Bavuma blames on ‘execution thing’
Abu Dhabi, UAE - It had to happen. A World Cup. Australia versus South Africa. A thriller. And a run-out. This one is less significant than the most (in)famous one of them all, in 1999, but possibly more comical.
Keshav Maharaj bunted Pat Cummins to point and the fielder shied at the non-striker's stumps and missed. On 83 for six in the 15th over, South Africa were desperate for every run, so Maharaj tried to take advantage with a single. Aiden Markram, the last recognised batter left in the line-up, had his back turned and didn't see Maharaj advance. When he did, he sent Maharaj back but from two-thirds of the way down the track, it was always going to be difficult. Then Maharaj slipped as a wide throw came into Matthew Wade.
The time it took Maharaj to get up and begin making his way back allowed Wade to gather the ball and take aim at the stumps. Maharaj was run-out by some distance.
South Africa were 83 for seven, with 34 balls left in an innings in which almost everything had gone wrong. South Africa's top- heavy- but- still- a- battershort strategy is coming home to roost. It's a limitation that they overcame against opposition like Ireland and Sri Lanka but it was always going to be difficult against an attack like Australia's.
South Africa skipper Temva
Bavuma spoke on the eve of the match of the anxiety running through the South African camp, seven of whom are at their first World Cup. He also reminded his team, and everyone else, that there was no bigger motivation for South Africa than taking on their second-oldest and fiercest rivals, Australia. In the end, he didn't blame the nerves but the execution.
"The guys have prepared quite well in terms of trying to deal with mental pressures," he said after the game. "I can't remember a time when our batting has collapsed like that. It's not every day when your top seven, bar Aiden Markram, all fail. It was an execution thing."
But he conceded they fell well short of expectations: "118 was definitely not a par score. Anything around 150-160 would have been competitive."
On the evidence of Australia's batting, even 135 may have been enough on the day, in those conditions, but all the what-iffing in the world is not going to change that South Africa have already given themselves a mountain to climb over the next two weeks, and Australia have already issued a small warning to the rest that they are here to play. As always.