Still plenty of action to come

LEST we forget, as South Africans, there is still a Champions Trophy tournament going on.

All South African focus over the past few days has been on their shock exit, and the tournament itself took a day or so to absorb that unexpected turn.

Since Sunday, though, much has happened within the Champions Trophy.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan played in the other “virtual” quarter-final in Group B, with Pakistan somehow getting over the line.

They had plenty of help from the generosity of Sri Lanka’s fielding, mind you, and one drop catch will live long in the memory – for all the wrong reasons. And so, eight has become four, as this wonderful tournament marches on to its conclusion.

England host Pakistan at Cardiff today, in the first of the semi-finals. Before the game, the main concern was whether or not there would be a crowd in Wales.

The ticketing system in operation at this event is a lottery, which means an online scramble for tickets that are well priced, actually.

India’s legion of fans seemingly didn’t believe that their side could win Group B – imagine that – and a fair few of them jumped in on the tickets in Cardiff.

Now that India is playing in Birmingham tomorrow, there has been a genuine fear about what kind of atmosphere will welcome England and Pakistan.

It’s a bizarre thought, but fans plan ahead in hope, and there may well be a flood of 11th hour, black market deals happening.

Naturally, we all want to see full houses at the last three games of the tournament, given the quality of cricket that is expected.

England, with their depth, their form and their state of mind, should be too much for the temperamental Pakistanis to deal with.

Surely there is too much firepower there, even with Jason Roy likely to miss out after a disastrously lean run with the bat.

India are expected to have the better of the tournament’s surprise package, Bangladesh.

However, the Tigers are still in the mood for more upsets, and have already started with the mind games. They are not scared of India, and they know that most neutrals will be rooting for them.

To give one an idea of the level of optimism within Bangladesh cricket at the moment, you only have to look at their media.

Hundred and twenty five souls applied for tournament accreditation, with 75 getting the nod. Rumour has it that all 125 still travelled to the UK, and they have camped outside the team hotel, picking up scraps and then daring to dream.

It’s a terrific tale for the game, a nation that has climbed and climbed, and they show no lack of fresh ambition.

India are never short of press numbers themselves, so the Edgbaston press box will be no place for those who like to keep to themselves.

On the field, common sense suggests that England and India will contest Sunday’s final at The Oval.

They have been the most impressive in their groups, but they both play against teams with nothing to lose.

Already, this event is on its head in terms of results. No one foresaw a semi-final line-up without South Africa, New Zealand or Australia. And yet, here we are.

On their day, Pakistan have an attack that can blow any top-order away. The Proteas can attest to that.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, have a penchant for chasing down totals that most consider out of reach. They are a team of dreamers, and they’ve already made history, by getting to the last four.

If they go one step more, 125 journalists may yet lose their minds, and invade the playing field. And who would begrudge them, given their cavalier spirit on the park.

Perhaps, after all the other surprises, the 2017 Champions Trophy has one more treat left for us.