Post-Match Article(s)

[Farhad]

Heres one with a little more of Smith's reaction:

Originally Posted by Dileep Premachandran

South Africa v Bangladesh, Super Eights, Guyana

Mauled by the Tigers

How many times in your life will you watch the No. 1 side in the world comprehensively outclassed by one ranked eight places lower? This match, three weeks on from that epic triumph against India at Port-of-Spain, will linger long in the memory for the manner in which a young and vibrant side embarrassed one that appeared to rest on its laurels. Had the South African cricket board not changed their crest to the Protea, the headline-writers would have had a field day with variations on "Tigers maul Springboks".

And it really was a mauling, with South Africa never even remotely in the game once Jacques Kallis' attempt to heave the super-slow Syed Rasel fell safely into the hands of mid-on. When the spinners came on, each left-arm and each so very different in their methods, the old gremlins against slow bowling resurfaced. The third Powerplay produced three wickets and just five runs, with Justin Kemp and Mark Boucher swishing and wafting at thin air.

It was the sort of performance that vindicated those who insist that South Africa are still not on the same ball park as Australia. The Australians work the slow bowlers around far better - it helps to have one or two of your own to practice against - and they certainly wouldn't have succumbed without a semblance of a fight. Between them, Abdul Razzaq, Saqibul Hasan and Mohammad Rafique bowled 29.4 overs for combined figures of 6 for 96, even better than what they managed to push the Indians on to skid row.

"I guess that conclusion has been around a while," a dejected Graeme Smith said, when asked if the result highlighted South African frailty on slow pitches against slow bowlers. "But we played pretty well to beat Sri Lanka on this surface. Compared to the way we played against Sri Lanka, it's like chalk and cheese."

The same three spinners had routed India, but according to Smith, the 67-run defeat was the result of an overall meltdown. "There's no right thing to say," he said. "We just have to take our pain. It's a big loss for us and we are hugely disappointed. We couldn't give it our best shot and didn't get the basics right. We didn't play the kind of cricket we are capable of, and it's hard to take any positive from any facet of the game today."

In hindsight, the key moments came in the 36th over, with Bangladesh's run rate still stuck below four an over. Kemp had bowled just seven overs in five previous games, but with Andrew Hall apparently having a quadriceps problem, he was pressed into action. The consequences were disastrous, with Aftab Ahmed teeing off and the momentum shifting.

"I don't want to take the credit away from Bangladesh," Smith said. "They played superbly. We gave them the opportunity and they grabbed it with both hands. We let ourselves down very, very badly."

With Ashraful having played himself in and wickets in hand, the charge came in the final ten overs. When it did, South Africa had no answers, with Charl Langeveldt and Makhaya Ntini coming in for especially harsh treatment from Ashraful and the swashbuckling Mashrafe Mortaza.

"His innings changed things," Smith said, when asked about Ashraful, who eased to 51 from 64 balls before driving and paddle-sweeping a further 36 from just 19 balls. "He set them up, worked the field well, and kept us under pressure right from when he came in to bat."

With no Hall to bowl cutters at the death, and no Robin Peterson to provide the notional spin option, there was a sameness to the attack that both batsmen pounced on. Smith defended his team selection, but changes are certain when they play West Indies, with Andre Nel having bowled himself into the XI with a splendid spell of 5 for 45.

The fall guy could well be Kemp, whose batting isn't really suited for these sluggish pitches. AB de Villiers might also come under the scanner. After a superb 92 against Australia, he has done nothing of note, and South Africa do have the hit-and-miss talent of Loots Bosman to call upon. The reluctance to juggle the batting order may also have been costly. With Gibbs unable to bat till the fall of the fifth wicket after the time he spent off the field with a calf strain, it might have made sense to promote Shaun Pollock, another accomplished player of spin.

Smith didn't think so. "Kempy's the type of guy who needs time, and he was the one we promoted today," he said. Kemp's return was 7 from 29, and his hard-handed approach to the turning ball never looked like succeeding.

All is not yet lost for South Africa. Tuesday's game against West Indies now assumes knockout proportions, and England will also be scrapping for a place in the final four. "We need to regroup and there's still an opportunity with three big games coming up," Smith said. "Our focus will be on winning all three matches. We don't really want to be relying on other people to get us through."

A few days ago, the talk was of avoiding Australia in the semi-final. Right now, even scaling such a height is far from certain. Being No. 1 is never easy, and being knocked off the perch hurts. Even more so when the knockout blow is delivered by a team that was given less of a chance than James 'Buster' Douglas against 'Iron' Mike Tyson in Tokyo 17 years ago.

Dileep Premachandran is associate editor of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo

THIS IS FROM CRICINFO

[Farhad]

Heres one rather weird one from Andy Bull of The Guardian

Originally Posted by Andy Bull
Over-by-over: South Africa's innings

Bangladesh 251-8; South Africa 184; Bangladesh win by 67 runs.

Well, we've got a live one here and that is great news. Herschelle Gibbs can't bat until no7 because of the time he's spent off the field. If Bangladesh can defend 251 and do the entire tournament a massive favour, they'll need to get Kallis and Smith as early as they can. My mouth is watering and my chin is on the table, and it's definitely not because of the gammon dinner I'm tucking into...

