South Africa Rampant; England Banged & Dashed

India v South Africa

We really are moving to the sharp end of the tournament, judging by the outstanding performance by South Africa in inflicting India's first loss since the World Cup opening on February 19th. Then, India's batsmen ran amok at Dhaka and her bowlers gave up far too many runs to Bangladesh. India looked a little fat and lazy and perhaps they haven't yet reached the razor edge they will need to be ultimate victors. Perhaps they thought this time, home would bring them easy success. If they did, South Africa have provided a rude shock.

It was a game where the turning point was so clearly defined. Sewag, Tendulkar and Gambhir had handed the South Africa attack rough treatment for 39 overs and at 1-267, perfectly primed the innings for an avalanche of runs to crush any South Africa reply. They hit as they wished for twenty seven fours and three Tendulkar sixes, including one, the perfect hook shot off Dale Steyn in his opening four over spell which went for 30. Tendulkar was against magnificent, the sort of innings that makes you realise as a bowler that its a matter of patience and eventually pushes you to wonder it there is any point even competing with him. But these boys from Down Under & Across are not like those who Waugh or Warne could intimidate. Their mixture of youth and experience is of sterner or is that Steyner stuff. The world's best fast bowler returned with India in command and took 5-20 of nearly six overs and the Indian juggernaut sank with all hands losing its last nine wickets for just 29 runs.

Even so, South Africa might have choked in the chase, after Amla and Kallis were solid in getting to 127 in 28th over. Just when acceleration was needed, de Villiers provided it with a scintillating half century in just 39 balls. From there, everyone did their job as Dumminy, du Plessis, Botha and Peterson did exactly what was required. Despite Harbhajan finally getting some wickets, India had no answer and their bowlers were made to look like little sub continent Olivers, asking this time for NO more.

Despite their off-colour batting against England, South Africa must now be the favourite to lift the silverware on April 2nd.

Bangladesh v England

By contrast, the Heckle & Jive outfit which badges itself as England, completely lost the plot the night before against Bangladesh. Some might remember I thought this a danger match for the Poms and so it proved but it needn't have been so. Batting first, they never scored enough against what can only be described as an adequate attack. Again England looked unable to put pressure on a spin-dominated bowling line up and it was the top order who were most guilty. In the eleven overs between Prior's dismissal (opening again in place of the injured Pietersen) and Bell's, England gave up three soft wickets and could score only 19 singles. Trott did his job anchoring the innings but only Eoin Morgan, fresh to the team, provided anything like the impetus needed. The rest had no idea and exactly what Paul Collingwood was going to offer batting at 8 is tactically beyond the imagination of anyone but Strauss. Their 225 looked vulnerable.

Tamim Iqbal came out swinging and broke into Jimmy Anderson's run piggy bank and Imrul Kayes was batting sensibly with the win in mind but after Tim Bresnan broke the openers, Shahzad and Swann combined with the aid of some dreadful between the wickets running to have Bangladesh with hopes dashed again at 8-169. Then, a miracle aided and abetted by more English mayhem. As Swann carped and complained about everything, the rest forgot how to bowl at the tail and the No 10, Shaiful Islam took control of a partnership of 58 at better than run a ball, including two 4's and a 6 off Swann's last over. In the final six overs, Shahzad, Bresnan and Anderson were lame lions, chased from the arena by terrible tigers and Shaiful and Mahmudallah got their with an over to spare.

England must win against the West Indies to progress. Heckle & Jive? How can the same side which has beaten one of the tournament favourites and tied with another, manage to just fall in against the Dutch and lose to Ireland and Bangladesh? On that sort of checkered form, England are sure of two things: sponsorship by Charlie Sheen and they won't be winning the World Cup!