Proteas secure another thrilling win to keep World Cup semifinal hopes alive

South Africa and last over finishes at this World Cup — it’s becoming trendy. 

Those watching from their couches around the country, may not appreciate the tension, but the Proteas are keen to show they can handle the pressure situations, all while not playing their best cricket. 

Friday saw them pull off a seven-run victory over the defending champions England in St Lucia, in a match that ebbed and flowed, and ultimately thrilled. 

South Africa set the English a target of 164, which looked about 20 runs short of a par score at a venue where big scoring has been a feature. However, as Quinton de Kock pointed out afterwards, was mainly for the night games played at the Daren Sammy International Stadium. “In day games it’s very different and there were a couple of us who’ve played in the Caribbean Premier League, who knew that,” said the Proteas wicketkeeper batter, who was named the player of the match, for his innings of 65.

South Africa had controlled most of the England innings as a result, utilising a two-paced pitch to restrict England to 60/3 at the halfway stage of their run chase. 

Keshav Maharak was superb in controlling the scoring post the power player, picking up the wicket of Jonny Bairstow with a beautiful piece of deception, using drift and spin, and then getting Jos Buttler to sweep to Heinrich Klaasen at deep midwicket. 

SA’s catching, but for one egregious error by Klaasen, when he dropped Bairstow in the fourth over was sublime. They held onto three magnificent catches; Reeza Herndricks diving to his left to snare the dangerous Phil Salt, Anrich Nortjé diving to his right at point to stop Bairstow and then in the final over the match winning effort by Aiden Markram.

Like they did against the USA on Wednesday when they conceded 64 runs in four overs, the Proteas again lost control, conceding 52 runs in three overs, with their bowling plans and execution, going awry. 

They attempted yorkers, but continuously missed the mark, with Ottneil Baartman, normally so proficient, bowling five full tosses in 17th over, and being belted for three fours and a six by Liam Livingstone and the impressive Harry Brook. 

However with 21 needed off the last two overs, Kagiso Rabada, just as he did on Wednesday, allowed just seven runs in the 19th over and took the vital wicket of Livingstone — ironically with a full toss — leaving Nortje to defend 14 in the 20th. 

He started that over with Brook’s wicket, thanks to Markram’s second stunning last over catch of the tournament — this one saw him sprinting backwards from mid-off and dive full length to end Brook’s knock of 53. 

The victory put SA atop the Pool in the Super Eights, but a semifinal is not yet assured. 

They are also still looking for a more rounded performance, despite being unbeaten in the competition, with the death bowling again not operating as smoothly as they’d like, while with the bat, Markram felt they were 20 runs short of a good total. 

That they reached 163/6 was thanks mainly to De Kock, who was superb, especially in the power play helping SA to score 63 runs in that period. 

Hendricks was infuriatingly sluggish in partnership with De Kock, creating pressure that not only troubled his opening partner but seemed to filter through the rest of the batting line-up. 

The openers shared a stand of 86, but Hendricks made just 19 with a strike rate of 76.00. De Kock, who scored his 65 off 38 balls, hit four fours and the same number of sixes and was, along with David Miller, the only SA batter, to thrive. 

England, through their spinners had squeezed the much-vaunted middle order, with Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali conceding a total of 45 runs from their combined eight overs and picking up two wickets. 

Miller made 43 off 28 balls, dominating a 42-run fifth wicket partnership with Tristan Stubbs that got them to what turned into a defendable total.