Proteas must counter charging Black Caps
Victors set to break semi-final duck, clinch berth in first World Cup final
EDEN PARK. A venue where many a great battle has been fought between South Africa and New Zealand through the years. A venue that has given birth to sporting legends in both countries. While that may have mostly been in the context of rugby clashes between the Springboks and All Blacks, tomorrow these two proud sporting nations and a select group of players have the opportunity to write a unique cricket chapter in this ground’s history when they meet in an ICC World Cup semi-final here.
Both teams, though, are yet to win a World Cup semi-final. South Africa have failed in three attempts (1992, 1999 and 2007) while New Zealand carry the baggage of six previous semi-final defeats.
What does this actually mean for tomorrow’s grand occasion that will bring this island to a standstill for eight hours?
Sweet nothing, save for the fact that one of the Proteas or Black Caps will play their first-ever World Cup final next Sunday in Melbourne.
Tomorrow is a clash between two powerpacked teams who are not weighed down by the past.
Proteas mental guru Mike Horn often makes reference to “staying in the now”, while both sets of players exhibit a sense of freedom and flair that is heartily encouraged by their respective captains AB de Villiers and Brendon McCullum.
There is no doubt that McCullum’s men will come charging out of the blocks, whether that be through him and his opening partner Martin Guptill with the bat or via that hostile new-ball pair and the tournament’s leading combination Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
If South Africa are to be successful they will need to counter this initial threat with both bat and ball, and Proteas middle-order batsman David Miller believes that they are wellequipped to do just that.
“They’re really good with nipping the ball. I don’t think they give the opposition much in the first 10 overs. If they’re going to come out firing, just absorb as much as you can and counter-attack that. It’s going to be a good challenge and everyone’s properly ready for it,” Miller said. “We’ve had a game plan over the last two years that we’ve been sticking to. It’s just about everyone coming through when the team needs them to do that.”
South Africa’s emphatic quarter-final victory over Sri Lanka did not even require the superlative talents of De Villiers, the class and touch of Duminy or the power of Miller down in the middle-order. The trio have shown off their individual skills at various times, with each player registering a century in this tournament already.
In high-pressure matches like semi-finals it is often their contributions that are most required and South Africa will hope a clean striker like Miller is on top form, especially at a ground where his famed “if it’s in the V, hit it in the tree” chirp is a hugely viable scoring option due to the short straight boundaries at Eden Park.
“Hopefully I can mishit a few straight sixes,” Miller joked before settling down. “It definitely does change the game plan. Obviously there are longer square (boundaries) so I expect both teams are going to bowl a shorter length.”
Although Horn has taken some of the South African players “out of their comfort zones” already with hiking trips up the Swiss Alps previously, there is no doubt there will be white-knuckle moments that will test the Proteas resolve to the limit. That, more than anything, could yet prove to be a decisive factor between two very evenly-matched teams.
“It’s all coming down to the crunch moment now, so soon there will be a lot more pressure put on this game. It’s just another game, as they say, which is obviously cliched but it’s about pulling in your emotions and doing the job.
“Obviously New Zealand are playing really well, but so are we. To play each other in the semi-final is just going to be out of this world.”
BISMARCK DU PLESSIS, who admitted to his teammates that he had been “ashamed of his behaviour” after being sent off during Saturday’s clash against the Chiefs, has been suspended for four weeks after his guilty plea was accepted by Sanzar judicial officer Adam Casselden.
The actions of Du Plessis, as well as the red card to Francois Steyn, ultimately blighted the final result, which saw the Sharks secure a courageous one-point win despite playing most of the match with a one-man disadvantage.
These sanctions, coupled with the sending-off of Chiefs hooker Hika Elliot, as well as a couple of other incidents of foul play, made it an encounter that certainly wasn’t a good advert for the game.
Du Plessis can have no beef with the length of his suspension after kicking out at an opponent in an off-the-ball incident, while Elliot can consider himself lucky to receive just a one-match ban after recklessly charging into a ruck with his shoulder.
Meanwhile, Steyn will face a judicial hearing today after being red-carded for a tip tackle, and so it remains to be seen if he will be available for this Saturday’s important clash against the Western Force in Durban.
Already it will be a significant blow for the Sharks to be without Du Plessis for the next four weeks, with Casselden explaining the reasoning behind his decision in a statement yesterday.
“The player’s kick was premeditated, intentional and unprovoked. It was reckless, that is the player knew (or should have known) there was a risk of committing an act of foul play. In my opinion the offence was a grave one and the possibility of serious injury existed.”
After the game, Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold offered no excuses for the incident. “I am not going to justify foul play, it was a silly thing for Bismarck to do, he lashed out to free his foot, but you can’t do that when a head is in the way. For what it is worth, he apologised to the group and said he is ashamed for his behaviour.
“In Frans’s case, there were other factors to consider as Cobus (Reinach) and Ryan (Kankowski) were involved in that tackle and the initial recommendation was for a yellow card, but it was overturned. So we’ll see what happens.”
It’s going to add to the challenge for the Sharks this week, with the Durban side having been expected to rest Pat Lambie, Cobus Reinach and Marcell Coetzee as per the Saru agreement regarding player management.
“It is a reality that we are going to have to make do without some talismanic Boks now, and that will ask questions of us, never mind that Patrick, Marcell and Cobus need resting. It will ask questions of our strength and depth, and it will present some real challenges over the next few weeks.”
To add injury to insult, there is also some concern over ailments suffered by Jannie du Plessis and Mouritz Botha during Saturday’s ill-tempered encounter.
On the positive side, though, the Sharks will be able to reflect on the immense character they displayed to secure a result that looked highly unlikely at half-time.
“I’m immensely proud of the character,” Gold said. “We had not shown that character in previous games, we were either going to capitulate or step up to the plate.
“We had to simplify things because of the obvious limitations when the players got sent off, and every player really gave their best after that. We have showed the fight that is going to be needed, and if we can do that with 15 players on the field, then it will be hard to beat us.”