Aimless Proteas’ World Cup dream (finally) crash and burns

There are no more permutations, no more miracles to hanker after, after South Africa ended their World Cup campaign by allowing themselves to be humbled by 49 runs by Pakistan at Lord’s – the grandest stage of them all – on Sunday.

It was certainly fitting that their definite exit, the final confirmation that their World Cup dream is over, came when they were on the biggest stage, a packed Lord’s. Because if anything typifies South African cricket, it is their absolute inability to perform to potential on the biggest stage – the World Cup.

There has been so much said about the weak batting of the Proteas and they again failed to grasp a realistic opportunity to win as they slumped to 259 for nine chasing 309.

But the bowlers were also poor. There has been so much talk over the last couple of years from the Proteas camp about how brilliant their attack is and that they would be the key to their World Cup campaign.

But allowed to bowl first on Sunday – captain Faf du Plessis said he would have fielded first if he had won the toss – they were messy and lacklustre, allowing Pakistan to get off to a flying start.

Only the brilliance of Imran Tahir (10-0-41-2) brought South Africa back into the contest, the veteran leg-spinner removing both openers, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman, for 44. The return catch he took off Imam was magnificent, as was the passion he showed throughout. What a pity that there seemed to be little inspirational effect on his team-mates.

The platform had been laid and Babar Azam kept the momentum going with his 69 off 80 balls. But the real brutality was dished out by Haris Sohail, who belted a superb 89 off just 59 deliveries.

Although Lungi Ngidi finished strongly with three wickets, pegging Pakistan back to 308 for seven, there was clearly going to be a stiff task ahead for a South African batting line-up that has given precious few signs of being either in form or particularly confident.

Mohammad Amir (10-1-49-2) is one of the finest fast bowlers in the world right now (what a pity Kagiso Rabada has done nothing at the World Cup to suggest he still belongs in that class) and he made short work of Hashim Amla, trapping him lbw for 2. The end is surely nigh for Amla, notwithstanding his legendary status.

But Du Plessis was grimly determined and Quinton de Kock enjoyed some lucky escapes as South Africa’s two key batsmen added 87 for the second wicket off 109 deliveries.

De Kock, however, is still a largely instinctive batsman, rather than one who adapts to the situation in front of him, and after a little flurry of boundaries had taken him to 47, he holed out to deep square-leg off leg-spinner Shadab Khan (10-1-50-3).

Spin – and judging the length of it – is still surprisingly baffling for a batsman of Aiden Markram’s talent and he was cleaned up by Shadab for just 7.

Du Plessis battled on to 63 off 79 balls, but with the required run-rate now over eight to the over, he lashed out at the outstanding Amir, but the left-hander is extremely slippery and the captain was caught off the resulting skier.

It is not often that a team can afford to drop six catches and still win an ODI so comfortably, but Rassie van der Dussen (36) and David Miller (31) enjoyed charmed lives as they sought to pull off the miraculous.

Andile Phehlukwayo tried gamely in scoring 46 not out off 32 balls, but Wahab Riaz (10-0-46-3) and his full length were too good for the lower-order.

This inept South African side is not worthy of semi-final contention and the basement, trying to avoid the wooden spoon, is waiting.

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