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SAfrica fail again to beat big-tournament jinx

CENTURION, South Africa - South Africa captain Graeme Smith has conceded that inconsistent bowling was the main reason for yet another failure in a big tournament.

The hosts bowed out of the Champions Trophy here on Sunday following a 22-run defeat against England in a tall-scoring match, their second loss in three games.

South Africa required 313 to stay ahead of Sri Lanka on net run-rate and avoid elimination, but could manage only 301-9 in reply to England’s 323-8.

“I think the wicket played really well, and you needed to be really consistent. There wasn’t a lot of spin on offer, so our seamers needed to come to the party,” said Smith.

“We conceded over 300 in two of the three games, which is disappointing. If wickets play that well, we need to look at certain aspects of our attack and going forward to the England series, there are some decisions for us to make.”

South Africa’s jinx of flopping in big events at home continued with their early exit in this competition, having already failed in the 2003 World Cup and the Twenty20 World Championships in 2007.

“There really are no excuses to be made anymore. It’s the responsibility of the group of players that sit in that room now to go and perform better in these tournaments,” said Smith.

“We’ve been hugely consistent with the results that we’ve turned out, so this is a very disappointing moment for us.”

Smith, who alone sustained his team’s hopes of achieving a stiff 324-run target in the day-night match with a career-best 141, said it was disappointing to lose.

“I was batting and also on the field all day. Obviously, words like disappointment come to mind,” he said.

“It’ll need a day or two to consider what happened. It’s disappointing when you’ve played a knock like that not to get over the line.”

The South African captain admitted that England batted very well, especially Paul Collingwood, Owais Shah and Eoin Morgan.

Shah set the tone with an 89-ball 98, putting on a record 163 for the third wicket with Collingwood (82). Morgan boosted the total with rapidfire 67 off 34 balls with the help of five sixes and four boundaries.

“You also have to give credit to the way Collingwood and Shah played. They were positive and never really allowed new bowlers to settle,” said Smith.

“As bad as we feel about our performance, you’ve also got to give credit to the way those two guys played and the platform they laid for Morgan who came in and played a great knock.”