SA attitude against Warne inexplicable

For a team that does its homework so well, and I really do believe they were the most `prepared’ team of the event, their attitude against Shane Warne was inexplicable.

Warne is one of the greats of the modern era, or for that matter any era, and on the big day, he was bound to come out pumped up.South Africa had to have a strategy against him. Either they didn’t or they couldn’t implement it because they stood in their crease like their legs had been chained in.At any level of the game, that is great news for a leg-spinner. For Warne that was a dream presenting itself. After six overs he had 3 for 5 and we got the feeling that South Africa were just waiting for the spell to end. But Steve Waugh is a very smart cricketer and he kept playing on their nerves by giving him eight overs.

But South Africa got out of it and in spite of one of the finest displays of ground fielding I have seen for a long time, they had the match in their hands. Then Allan Donald went blink. And seeing the light go out at one end, Lance Klusener, who had played two astonishing shots, decided to switch his off as well. I know the game is easier from a commentary box but surely Klusener could have hit it anywhere. But instead of pressing the trigger, the assassin ran. And ran alone because his partner, remember, had switchedthe lights off!

As Hansie Cronje and Bob Woolmer, still the best captain and coach combination, look back they will identify two weaknesses in their line-up. On most days they wouldn’t matter. They didn’t have a quality spinner but much more important, they did not have a world class batsman other than Jacques Kallis. He is a lovely player, has had a great year, but is still young in international cricket.

On the big day, South Africa needed Cullinan or Cronje to show the way. At this stage in his career, Daryll Cullinan never will and given that he has now three World Cups behind him, Cronje probably won’t either.

Somebody has to emerge and that player might well be Herschelle Gibbs. Until Klusener came along, the only batsman to play shots that you will remember after the game was Gibbs. He could be South Africa’s biggest gain from this World Cup.