen that could have stood that? Was not a huge total to chase down? Do you think if we batted first we might have a better chance?
Anyhow it is all done and dusted. NZ bowled well. Well done to them. I had told some kiwis on keo yesterday NZ could win it. They are a team that could beat any on their day.
india gaan die cup vat watch net..bad luck proteas,dalk met beter n beter leier en afrigter sal hulle dalk iewers kom in die toekoms.
@ superBul:130 – Super… NO will never support the saffa Pom side. Not ever. Traitors….hehehe.
Go India. Hope India win it.
@ Puma:
Ag come on Puma , you travel the whole world to make your bucks, why not the cricketers 😀
GhengisKhan – 10 minutes ago Report comment
With front and hind sight – Why we choked in the cricket world cup
1. You do not change coaches shortly before the tournament
2. You do not leave game breakers like Albie Morkel, Justen Kemp and Mark Boucher at home
3. You do not allow your best bowling coach to coach the opposition
4. You do not let the most notorious choker of all times captain the side
5. You do not experiment on this level – Mark Boucher should have been the wicket keeper
6. You play a max of 2 full time spinners in any match – especially if you have 2 additional part time spinners in the team
I rest my case
@ superBul:137 – I know Super that is true. But I live and pay my tax in South Africa…hahaha. There is a difference. Those saffas that left to play for England were traitors….hehehe. They live and pay their tax in England.
For all the huge Indian community that live in Durbs. I will support India.
@ superBul:138 – Super, Big problem no explosive bastman coming in down the order. My feeling we should still have had Boucher. Also were was Albie Morkel? How did he not get selected? I don’t watch too much domestic crici, so not really sure.
In 1999 the one that we should have won. Remember if we never had Lance we would never have come close to getting to the semi either. He save our butts so many times in that wc. We needed someone like him. Though we always had Boucher and Jonty that were always good for a 50 as well.
You know I am so used to us losing at a cricket wc that really I am not hurting as much as I thought I would. Yes very, very disappointed but the hurt was left in 1999. We should have won that one had Donald just run. Ag, it is over. Disappointed always. But is this a good omen for the rugby? We lost bad in the 2007 crici wc only to win the rugby wc. So keeping fingers crossed..lol.
@ superBul:138 – Super, Smith aside from his batting he was abslutely outstanding as captain in the field today.
It was ALL of our batsmen that let us down. Not the bowling. Our bowlers done their job well. All of the team let us down batting.
BUT had we had a explosive batsman like Albie or even Boucher who knows we may have.
For now just not even gonna let it get me down. Been let down so much by the cricket. Disappointed yes, but not gonna let it get to me this year.
Super good chatting. Out of here now. Catch up tomorrow.
Enjoy your evening boeta.
@ Puma:meant – absolutely
Puma you asked what went wrong. That period after Kallis lost his wicket was crucial. Kallis and AB played them easy, so nothing in the pitch that i could see. It is maybe BMT. Duminy is very up and down, maybe they must put him on Gibbs,s medication…
Puma wrote:
Agree, sort of glad it is over , now i can sit back and enjoy the games. No favorites for me anymore. I would love to see a India vs England final. Will feel so South African. 😆
@ superBul:143 – Super, I was out for most part we batted. Came in and we were 5 wickets down. So hardly saw what happened. Just seemed our batsman let us down but our bowling was very good.
Ag, just gonna not let this get to me this time. I am very disappointed but not as hurt as I was in 1999.
Anyhow. Cheers my friend. Catch up tomorrow.
@ superBul:144 – Would be a very good final Super….hehehe.
Cheers boeta.
Puma wrote:
i like Smith, he just missed his fighter mate Boucher. Never gives up those 2.
Do you think he knew anything before the flash went off???
Have a look at the great picture i got from 4man, i really think this is a lucky guy.
At the end of this article.
148@ superBul:
Daai foto hoort nie op die Artikel nie!
As jy dit wil plaas, sit dit in ‘n Comment
@ grootblousmile:
ek weet nie hoe nie, haal hom maar uit
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