Former all-rounder Jacques Kallis has labelled South Africa ‘tactically off’, after Sunday’s World Cup defeat to Bangladesh at The Oval in London.
The Proteas weathered a 21-run defeat to an opposition significantly inferior in the International Cricket Council’s rankings for ODI teams. It was just their fourth defeat to Bangladesh in 21 ODIs.
The result compounded Thursday’s 104-run defeat England at The Oval – and caused major concern ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with India at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton.
‘I think you’ve got to give credit to Bangladesh for the way they performed, it’s amazing how far they’ve come as a team in a very short space of time, and the way they batted was particularly impressive,’ Kallis wrote in a column for the ICC’s website.
‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I understand what Faf du Plessis was doing with the toss and playing the extra pace bowler. However, the wicket just didn’t allow it, and perhaps he stuck with the tactics a bit too long and should have started bowling a little fuller and straighter.
‘Bangladesh got all their partnerships going, and once you get over 300 then it always becomes a tough chase. Letting them score 50 or so runs in the final four overs really didn’t help either, and ultimately proved the difference.’
South Africa and India have contested 83 ODIs since the first in 2001. The Proteas have won 46 and the Indians 34, with three no-results. They played a six-match series early last year, which India won five-one.
‘The good news is we have another game in just three days, so South Africa can’t dwell on this, they will just have to move on. It doesn’t get any easier though against India, but it’s their first game and our third, so maybe that could give us the edge we need,’ added Kallis.
‘They’ve not played for a week and maybe there’ll be some first-game nerves, whereas we are settled. Strange things happen in this sport, and if we can get a win then I think we can go on a streak and we are still good enough to be a contender.’
Photo: Gallo Images
