Ok, well not in quite that macho tone, for South Africa may have completed a rare successful run-chase to close off their Cricket World Cup league phase on a positive note, but they will certainly have to play much better in next Thursday’s semi-final against their arch-rivals at Eden Gardens if they are to progress to a first-ever final.
With the comfort of already having secured a semi-final place, the Proteas lacked intensity from the outset. They were also comfortable enough to give Marco Jansen a much-needed break that afforded Andile Phehlukwayo his first run out at this World Cup.
Ultimately, it proved to work out just fine with Phehlukwayo (39 not out) carving out a match-winning 65-run partnership with anchorman Rassie van der Dussen (76 not out off 95 balls) to take South Africa home by five wickets with 15 balls to spare.
The margin of victory may seem comfortable, but it certainly was not for large chunks of the run-chase with South Africa’s ability to put themselves under pressure rising to the surface once again.
Quinton de Kock and captain Temba Bavuma, who was hampered by a hamstring injury throughout the game and is now a potential doubtful starter for the Australian semi-final, seemed to get everything underway with relative ease in their 64-run opening partnership.
But once Bavuma (23) and De Kock (41) fell in quick succession, it opened the door for Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan (2/37) to create his customary chaos in the middle-order.
And when Rashid removed arguably South Africa’s best players of spin in Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen within a few overs of each other, the cat was well and truly among the pigeons.
All the bad memories of failed chases resurfaced, with former England and Australian captains Nasser Hussein and Aaron Finch turning up the intensity on commentary and fueling the drama, which only intensified when David Miller meekly surrendered to a Mohammed Nabi (2/35) caught and bowled chance.
Throughout all this histrionics, Van der Dussen remained ice cool at the non-striker’s end, staying in his bubble, and content to do the hard graft before breaking the shackles with the odd boundary in between.
He played a visible role in comforting Phehlukwayo, who had not batted out in the middle since the last ODI against Australia back in South Africa at the Wanderers prior to the World Cup almost two months ago.
Phehlukwayo’s rustiness was visible, but settled the longer he stayed at the crease, before finishing the game in a flourish with a six, four and six off Naveen-ul-Haq to end unbeaten on 39.
Proteas coach Rob Walter will certainly be pleased that his team eventually crossed the line with the bat, but the inability to close out the opposition’s innings remains a cause for concern.
South Africa had once again reduced the Afghans to 160/7, but then allowed them to score a further 84 runs for the three remaining wickets with Azmatullah Omarzai striking a defiant 97 not out.
It did seem that South Africa had shifted their attention to the semi-final already at that stage with the seamers, and Lungi Ngidi in particular, adopting a strategy of trying to bowl wide yorkers.
If that was indeed the case, then plenty of work still needs to be done in the nets this week too leading up the semi-final, with South Africa conceding 10 wides in the process and Ngidi delivering three in succession in the penultimate over.
Only Gerald Coetzee seemed to have brought any energy and passion with him to the Narendra Modi Stadium yesterday as he finished with 4/44 to surpass Jansen as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament.
“Today we did a few things differently. We batted second today. To get over the line in that manner, that is going to give us a lot of confidence. Fantastic knock by Rassie, he took ownership and the guys batted around him,” Bavuma said.
“Not really (concerned about the opposition’s lower order runs). The wicket got better. When Keshav came back for his second spell, it was not gripping and spinning as much. Gerald also came in and took wickets, always a huge plus. We can always pick on the different phases and we can think of things to improve, but we will take the win.
The skipper also provided an update on his injury.
“Obviously my leg is sore. Don't know to what extent but it is going to have to be fine, at least in my eyes. I obviously had that option of coming off but it was our last group stage game, and I wanted to be out there with the guys. Was an opportunity to spend some time in the middle and I did not want to let it go. Wanted to keep marshalling the guys, and keep strengthening the relationship with our bowlers. It was a risk but I felt it was the right move (to stay on). Winning is a habit, so we want to take that momentum through,” he said.
Scorecard
Afghanistan: 244 all out (Azmatullah Omarzai 97*, Coetzee 4/44, Maharaj 2/25)
South Africa: 247/5 (Van der Dussen 76*, De Kock 41, Phehlukwayo 39*, Rashid Khan 2/37, Nabi 2/35)
South Africa won by five wickets
IOL Sport