SA8217;s damage control on Gibbs gaffe

But while critics were blaming the 25-year-old from Cape Town who had himself scored a century earlier in the game for trying to show off as he took the catch, Hansie Cronje ruled the subject off limits. He admitted after the last-over defeat that the incident had been 8220;crucial 8230; Steve Waugh is the man you want to get out in a run chase.8221;

But nobody was looking back at the incident today, with team officials making sure the young player didnot brood over the incident. Instead, they said that Cronje8217;s side were already looking forward to the semi-final rematch with Australia at Edgbaston. Cronje was stressing the positives, saying: 8220;You can8217;t blame Gibbs. He had an injured finger, but he is valuable to us in the field and he wanted to stay on.8221;

Allan Border, however, was in no doubt that Gibbs 8212; regarded as one of the best fielders in the world 8212; had blundered. 8220;He was showboating a little bit and he8217;s paid the penalty. I don8217;t think he will be doing it again,8221; Border said. Waugh himself, meanwhile, was in no mood to offer words of comfort to Gibbs. Asked if the incident had been crucial, he said: 8220;Who cares? we won.8221;