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1st over: South Africa 2-0 (Smith 1 de Villiers 0) If, as we're being told, Gibbs picked up this calf injury in yesterday's match, you have to ask why he was picked. It smacks of arrogance, and that is an attitude that may just cost them this game. Smith knocks one down through the covers, Mortaza adds a wide to the total and it's two from the first over.
2nd over: South Africa 5-0 (Smith 4 de Villiers 0) The South Africans went for 70 off the last seven overs, and for the second time this tournament we've seen the serious flaw in their side. Australia can expose the faults in every side, but when the Bangladeshis start doing it, you've got casue to worry. In my opinion the South African attack is just too one-dimensional to take them past the semi-final stage in the Cup. Smith hits two through the off.

3rd over: South Africa 9-0 (Smith 8 de Villiers 0) I forgot to print this pointless abuse from Big Dunc in Jo'berg earlier on today: "It's easy to see why you lot don't like SA. You've accepted being pummeled day in and day out by the Aussies, lap up their battering and sledging like a cuckold in an X-rated movie, but can't come to terms with another team doing it to you. Often. Perhaps its because the England team is (the Saffer apart), the most insipid lot at the World Cup. Lead by the chinless wonder and the pedalo piss-artist, its no wonder you're jelous! Oh and as for Kallis, his strike rate is pretty much the same as your top 5 (again Saffer apart)." Smith bludgeons four through the on.

4th over: South Africa 14-0 (Smith 12 de Villiers 1) Now that big Dunc has managed to confirm the South African's reputations as bullies with his rebuttal of that exact allegation, it's a good time to print Rachel Clifton: "England may have saved their best game of the tournament for Australia tomorrow? That is not exactly the ringing endorsement it could be, considering their form so far, is it? Rather than get my hopes up about tomorrow, I would rather invest my energy in hoping the Banglas can turn the Saffies over here..." A couple of wickets, some stringent spin and tight fielding and well soon see how the South Africans respond to a little pressure. As if we didn't know already. De Villiers avoids his fourth duck of the Cup by pushing one to mid-on. The Banglas are chirruping away like an aviary full of budgies. Smith is unsurprisingly impervious to it and batters two more away to leg.

5th over: South Africa 18-0 (Smith 12 de Villiers 5) "I wasn't aware that South Africa had 'battered' England Australian-style or did I miss it? Did I also miss where South Africa had won something?" wasps Lou Roper back at Big Dunc from across the ocean. De Villiers begins to gather his game together and clips a couple of twos to keep the scoreboard ticking.

WICKET! Smith 12 b Rasel (6th over: South Africa 18-1) It's the big wicket! What a result that is for Rysel! Smith pays for his arrogance with his wicket: stepping across to leg and trying to carve the ball away through the off and he's bowled by a cunning slower ball! That is vital, Kallis is in to try and repair this damage. The game is on, the game is on and.... oh...Dhanya Cheerambathur wants to know this: "What's the best food/anything for that matter you advise to get me off my hangover from a late night/early morning drinking session?" It's important you people know and trust that you can turn to OBO for help with issues like this. Obviously our expertise extends beyond the cricket field (in fact some would say it ends where the cricket field begins). What do I recommend? a drak room, a lap top, OBO, a Bangladeshi victory, a bacon sandwich and a glass of Purdy's elixir.

7th over: South Africa 25-1 (de Villiers 6 Kallis 5) Kallis edges invitingly through the yawning gap at slip. He would have gone if they'd just had a man there for it. Bangladesh are chattering, chirruping, baiting. Kallis plays and misses at a ferocious length ball. They need this man and he's already had two lives. We saw Ireland let him off twice in their last game, and that cost them any shot at winning. The Banglas need to get this man out asap.

8th over: South Africa 31-1 (de Villiers 10 Kallis 7) De Villiers can be a destructive bat himself of course, and here he has smacked a pull through mid-wicket for four. The next is a dot prompting Mushfiqur Rahim to scream 'yes boy yes boy yes Rasel'. And Javed Omar throws down the stumps as the batsmen run a quick single, but de Villiers is in by a yard.

9th over: South Africa 34-1 (de Villiers 11 Kallis 8) A nice line from SunilX on the importance of not muddling your vowels: The 'akamai' audio site keeps calling the Sarfies "The Proteans". pro·te·an - adjective: 1) readily assuming different forms or characters; extremely variable. 2) changeable in shape or form, as an amoeba. 3) (of an actor or actress) versatile; able to play many kinds of roles. Hmmmm...."

10th over: South Africa 39-1 (de Villiers 11 Kallis 13) Kallis thunders a cover drive square for four. "A few weeks ago, I was towards the front of a long queue decrying Kallis for his selfishness, in the face of your defence. Since then, he has been a model team player and has started very positively here again. Andy Bradshaw may not agree, but Jacques deserves credit for changing his game." Naylor, I don't know why you draw attention to this folly - I said then and I say know that Kallis is a brilliant batsman, one of the best in the sport today. He hasn't changed his game, you've changed your opinion. Which is fair enough, because now you're dealing in truth.

