South Africa’s ambitions of reaching a rare ICC final came to a shuddering halt on Wednesday as New Zealand delivered a stunning 50-run victory in the second Champions Trophy semi-final held in Lahore. With their hopes dashed, the Proteas faced questions surrounding their performance, which ultimately fell short amid a lack of partnerships and ineffective bowling in crucial moments.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of South Africa’s defeat lies in the stark absence of partnerships, both with the bat and ball. The match saw a solitary century stand between Temba Bavuma (56) and Rassie van der Dussen (69) for the second wicket, but apart from this, the batting order failed to produce substantial contributions. This lack of collaboration proved detrimental in a chase of 363 runs.
Innings
Prior to the match, South Africa’s bowling attack was acutely aware of Kane Williamson’s formidable prowess, boasting an impressive average of 57 against them. He stepped onto the pitch with the confidence of an experienced player, efficiently rotating the strike and biding his time. Once settled in, Williamson stepped up the aggression against all bowlers, including the ever-reliable Keshav Maharaj. His remarkable innings marked his third consecutive century against South Africa in ODI cricket, propelling the Black Caps to a daunting total of 362 runs.
Ball
In a match where the Proteas struggled, it was Mitchell Santner’s exceptional bowling that created significant turning point moments. The left-arm spinner’s ability to clean bowl the in-form Van der Dussen was a sight to behold. Santner delivered a perfectly flighted delivery that drifted enticingly towards the right-hander. Just as Van der Dussen attempted to defend the ball, it turned away, clean-bowling him to assert New Zealand’s dominance.
Santner concluded his impressive spell with figures of 3/43 in 10 overs, affirming his role in shaping the match narrative.
Turning point
Following Van der Dussen’s dismissal, Santner struck again, this time dismissing Heinrich Klaasen early. Renowned for his prowess against spin, Klaasen misjudged Santner’s trajectory, believing he had enough time to pull the ball for six. Instead, it was a diving Matt Henry who snatched the catch, handing the Kiwis another crucial wicket and tipping the scales further in their favour.
Dreadful death-bowling
When South Africa finally removed centurion Kane Williamson in the 40th over with a total of 251 runs on the board, optimism flickered within the Proteas’ ranks. New Zealand now had two new batters at the crease, and it seemed an opportunity was ripe for tighter bowling. However, the quicks faltered significantly, leaking 111 runs in the final 10.1 overs. The bowlers conceded an alarming 12 fours and two sixes, allowing New Zealand to bolster their score to a mammoth 362 runs.