Proteas captain AB de Villiers has taken the blame for his team’s semi-final loss to New Zealand at Eden Park on Tuesday, saying he had a chance to break the Elliot-Anderson partnership but dropped the ball.
Speaking at a media conference following the devastating loss, de Villiers said: “I tried my best to catch it but I didn’t. Life moves on. I didn’t take that unfortunately, but yes if you want to see it that way that I cost us then I’ll gladly take it.”
South Africans watched in horror on Tuesday as our beloved Proteas took a thrashing from New Zealand. To make matters worse, Johannesburg-born Grant Elliott hit a six off the penultimate ball, knocking SA out of the running for Cricket World Cup final.
Speaking at a media conference following the devastating loss, de Villiers said: “I tried my best to catch it but I didn’t. Life moves on. I didn’t take that unfortunately, but yes if you want to see it that way that I cost us then I’ll gladly take it.”
South Africans watched in horror on Tuesday as our beloved Proteas took a thrashing from New Zealand. To make matters worse, Johannesburg-born Grant Elliott hit a six off the penultimate ball, knocking SA out of the running for Cricket World Cup final.
“We had our chances especially in the second half of the game and we didn’t take them so it’s difficult to say what kind of emotions I’m feeling. It’s obviously painful,” said de Villiers.
“There were lots of people back home supporting us. It hurts to think of all of them. We wanted so badly wanted to take that trophy back home.”
De Villiers also said they had failed the nation:
“We play to win games of cricket to take glory home and make a difference in our nation’s heart and hope, and we didn’t do that. It hurts quite a bit. Gutted. We had our chances and didn’t take them,” he said.
“We had opportunities to adjust and we did and I felt it was enough. The chances we had in the second innings showed that it was enough.
“… We always talk about expecting the unexpected, and the unexpected happened today, and we adjusted as well as we could, and it wasn’t good enough at the end.”
“There were lots of people back home supporting us. It hurts to think of all of them. We wanted so badly wanted to take that trophy back home.”
De Villiers also said they had failed the nation:
“We play to win games of cricket to take glory home and make a difference in our nation’s heart and hope, and we didn’t do that. It hurts quite a bit. Gutted. We had our chances and didn’t take them,” he said.
“We had opportunities to adjust and we did and I felt it was enough. The chances we had in the second innings showed that it was enough.
“… We always talk about expecting the unexpected, and the unexpected happened today, and we adjusted as well as we could, and it wasn’t good enough at the end.”
By: Farai Diza
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