http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 brace themselves for a backlash after losing World Cup quarter-final to New Zealand
The South Africans have choked yet again in a knockout game of the ICC World Cup.
The Proteas were all out for 172, as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 pulled off a dramatic 49-run win to qualify for the semi-finals of the mega event on Friday. This is the fifth time the Proteas have failed in the knock-out stage in the World Cup since their debut in the tournament in 1992.
This was a big blow to Graeme Smith on a personal level as this was his last match as the skipper of South Africa after being on the job for eight years. The skipper, along with his team, are now preparing for a backlash.
“There's nothing I can say right now that'll make the fans feel better. When the team goes home there's going to be daggers and swords thrown and whatever, there's a group of 25 people here that have just got to take it on the chin,” he said.
Smith insisted that his side was in a comfortable position in the early stages of the match but just lost focus causing their ultimate demise just when it was least expected. According to the Proteas skipper, the team lost composure in the middle overs making a mess of the whole situation.
“It's kind of disbelief really. I thought we certainly had what it took to be able to win today, and unfortunately we didn't” he lamented.
Smith insisted that his boys had prepared well for the mega event and put their heart and soul in to the game but the Kiwis were just too good for them. He insisted that there was no excuse that his side could present to the South African fans and the responsibility of the defeat falls on the shoulders of his squad.
Smith will now be stepping down from his captaincy and will also bid farewell to the shorter version of the game. However, the 30-year old still wants to captain the Test side. He insisted that there were positive things happening in South Africa cricket and hopes the future teams would lift the most cherished title one day.
This was most likely the last World Cup for the middle-order batsman Jacques Kallis as well. The next World Cup will surely see a new generation of South Africans aiming to clinch the world title, which the Proteas have longed for so long.
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