SA cricket’s future still bright despite loss — U19 skipper
Juan James bitterly disappointed by defeat against India, but says players will go on to prosper in domestic scene
The junior Proteas class of 2024 might not have got the ICC U19 World Cup fairytale ending of lifting the trophy on home soil, but they did prove to any doubters that SA cricket’s future is in good hands.
The sentiment was shared by their disappointed captain, Juan James, after their twowicket semifinal loss to India in Benoni on Tuesday when asked what the future held for his team.
His team showed maturity, demonstrated by the bowling heroics of 17-year-old Kwena Maphaka, who took 21 wickets in the campaign, Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius’s impressive quick-fire opening flurries with the bat throughout, James’s leadership skills and Tristan Luus and Riley Norton’s abilities to quickly adapt to conditions.
“I think the future is bright for cricket in SA,” James said.
“We will return to our provinces now and probably some of the guys will get contracts and there is no doubt they will continue to do well in the domestic scene.
“Tristan and Kwena have been unbelievable for us throughout the tournament.
“They did what they needed to do with the ball.
“With our batting, in particular, we talked about putting our egos aside.”
Despite SA becoming the first team to cross 200 against India in the tournament and showing resilience, a late fightback in their defence of a 245 target, defending champions India showed why they have won the competition five times since 1998.
They put out a big statement that they are a force to be reckoned with in this year ’ s global showpiece final, which is at the same ground on Sunday against Pakistan or Australia, who are playing their semifinal on Thursday.
After being put on the back foot, losing four wickets early in their innings, Uday Saharan and Sachin Dhas played innings they will tell their grandchildren about.
They showed patience, guts and determination as they added 175 runs in the fifthwicket partnership, which resulted in the Proteas coaching staff patrolling the boundary in panic and dishing out advice for the bowlers as the Indians took the innings by the scruff of the neck.
“I’m bitterly disappointed, especially having all of that hope and watching it fade away. It’s very disappointing,” James said.
“Uday and Sachin batted really well. We tried our best to get them out, but we couldn’t.
“It was a matter of us trying to fight back, but we couldn’t get the wickets we needed to win.”
The hosts conceded 26 extras, including 23 wides.
“The matter of the extras has been our issue throughout the tournament,” James said.
“It’s something we didn’t quite manage to get right.
“It’s tough, and I really don’t know what to say. It’s very tough.”