Coach Walter Reflects on South Africa’s Semi-Final Loss in Champions Trophy
South Africa’s head coach Rob Walter criticized execution during their 50-run loss to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy semi-final. New Zealand’s 362-6 set a tournament record, leading to South Africa’s exit at yet another knockout stage. Walter emphasized the effort of his players, despite the challenges faced during the match, ultimately praising the opposition’s bowling performance.
Rob Walter, the head coach of the South African cricket team, expressed disappointment over his team’s execution in their recent 50-run defeat to New Zealand during the Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore. He emphasized that despite the loss, he would not question the players’ effort. The South African team found themselves unable to progress past the knockout stages once again, as New Zealand set a formidable target with a score of 362-6, the highest in the tournament’s history.
Walter pointed to the pivotal 164-run partnership between New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson, both of whom scored centuries, as the turning point of the match. He noted, “We sort of threw whatever we could at them but unfortunately we couldn’t break that partnership which really set them up to push towards the end.” With contributions from Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips, New Zealand added 110 runs in the final ten overs, making the target increasingly challenging.
Despite the team’s effort to control the game, Walter acknowledged difficulties faced by the bowlers. He explained, “We certainly tried to change the pace but I think the ball wasn’t really gripping at that stage in the early phases, so the ball kept sliding on.” Ultimately, the South African bowlers struggled to overcome a good batting surface, which Walter asserted contributed to New Zealand’s high score.
The task became even more challenging for South Africa as New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner claimed crucial wickets, dismissing Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and Heinrich Klaasen within the first 30 overs. Although David Miller managed to score a rapid century, it was insufficient to change the outcome of the match. Walter remarked on the detrimental effect of losing wickets, stating, “We just lost a few key wickets in the middle,” noting the sharp decline from a strong start of 125-1 to 189-5.
He also commended the performance of New Zealand’s spinners, who collectively took seven wickets, highlighting Santner’s quality as a bowler. Walter concluded, “The ball did spin a bit more in the second innings, no doubt about that.”
The defeat marks another exit for South Africa in a key tournament, while New Zealand now advances to face India in the final scheduled for this Sunday in Dubai.
In summary, Coach Rob Walter reflected on his team’s execution and effort following their defeat to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy semi-final. Despite commendable performances, particularly from cost-effective bowlers, South Africa struggled to break pivotal partnerships. Their ability to maintain a strong batting position faltered due to a series of middle-order wickets, culminating in their elimination from the tournament.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