11th over: South Africa 44-1 (de Villiers 11 Kallis 18) You can't keep the OBOers off the cricket: as Kallis hits the ball to the square leg boundary, where Ashraful dives to cut it off, and the batsmen run four, here is Akash Sachdeva: "Re Dhanya's query about hangover food - lucozade does the trick all the time - along with a banana and then a half hour later a full fry up (minus baked beans cos they are disgusting)". Not much OBO in that cure is there Akash? Kallis edges through the vacant gully and takes one more.

12th over: South Africa 50-1 (de Villiers 12 Kallis 23) Kallis cracks another boundary, this one through long-off a textbook drive, feet wide, elbows cocked and head still it skims over the grass and hits the fence.

13th over: South Africa 52-1 (de Villiers 14 Kallis 23) Here is the first of the three slow-left-armers, Abdur Razzaq. Here is the shift of tempo and tone that will begin to show us which way this match will unfold. Still no slips in though. De Villiers biffs a couple through mid-wicket. All the balls turn a touch, landing an off and moving perhaps a stumps width away from the bat's edge. Good fielding in the covers keeps de Villiers to two off it.

14th over: South Africa 57-1 (de Villiers 14 Kallis 28) Kallis mashes a four through midwicket with a mighty heave.

15th over: South Africa 62-1 (de Villiers 14 Kallis 32) Lynn Bashforth has the OBO team pegged: "Coca cola and cheese on toast would be my recommendation foodwise to sort out a hangover. Adding OBO? I guess lying prone in a semi-coma and rousing yourself every few minutes for the minimal effort needed to brierfly focus on the screen may work... it seems to do the trick in GU Towers..." Razzaq concedes a wide, and then, worse, a four as Kallis steps down the ground and thumps the ball high over extra cover and over the ropes.

WICKET! Kallis 32 c Iqbal b Rysel (16th over: South Africa 64-2) He's gone! They've got him! Kallis has gone! FANTASTIC! He miscued an on-drive and simply lumped the ball up to the waiting fielder. This game is right in the balance now. I can't believe they've got the two key wickets already, with Gibbs held back in the pavilion this is beginning to feel like the Indian innings all over again. Kemp is in. "The hangover curing powers of the OBO is grossly under-appreciated! You have no idea how many times I have sat sipping coffee and hitting on F5 button. On non-OBO days, the best way to deal with hangover - tomato juice (ew, i know) and a luke warm shower." Are you sure about that Bharath? I thought that was the cure for the horn. Kemp then, distinctly vulnerable at the top of the order due to his nervous starting. There is a whole lot of weight on de Villiers and Prince right now.

WICKET! de Villiers b Razzaq (17th over: South Africa 64-3) De Villers goes! He's never looked so foolish! He played for the turn that wasn't there and was clean bowled by a ball that kept low and went straight on. It castled his middle stump, and he's gone. Real trouble for South Afrioca here. Prince is in, Smith is glowering. Don't forget too that the South Africans dropped Hall for Nel, and that has lengthened their tail by one. What a game this is turning into.

18th over: South Africa 64-3 (Kemp 0 Prince 0) Rafique comes on and nothing is going to get easier from here on in for the South Africans. Shreela Debi hasn't taken to my advice: "'tried recommended bacon sandwich and a (unrecommended) beer, eyes steadfastly on OBO. My not gentlemanly dog named Cat ate the sandwich and knocked over the beer. 'advice therefore needs review. 'not needed if Bangla wins." It's a maiden.

19th over: South Africa 66-3 (Kemp 0 Prince 1) " He's gone! They've got him! Kallis has gone! FANTASTIC!" Of course, I heartily agree, but your commentary is becoming about as 'fair and balanced' as Fox News." Sorry Sam Jordison you seem mistaken me for someone hidebound and hogtied by the hypocritical pseudo-objective nonsense of the BBC's sports department. I am not neutral, I do not pretend to be, our OBO commentary is entirely subjective and all the more honest for it: objectivity in sport is a myth. I want Bangladesh to win, big time. Clear? I doubt there is anyone in the world outside of the RSA who doesn't agree with me.

WICKET! Prince 1 run out Aftab/Rafique (20th over: South Africa 67-4) They're crumbling! South Africa are stunned! Prince tried to take a quick single but he wasn't nearly as quick as the Bangla's fielding: the return came in, Rafique whipped off the bails and he was out by a yard. The Banglas go crazy, and why not? Boucher is in. "Is it too early to request a gratuitously mocking shout out to Dunc from Jo'burg?" No Phil Harrison, no it is not.

21st over: South Africa 70-4 (Kemp 2 Boucher 1) The proteas lost three wickets for five runs in that last power play, which is astonishingly inept stuff.

22nd over: South Africa 71-4 (Kemp 2 Boucher 2) "I, too, would like to register a 'complaint': your commentary on the fall of Kallis should have read 'ABSOLUTELY B****Y FANTASTIC!'" adds Lou Roper, and god knows I know how he feels. Just the one run off this over.

