Morris still sees the sunny side of things

LONDON: Chris Morris has always called a spade a spade. It is one of the 30 year-old’s most endearing traits, because he is not shy to voice his opinion. Beyond the game, a career in the commentary box may well beckon, especially in the modern age of broadcasting fence-sitters.

So, who better to deliver the final word on the Proteas’ Champions Trophy shortcomings, and then advance the conversation to the upcoming T20 series.

“We’ve had our mourning, but the sun came up again the next day,” he sighed. “I don’t think we are a bad side, though. We just played a bad game of cricket at the wrong time,” he said, referring to the India match.

Morris cut a frustrated figure, a man who knows he ought to be preparing for or playing in a semi-final, instead of sitting in a plush London hotel explaining himself.

There is also the nasally grunt to his voice - the final kick of a bit of flu, he says - and the sirens of London police and ambulances are more persistent than usual.

To top all of that off, he’s had to wait an extra half-hour, as his interviewer got stuck underground in a Tube train.

But, as ever with Morris, he is still sunny side up.

“You see England are struggling,” he smiles, keeping one eye on the first semi-final.

Morris agrees that the Champions Trophy is a cracking tournament, and one that needs to stay on the calendar.

“I think it’s brilliant. I think the length of it is great,” he starts, before laughing at the irony of his statement. “It’s two and a half weeks of intense cricket.”

He hates talking in ifs and buts, but that is all that’s left of the tournament. “If Faf didnt take the run, AB looked very hungry ... If Dave didn’t get run out, as our in-form batsman ... if Faf had batted through the innings ... there are so many ways to look at it,” he sighs.

There are so many ways to look at it, indeed, but Morris refuses to use them as an excuse. They got a klap from a team that was better than then that day, and possibly hungrier. He doesnt accept the thinking that it’s time for drastic changes to the South African approach, though.

“I don’t think we are a bad team. We ran into a good English side before this. We should have beaten them at Southampton, and we did at Lord’s.

“I just don’t think drastic changes are needed. I think we’ve got a great team, with a great spirit, and we just played a poor game at a bad time,” he repeated.