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Comment: Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town – South Africa need to free the shackles and do everything they can to pound Pakistan in St Lucia on Monday (15:30 SA time) if they wish to stay in the ICC World Twenty20.
Their split-personality campaign has left them in a tenuous position in the Super Eights, with every likelihood that two outcomes must go their way in order to progress to the semis.
Their own triumph over the defending champions -- although the Pakistanis have hardly played like it this time and their own survival hangs by an even more precarious thread -- is essential.
And then they will probably also require in-form England to beat New Zealand in the later game (19:30 our time) at the same venue.
It is a concern, of course, that the Proteas’ hot-and-cold showing in the Caribbean has come down to this scenario, but both desired results nevertheless remain pretty feasible.
Should South Africa win, at least England, unfortunately minus Kevin Pietersen for this one but with two wins out of two in the Super Eights, will still have a bit to do against the Kiwis, even if only an unusually heavy defeat is likely to imperil their own qualification now.
And the Proteas can take some heart from the fighting words of Graeme Swann, England’s ebullient off-spinner, in the lead-up: “We need to go and absolutely hammer New Zealand … that’s what we want to do; smash every team we play.”
If that talk sounds rather more “Australian” in character, at least it is indicative of the new resolve that appears to have taken root in England one-day teams generally.
There may also still be the very outside chance that Graeme Smith’s side could beef up their wobbly net run-rate sufficiently enough to qualify even without the aid of an England win over the Kiwis, should they truly blitz the unpredictable Pakistan.
An example of that possibility would be if the Proteas somehow roll their opponents for a near-feeble score if they bat first, and then tear into the target with rare relish and purpose.
This, after all, is a meeting between two of the most inconsistent sides in the tournament, so a big win either way cannot be discounted.
Trounced as they were by England in Bridgetown, the South African brains trust must once again weigh up some selection posers, like whether to reintroduce Loots “Basher” Bosman – though the slow pitch at Gros Islet may weigh against that – and perhaps an extra specialist spinner in Roelof van der Merwe to aid the impressive Johan Botha.
Main strike bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel took a rare roasting at the hands of England, but the wise men may take the view that it “happens” in T20 cricket and still bank on the pair to get the Pakistani batsmen fending and hopping rather than walloping.
The Proteas do need to chew over their batting top-three situation as well, presently staffed by Messrs Smith, Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs, in that order.
Like the captain, who has struggled to shake off injury-induced cobwebs and really get going in the Caribbean, Gibbs has not yet set the world alight with any special batting feats, but in go-for-broke circumstances like this he is probably worth persevering with in the hope that he has one of those mercurial days.
Certainly the Proteas need higher-tempo starts to their innings: in their two defeats at the event thus far, first to India and then to England, they have been chasing big totals and only heaped pressure on their middle-order men by falling behind too quickly in run-rate terms.
Against the Indians, who posted 186 for five at a rollicking 9.30 to the over, Kallis and Bosman scored at not much more than four runs to the over for the first five, which was a major hindrance despite South Africa getting to within 14 runs in the end.
And in the England defeat, where Paul Collingwood’s team totalled 168 for seven at 8.40, again the Proteas were on the back foot too rapidly in the reply, registering about five run an over for the first four.
Against Pakistan, a broad spirit of urgency is going to be crucial …
Cape Town – South Africa need to free the shackles and do everything they can to pound Pakistan in St Lucia on Monday (15:30 SA time) if they wish to stay in the ICC World Twenty20.
Their split-personality campaign has left them in a tenuous position in the Super Eights, with every likelihood that two outcomes must go their way in order to progress to the semis.
Their own triumph over the defending champions -- although the Pakistanis have hardly played like it this time and their own survival hangs by an even more precarious thread -- is essential.
And then they will probably also require in-form England to beat New Zealand in the later game (19:30 our time) at the same venue.
It is a concern, of course, that the Proteas’ hot-and-cold showing in the Caribbean has come down to this scenario, but both desired results nevertheless remain pretty feasible.
Should South Africa win, at least England, unfortunately minus Kevin Pietersen for this one but with two wins out of two in the Super Eights, will still have a bit to do against the Kiwis, even if only an unusually heavy defeat is likely to imperil their own qualification now.
And the Proteas can take some heart from the fighting words of Graeme Swann, England’s ebullient off-spinner, in the lead-up: “We need to go and absolutely hammer New Zealand … that’s what we want to do; smash every team we play.”
If that talk sounds rather more “Australian” in character, at least it is indicative of the new resolve that appears to have taken root in England one-day teams generally.
There may also still be the very outside chance that Graeme Smith’s side could beef up their wobbly net run-rate sufficiently enough to qualify even without the aid of an England win over the Kiwis, should they truly blitz the unpredictable Pakistan.
An example of that possibility would be if the Proteas somehow roll their opponents for a near-feeble score if they bat first, and then tear into the target with rare relish and purpose.
This, after all, is a meeting between two of the most inconsistent sides in the tournament, so a big win either way cannot be discounted.
Trounced as they were by England in Bridgetown, the South African brains trust must once again weigh up some selection posers, like whether to reintroduce Loots “Basher” Bosman – though the slow pitch at Gros Islet may weigh against that – and perhaps an extra specialist spinner in Roelof van der Merwe to aid the impressive Johan Botha.
Main strike bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel took a rare roasting at the hands of England, but the wise men may take the view that it “happens” in T20 cricket and still bank on the pair to get the Pakistani batsmen fending and hopping rather than walloping.
The Proteas do need to chew over their batting top-three situation as well, presently staffed by Messrs Smith, Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs, in that order.
Like the captain, who has struggled to shake off injury-induced cobwebs and really get going in the Caribbean, Gibbs has not yet set the world alight with any special batting feats, but in go-for-broke circumstances like this he is probably worth persevering with in the hope that he has one of those mercurial days.
Certainly the Proteas need higher-tempo starts to their innings: in their two defeats at the event thus far, first to India and then to England, they have been chasing big totals and only heaped pressure on their middle-order men by falling behind too quickly in run-rate terms.
Against the Indians, who posted 186 for five at a rollicking 9.30 to the over, Kallis and Bosman scored at not much more than four runs to the over for the first five, which was a major hindrance despite South Africa getting to within 14 runs in the end.
And in the England defeat, where Paul Collingwood’s team totalled 168 for seven at 8.40, again the Proteas were on the back foot too rapidly in the reply, registering about five run an over for the first four.
Against Pakistan, a broad spirit of urgency is going to be crucial …