23rd over: South Africa 72-4 (Kemp 3 Boucher 2) Kemp is fooled by some astonishingly low bounce from Razzaq's latest. He flicks a wide down leg. Mortaza has tweaked his hamstring fielding at extra cover and gone off the pitch for a run or somesuch thing.

24th over: South Africa 73-4 (Kemp 3 Boucher 2) We've had 54 balls since the batsmen last hit a boundary. The ball is just dying on the pitch. Jeff Feim rants: "Does Sam Jordison know the impact that this victory will have in a country that was born from the ravages of imperialism and a brutal genocidal war? 150M proud Bangladeshi's will be walking on air if they can pull this out. This team is young and skilled and hungry - just the thing that international cricket needs to challenge the rutted current order. I have nothing against the 50M people from RSA, but let's get behind these talented usurpers!" Ummm, indeed.

25th over: South Africa 77-4 (Kemp 5 Boucher 3) The batsmen decide to sreep down the pitch and get to the ball on the half-volley. With so little room for error though, they're unable to pick up more than ones. Rahim screams for a stumping! The Banglas are certain they've got Kemp here but third umpire Steve Bucknor spares him, rightly, as replays show his toe was just over the line. As Kemp tips one run to short fine leg, that takes these two to nine off of 45 balls between them. And the Sarffers though Kallis was a slow scorer..... 175 runs needed from 25 overs.

26th over: South Africa 80-4 (Kemp 7 Boucher 5) Sam Jordison defends himself thus: "I think I'm been given a bit of a hard time here! All I really wanted to do was slip in a dig at Fox News and the South African cricket team... I'm sure most people here will agree those aren't wholly despicable aims... er... Go Bangladesh!" duly forgiven Sam, duly forgiven... you have to realise that we OBO writers take allegations that we might have any journalistic integrity whatsoever as very serious insults indeed.

WICKET! Boucher 12 c Rasel b Saqibal WICKET! Kemp 7 c&b Saqibal (27th over: South Africa 88-6) And that is what Boucher can do! Kemp too for that matter. He steps down the pitch and belts a huge six into the stands. He's gone! They've got him! He's bottled it! Boucher is caught at mid-off trying to slap the ball out of the ground but land it neatly in the fielder's hands. A stupid shot. And they've got Kemp too! Saqibal is on a hat trick! What a shocker! South Africa have collapsed like a paper house in the rain! Kemp just prodded the ball down the pitch and Saqibal stooped to take a great low catch! What a performance!

28th over: South Africa 91-6 (Gibbs 0 Pollock 2) The very last hope for the South Africans then, Gibbs limping and using a runner. Unbelievable scenes in Guyana. Who said the Super Eights was done and dusted? Who said we knew who the top four were? Who said there was a dull tournament in store? Who said there was going to be some magic this weekend? Oh wait a minute, I know that last one - me, in this week's podcast. Optimists 1 - 0 Cynics.

30th over: South Africa 98-6 (Gibbs 4 Pollock 6) I'm a little wide-eyed and incredulous right now, I'm sure you understand. Like the Banglas I have to gather myself a little and get on with finishing this innings off. Gibbs works the ball fine for two.

31st over: South Africa 104-6 (Gibbs 4 Pollock 6) "Is England the only "elite" team besides WI not to join the "lost to Bangladesh" club? 'Cos it looks like RSA might be joining one quick. Wonder what it does to England's chances (as I write 6 down)." What it does, Sanjeev Sinha, is open up the top four spots. Winides, South Africa and England all still have to play each other, and the South African's are rapidly losing the advantage they had held in that race for fourt place. 32nd over: South Africa 107-6 (Gibbs 12 Pollock 8) Naylor spots some neat symmetry: "The Saffers started this innings an insulting 1/7 with GU's advertisers Blue Square. They are now 7/1 and even that seems very skinny." Rafique wheels away, the cunning old hand in this attack. Pollock and Gibbs nurdle him around for ones and twos, but no more.

33rd over: South Africa 117-6 (Gibbs 20 Pollock 11) Gibbs belts a tremendous six that just clears the man at long-on. Some may say Arun Kartik was getting carried away, I couldn't possibly comment: "Since the loss of India, I have been supporting England to win the WC...and if Bangladesh beat South Africa...it will be a massive boost to England. South Africa are still stuck on 4 points. England can beat Windies, South Africa and even Australia and England will be in the Semis!" 134 needed from 17 overs.

34th over: South Africa 122-6 (Gibbs 20 Pollock 12) Mortaza returns, not a bad move from Bashar as these two dangerous batsmen were beginning to look a little settled against the spinners. "Who coined the saffers term here? is this a GU thing? marginally better than proteas though, that one sounded like a trendy abbreviation of a genus of butterfly" maybe, Satyajit Mujumdar. I can't claim it as my own, as I was a little puzzled by it at first. Needs some standardisation though doesn't it? Saffers? Sarffers? Sarfers? Whoveer did coin it perhpas you could oblige? Aaah, Banglas have missed a dead-cert run out after Aftab whizzed the ball in to the wrong end and gave away an overthrow.

