|
ICC Men's T20 World Cup Group 2, Adelaide Oval |
|
Netherlands 158-4 (20 overs): Ackermann 41* (26), Myburgh 37 (30) |
|
South Africa 145-8 (20 overs): Rossouw 25 (19), Glover 3-9 |
|
Netherlands won by 13 runs |
|
Scorecard. Tables |
South Africa are out of the Men's T20 World Cup after being
stunned by 13 runs by the Netherlands in their final group match.
Set a testing 159 to reach the semi-finals, South Africa lost
regular wickets on a tricky pitch and were tied down by an inspired Dutch side.
The defeat means Pakistan, who beat Bangladesh by five wickets in
the game that followed at the Adelaide Oval, leapfrog the Proteas and progress
with India, who have qualified courtesy of South Africa's defeat.
After a tournament packed full of surprises, this stunning
result is possibly the biggest shock of them all.
South Africa were seen as one of the tournament favourites while
Netherlands are the lowest-ranked side in the Super 12 stage.
"We played well up until this point in the
tournament," captain Temba Bavuma said.
"Again, we faltered when it really mattered. It will be a
hard one to swallow.
"At the end of the day it just was not good enough."
South Africa crumble under
pressure again
This loss also adds another dismal day to South Africa's
well-known history of struggles under pressure on the biggest stage.
They started poorly with the ball - Stephan Myburgh and Max
O'Dowd capitalised on wayward bowling to add 58 for the first wicket - and,
after dragging things back in the middle, they allowed the Netherlands to
finish well as Colin Ackermann struck two sixes in the final over off Wayne
Parnell to finish 41 not out from 26 balls.
Proteas captain Bavuma had opted to chase but that decision soon
proved to be misguided.
After Quinton de Kock edged behind for 13, scoring became harder
and harder on a slow surface - Bavuma bowled around his legs, Rilee Roussouw
holing out at deep mid-wicket and Aiden Markram caught off a leading edge as
part of a steady slide.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, were exceptional. Their bowlers
mixed the pace with slower balls and their fielders were superbly athletic to
deny twos and South Africa boundaries.
There was also a sensational catch from Roelof van der Merwe,
the 37-year-old who played 26 times for South Africa before switching to the
Netherlands, to dismiss David Miller.
Miller top-edged a pull off seamer Brandon Glover and Van der
Merwe brilliantly ran back from short fine leg before sliding to take the ball
in two hands, inches above the ground.
That left South Africa needing 47 from 28 balls and the game was
gone when Heinrich Klaasen picked out deep mid-wicket two overs later.
Each wicket was wildly cheered by the Pakistan fans, who had
arrived early for their side's match on the same ground.
The defeats for South Africa and Bangladesh mean the Netherlands
will qualify automatically for the next T20 World Cup, as long as Zimbabwe do
not beat India.
