SA u-19s so close at World Cup
Brad Morgan
6 March 2008Recent successes by the South African men's and women's cricket teams have been matched by the country's top junior players, who finished runners-up at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.
Led by former Proteas' coach Ray Jennings, the team just missed out on becoming the first South African side to capture the Under-19 World Cup, losing by 12 runs to India in the final on the Duckworth/Lewis method on Sunday.
The Indians had beaten South Africa by six wickets earlier in the tournament, but Sunday's title-deciding contest, played at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur, could have gone either way.
Batsmen struggled
Put in to bat, India struggled against a South African bowling attack that included hostile fast bowling up front, challenging spin bowling in support, and brilliant support from the fielders. They managed just 159 all out as SA captain Wayne Parnell captured 2 for 21, Matthew Arnold 2 for 30, and
Roy Adams 2 for 38.
The victory target didn't appear to be too challenging, but India had enjoyed a comfortable run through the tournament to reach the final without dropping a game, with only New Zealand truly pushing them in the semi-finals. They wouldn't concede the result without a stiff fight.
Ajitesh Argal immediately ratcheted up the pressure on the South Africans by removing Pieter Malan and Riley Rossouw cheaply. A mix up then led to JJ Smuts being run out. The top three in the South African batting order were back in the pavilion with only 11 runs on the scoreboard.
Duckworth/Lewis method
Shortly afterwards, rain caused a delay. This led to South Africa's victory target being adjusted, according to the Duckworth/Lewis method, to 116 runs in 25 overs. There was not too much to it, it would seem, but India had managed only 159 all out with the full compliment of 50 overs available to them, and SA was in trouble with its top
three batsmen out.
The innings, however, was put back on track when Reeza Hendricks and captain Parnell added exactly for the fifth wicket before Hendricks departed for the innings' top score of 35.
Parnell went on to make 29 before he was dismissed two balls from the end of South Africa's innings. Wicketkeeper Bradley Barnes followed, bowled off the final delivery, for a cameo knock of 19 off 17 balls.
'A special occasion'
Coach Ray Jennings, despite the defeat, had nothing but praise for his charges. "It was a special occasion to work with the guys," he said, "and it was great to see their humbleness and the passion they had to represent their country. It was wonderful to see them displaying their talents.
"There were times when we had our backs to the wall, but sometimes we emerged from that with pomp. I trust and hope that this team will grow in confidence and become a great team for the future."
Cricket South Africa's Chief Executive Officer Gerald Majola weighed-in with his congratulations, saying: "It was disappointing not to win in the end, but I must commend coach Ray Jennings and his management team for building a team that stood its ground against the other leading cricketing nations of the world.
"I am confident that we have put the right building blocks in place for this team to grow and be the feeder to the Proteas."
Parnell's captaincy praised
Among the players who stood out, Parnell was praised by commentators for his insightful captaincy and his all-round performances. The left-arm paceman opened the bowling to devastating effect, claiming 18 wickets in six matches, including a stunning 6 for 8 against Bangladesh in a huge victory by 201 runs in the quarterfinals.
The Bangladeshis made the last eight by beating, among others, England and ultimately played off for fifth place against Australia in a match that was rained out. The point is, they were far from a pushover despite the impression one might get from South Africa's lop-sided victory.
Johnathan Vandiar excelled as a top order batsmen and leg-spin bowler, providing telling contributions in both departments, while Bradley Barnes was a bundle of energy behind the stumps where his tidy wicketkeeping must have excited coach Jennings, who was a brilliant glove-man in his day.
Sybrand Engelbrecht managed to perform a passable imitation of Jonty Rhodes in the field, effecting some breathtaking catches with awesome athleticism, along with a number of run outs.
A good achievement
Reaching the last eight was, in itself, a good achievement for Parnell's team as South Africa had to secure a place from Group B, which was recognized as the "group of death" as it featured two other strong sides in India and the West Indies. Papua New Guinea completed the line-up.
SA lost to India, but wins over the West Indies and Papua New Guinea saw South Africa advance. The quarterfinal win over Bangladesh, who were skittled for just 41 runs, set up a semi-final clash against defending champions Pakistan, who had reached the final four without being seriously challenged.
South Africa put an emphatic end to that record by scoring a one-sided victory by 98 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Unfortunately for coach Jennings, captain Parnell, and the rest of the team, they came out on the wrong side of the Duckworth/Lewis method in the final.
Parnell commented: "We went there (to Malaysia) believing in ourselves, but we were not sure that we could get that far in the competition.
"We are grateful for the opportunity and I trust the future teams will have something to build on."
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