35th over: South Africa 128-6 (Gibbs 24 Pollock 15) 130 needed to win from 95 balls. Gibbs thwacks two to the covers where the ball is well fielded by Omar. Bangladesh are just going all out: Saqibal ran some thirty yards to chase down a run off hsi own bowling there. Smith has a face like a slapped cow's arse, red and bulbous. He runs his tongue over his teeth, and is clearly thinking 'oh bugger'.

Pollock 17 run out Iqbal (36th over: South Africa 133-7) Well, we've had two claimants and two spellings: Saffies and Sarfies. As you will have realised by now if you've read any of my OBOs before, I am deeply passionate about accuracy in spelling, so the lack of clarity on the matter is a great concern. How can I spell it wrong if I don't know what's right? Anyway, Mortaza continues, and as Clare Davies says: "There is a real stonking match on here. SA being bullied by the kids! Fab." There are two more wickets needed yet though - don't think that Gibbs and Pollock aren't capable of turning this around. Or are they? That's it! Iqbal has got him! Stunning. I take it back. Pollock drove to mid-off and ran, Iqbal picked up and threw down the stumps. He was shaking his head moments later, seemingly saying "No don't get carried away, I haven't got him". But he had! His throw was spot on, and the replays showed Pollock a foot out of his ground and this game is only heading one way now, surely.

37th over: South Africa 137-7 (Gibbs 32 Nel 1) What a performance this has been by Bangladesh. Fielding, batting and bowling, they've hardly put a foot wrong since Ashraful set out on that startling 87. Saqibal is whirling away, and Nick Denny has 'just a thought': "Is it me, or does the slightly high-pitched voice of what I presume is the Bangladeshi wicketkeeper sound like Chris Rock's character in the Fifth Element?"

WICKET! Nel 1 c&b Rafique (38th over: South Africa 137-8) Rafique returns. No doubt the Proteas have underestimated this Bangladeshi side by leaving out Hall and playing an injured Gibbs. Nell has gone now, playing the ball straight down the track at ankle height, he's easily caught by Rafique. This is a dominant performance by the Bagnlas. Langeveldt is in, bringing his mighty career-avergae of 1.6 with him, and this is just amazing stuff: like watching ants dance all over the corpse of a dying lion.

39th over: South Africa 140-8 (Gibbs 33 Langeveldt 0) As I was saying, accuracy in all things is very important to me: "It's actually Chris Tucker in the Fifth Element." looks like it was just you thinking Rahim sounded like Chris Rock's charcter then Nick Denny. 112 needed from 66 balls.

41st over: South Africa 145-8 (Gibbs 33 Langeveldt 2) Bob O'Hara, don't tempt me..."I guess it's time for you to start writing your "Thabo Mbeki, your guys took one hell of a beating" speech." Ten overs and then I'll start shouting, if Thabo Mbeki's boys can make it that far....Big Dunc, Francois Pienaar, Benny McCarthy, Quinton Fortune, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, your boys took ..... Saqibal finishes his spell by giving up two to Langeveldt and cleverly keeping the lesser batsman on strike. Well ok then , accidently keeping him on strike.

42nd over: South Africa 148-8 (Gibbs 36 Langeveldt 2) Where is Daan van Bunge when you need him? asks Barry Richards. As Rafique comes to the end of his spell - ten overs one wicket for 22 - the question seems especially pertinent.

43rd over: South Africa 152-8 (Gibbs 40 Langeveldt 4) 103 needed off 48. Mortaza limps off the pitch, and Bangladesh will hope he is fit again for their upcoming matches. They've just dominated this match, much as they did India. When they get the pitch, and the upper hand, they are a fantastic team: all smiles and jokes, bold strokes and crafty balls. "At least Charl Langeveldt can look back on this match with pride, beating his personal best of 3 in ODIs." points out David Harper, he is indeed in a barve new world here; the heady heights of four runs.

44th over: South Africa 155-8 (Gibbs 43 Langeveldt 5) Syed Rasel returns for the final overs. Aye aye aye keep Euan Maloney: "In the 39th over you wrote: "As I was saying, accuracy in all things is very important to me" That is quite funny given that the next over was the 41st." Tell you what, it is especially funny if you realise I was lying about the accuracy thing, and the humour of the whole thing is magnified again when you notice that by moving from 39 to 41 I was actually being unusually accurate because, the spinners get through their overs so fast I didn't write anything for the 40th. It's a positve gag fest round these parts I tell you. And not just because of the canteen food either.

45th over: South Africa 156-8 (Gibbs 45 Langeveldt 6) And when they're down, why not kick them? "I think it's a disgrace that Langeveldt is batting for his average with his team in so much trouble." smirks John Middleton. Razzaq bellows out an lbw shout for similar reasons. Gibbs is basically netting here.

46th over: South Africa 162-8 (Gibbs 45 Langeveldt 6) 96 runs needed from 30 balls. "This is hilarious. SA are no longer even dreaming of victory. They're trying to bat out the overs in the hope of preventing their already poor run rate from being damaged still further. Mentally, this humiliation will take some recovering from. It's there for whichever of England and the Windies is able to take it..." Phil Harrison has a point folks: like I said in the week, there is a whole lot of cricket to be played in this Cup yet, which is why all these article claiming we already know who the top four are couldn't be more silly. Unless they were articles talking about possible match fixing in this game - get a grip people! You must be the most cynical lot on Earth if you think that.

WICKET! Langeveldt 9 lbw Razzaq (47th over: South Africa 165-9) Charl's mighty innings is cruelly cut off before he can taste the glory of double figures. Plumb in front Mark Benson flicks out the finger and he's out. Ntini joins Gibbs for these final overs. Tom Hokins isn't fooled by this late Gibbs knock: "When did SA give up on this one, after 30 overs, 25? This isn't the usual SA choke, this is a thrashing!" Exactly. Maybe Sugandh has a point too: "If this would have happened earlier then Chappell might have been spared the sack!!"

48th over: South Africa 178-9 (Gibbs 55 Ntini 4) Mortaza has snuck back on the pitch and he fancies a shot at ending this innings. A terrific shot by Ntini brings him four runs through cover. But then Mortaza is crocked. He serves up a full toss which Gibbs hammers for the biggest six of the day, way away over mid-wicket. If he'd been fit to go in at three or four this match could have been very different. The South Africans have three more matches coming up over the next ten days, and doesn't look like he'll be fit for all of them.

WICKET! Ntini 8 c Mortaza b Razzaq 49th over: South Africa 184 all out Razzaq bowls four wides, and I think the Banglas are itching to start jumping and celebrating here; they can't wait for this game to end. And now it is... they're splitting up the stumps between them and there are high fives, glee, grins and cackles all round. Ntini sliced a drive up and was well caught in the covers.

Bangladesh win by 67 runs. Gibbs is not out for a futile, fruitless 56. What an incredible game of cricket that was.

Well, I'm pretty damn astounded by that, and I hope you are too. The World Cup is alive and well, with Windies, England and South Africa fighting over the final semis spot. And it has to be said that the Banglas are back in it now. Let's not forget, Bangladesh had never beaten South Africa before in any form of the game. Today they didn't just beat them, they thrashed them, outplayed them in all aspects of the game. It was just brilliant.

So that's that then. For today. Man of the match has to be Ashraful for his ludicrous knock of 87. But credit too to all of the Bangladeshi bowlers. I'm off to revel at the pub, but be here tomorrow with the remarkable Rob Smyth to see if England can find a little magic of their own against Australia....

THIS IS FROM THE GUARDIAN

[Farhad]

Heres one from The NewZealand Herald:

Originally Posted by The Herald

Bangladesh stun South Africa



GEORGETOWN, Guyana - Bangladesh shocked world number one-ranked South Africa with a 67-run victory in the World Cup Super Eights this morning which has turned the tournament on its head.

The Bangladeshis, who progressed to the second phase against the odds after a surprise win over India in the group stage, followed their World Cup record total of 251 for eight by dismissing the South Africans for 184 at the Providence Stadium.

The result seriously damaged strongly fancied South Africa's hopes of reaching the last four from the second stage and gave fresh hope to hosts West Indies and England who had looked to be heading out of the competition.

It was a match which South Africa were expected to cruise to a comfortable two points and move towards to the semi-finals from the round-robin Super Eights.

Instead, Bangladesh, who lost heavily to Australia and New Zealand in the last eight days, completely dominated to win their first points of the Super Eights and could even qualify themselves if they win their remaining games.


"It was a poor day for us, a very poor day, but credit to them," South African captain Graeme Smith told reporters. "If you don't get your basics right you don't deserve to win."

Bangladesh's innings was dominated by a flamboyant 87 off 83 balls by 22-year-old number five batsman Mohammed Ashraful, the man of the match.

His innings shone with improvised stroke-play and general unorthodoxy. South African pace bowler Andre Nel claimed a career one-day best 5-45 but that was overshadowed by the youngster's exuberance and flair.

Bangladesh, ranked ninth from 11 in the one-day world rankings, had to recover from 84-4 in the 24th over. They eventually took 80 from their last 10 overs.

South Africa's innings began poorly when Smith (12) missed a cut shot to a straight ball from left-arm seam bowler Syed Rasel.

The match then swung dramatically from 63-1 to 87-6, as key man Jacques Kallis played a mistimed lofted on-drive and was caught off Rasel for 32 and Abdur Razzak bowled AB de Villiers (15) seven balls later.

Ashwell Prince was run out, Mark Boucher followed a six over long-off to Saqibul Hasan with a catch to the same region next ball and then Justin Kemp lobbed up a simple return catch to Saqibul a ball later.

As the Bangladeshis scented victory, every wicket was met by excited dance jigs by a team whose average age is 23.

Herschelle Gibbs, who fielded only for a short period because of a calf strain, batted at seven with a runner. He bravely contributed 56 not out.

His stand of 45 with Shaun Pollock was ended by a run out after a sharp pick-up and throw at the stumps by Tamim Iqbal.

Charl Langeveldt made nine before missing a straight delivery from Razzak and the victory was rounded off when Makhaya Ntini holed out from a ballooning thick edge for eight, again off Razzak.

It was Bangladesh's fifth victory in their third World Cup -- and probably their best.

South Africa meet tournament hosts West Indies in Grenada on Tuesday and after three defeats already in the Super Eights, the hosts will be doubly determined to make the most of a golden chance to resurrect their campaign.

England, too, have been offered an opportunity to redeem themselves having lost to Sri Lanka this week and failed to bring any points through from the group stage. They face Australia in Antigua on Sunday.

The seven-week World Cup culminates in the April 28 final in Bridgetown, Barbados.

- REUTERS

THIS IS FROM THE NEWZEALAND HERALD

[Farhad]

And finally, heres one from the SA's own website:

Originally Posted by Cricket South Africa

Major blow to SA's semifinal hopes


South Africa's road to the World Cup semi-finals has suddenly developed a major obstruction after they succumbed by 67 runs to Bangladesh in their Super Eight match in Guyana on Saturday.

Having posted 251 for eight, Bangladesh's left-handers then breezed through the South African batting order to bowl them out for 184.

After seamer Syed Rasel had removed kingpins Graeme Smith, bowled for 12, and Jacques Kallis, who holed out for 32, the South African middle-order were unable to deal with Bangladesh's trio of left-arm spinners, Abdur Razzak, Mohammad Rafique and Sakib al-Hasan.

The only batsman to prosper was Herschelle Gibbs, who came in at number seven after a calf strain kept him off the field for most of the Bangladesh innings, and he scored an unbeaten 56, although he boycotted any ideas of hitting out at the death as the required run-rate soared.

Smith was bowled when he backed away to cut through the off side, but misjudged the length, while Kallis, whose scoring rate has been the subject of much conjecture, had cruised to 32 off 36 balls when he miscued a slower ball from Rasel to mid-on.

De Villiers managed to get off the mark this time, but never looked settled against the spinners as he struggled to 15 off 39 balls before being comprehensively beaten and bowled by a Razzak arm ball.

That exposed South Africa's fragile middle-order, who tended to give their wickets away cheaply.

Ashwell Prince's mind was clearly elsewhere as he tried to scamper a crazy single and was run out for a single by slick work by Aftab Ahmed.

Mark Boucher (12) struck a handsome six before coming down the pitch to Sakib's next ball and chipping a catch to long-off and Bangladesh then cantered to victory as Sakib caught-and-bowled Justin Kemp (7) with his next delivery to put South Africa inexorably on the path to defeat.

Gibbs and Shaun Pollock (17) provided some entertainment with their stand of 45 in nine overs, before an ambling Pollock was unforgivably run out by Tamim Iqbal's flat, fast throw as he failed to stretch out his bat to its full extent.

Veteran Rafique caught-and-bowled Nel for a single and Razzak completed a thorough butt-kicking by removing Charl Langeveldt (9) and Makhaya Ntini (8).

There was nothing fortuitous about Bangladesh's victory. Their planning was exemplary, capitalising on South Africa's well-known woes when it comes to spin, on a Providence Stadium pitch that played lower and slower in the second innings.

Neutrals will no doubt be chuckling over the comedy of errors the side that was ranked number one in the world suffered on Saturday. Having played like palookas for most of the game, they then surrendered with barely a whimper.

But their performance is likely to raise much stronger objections at home and embarrassed faces in the West Indies.

Mohammad Ashraful's 87 led Bangladesh to a solid 251 for eight in their World Cup Super Eight match against South Africa at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Saturday.

Andre Nel rescued an uninspiring bowling performance by South Africa as he took a career-best five for 45, taking wickets at regular intervals to ensure Bangladesh didn't entirely run away with matters.

But Ashraful was the bane of the South Africans' lives, feasting on all the bowlers (save for Shaun Pollock) as he collected 12 fours in scoring his 87 off just 83 balls. Tamim Iqbal (38), Aftab Ahmed (35) and Mashrafe Mortaza (25) also joined in the party as Bangladesh gathered their highest ever score against South Africa.

Pollock was tight and Makhaya Ntini could have had more luck, but South Africa's new-ball bowlers lacked penetration as openers Iqbal and Javed Omar put on 42 in 13 overs, before Nel scythed through the top order.

Omar struggled to 17 off 41 balls when he cut Nel to a cleverly placed deep square-gully, while Tamim collected six fours and was not afraid to advance down the pitch and hit the ball high and handsome over the infield.

But Nel unsettled him and, after top-edging a hook just over wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, he swung wildly at the next delivery and was caught behind.

Nel intercepted a straight drive from Habibul Bashar (5) to pull off a splendid one-handed reflex caught-and-bowled and Jacques Kallis had Sakib al-Hasan (9) also caught on the cut.

But Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed cultivated a steadying fifth-wicket stand that allowed Bangladesh to really launch in the last 15 overs.

Aftab struck Kallis for two sweet sixes over long-on in an over, before the inspired Nel took a good catch off Makhaya Ntini running around the cover boundary. Aftab's 35 came off 43 balls.

By then, Ashraful was really cooking and with Mortaza weighing in with some bazooka hitting of his own, South Africa had to hold tight at the end of the innings.

Ntini and Charl Langeveldt were embarrassed as 70 runs came off the last seven overs, but Nel kept his cool in his own fiery way, bowling Mortaza for 25 off 16 balls with a superb yorker and having Ashraful caught at fine leg in the last over.

But on a good pitch, a quick outfield and one close boundary, South Africa know that a solid batting performance should keep their World Cup campaign on track.

Ashraful showed what is possible after a measured start by Bangladesh, showing the skill of a surgeon more than the brute force of a blacksmith.

THIS IS FROM CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA

[Tigers_eye]

I want to give this guy a Bd citizenship.

Look what he has written in another article. he must have some bangla blood in him.

Bullseye: As long as Shaun Pollock and Herschelle Gibbs, South Africa's most accomplished players of spin, were at the crease, there was always a faint glimmer of hope. That was extinguished when Tamim Iqbal pounced at mid-off and arrowed in a throw at the bowler's end to catch Pollock a few inches short. Indians and Pakistanis, with their geriatric, useless fielders, watched and wept.
Forty love: Iqbal's tendency to give bowlers the charge cost him eventually, but there was still the shot of the day to savour - a forehand smash over Charl Langeveldt's head that would have put Steffi Graf or Jim Courier to shame.



http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wc20...ry/289343.html

[Farhad]

Heres one from the same guy who wrote "Project Tiger":

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhattacharya

Bangladesh v South Africa, Super Eights, Guyana

'Winning is more familiar now' - Bashar

"Is today the day you're no longer a minnow?" Habibul Bashar smiled kindly at the question, but he has known and his team has known for a little time now. They did not, for example, celebrate all that much in the dressing-room. "Not like India. Winning is more familiar now."

Bangladesh can run on inspiration but not only that, they showed today, and they will again. They can resurrect an innings, they can exploit favourable conditions, they can impose in the field a choking presence, they can sense a moment: they can, if in sync, clinically disrobe quality opposition, and today's also happened to be one ranked No. 1 in the world.

The victory, as remarkable and comprehensive as the one against India, threw open the Super Eights mercifully alive to all manner of possibilities and left South Africans thanking their stars for Robin Peterson's divine edge that fetched them two points against Sri Lanka ten days ago.

Graeme Smith was confronted this morning with the same trade-off that captains have been faced with at Providence. To bowl first and take advantage of early moisture or second and use the slowness of the pitch? Given his bowling composition the choice has been simple. But having made inroads into Bangladesh's batting, he was left wondering for an hour how to tell apart the sparkling young duo of Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed under the helmet. Righties, attacking, 5 ft 2 in, shirt numbers 97 and 98. The trick is in the stance. Ashraful's is the higher backlift and the looser grip; the looseness of grip prefaces extraordinary wristwork.

His innings was among the most delightful of the Cup. Jacques Kallis was attacked early and aerially with pick-ups and pulls, but by and large he bided his time, settling the innings that appeared to juddering to a familiar halt. Here was calm from youth.

The innings burst open in the thirty-sixth over, when Aftab launched two sixes as large as the bowler Justin Kemp. Runs came at eight an over thereafter; Ashraful himself scored his last fifty from 31 deliveries. The memories were of Cardiff 2005, of the pair hurrying Australia to defeat.

Again and again Ashraful skittered like a cat across the stumps to full balls and yorkers and flipped them behind the wicket. These were reasonable fast bowlers we're talking about. Makhaya Ntini, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel. In another time batsmen would have made impressive strikes to long-off and huffed singles, unable to fathom the injustice of a fielder in the path of these handsome drives.

Ashraful's was not the work of a one-trick pony. His range is delicious. He is fleet of foot and keen of eye and supple of hand. As sweetly as he can dab the ball fine on the off so purposefully can he loft and pull. A batsman is worth watching when he can angle straight deliveries through extra cover. As Smith would note, he worked the field beautifully.

One match-changing partnership was followed by another with Mashrafe Mortaza, and another in the field with three spinners in left-arm unison. Mohammad Rafique, short, old and vigorous, with his curved bouncing run-up, flopping hair and rich set of tricks; Abdur Razzak tall, strong and tight with the semi-new ball; Saqibul, frantic in final stride and slow through the air. "One thing similar in them is that they are three left-arm spinners," said Bashar. "But they are three different kinds of bowlers, and they always bowl in different kind of positions. Whenever I give them the ball they've always done the job for me."

A great squeeze was applied to struggling South Africans. Between the fifteenth and twenty-seventh over, all but one of the twelve overs left arm-spin, not a single boundary was struck. All told they bowled two short of thirty overs for 96 runs and six wickets.

If the pitch was like back home, barely less was the support received from a fairly big holiday audience. At the moment of victory, Indian journalists applauded in the press-box, Guyanese in the crowd waved the Golden Arrowhead. Underdog victories know no nationalities.

Perhaps Bangladesh will be thrashed next game, perhaps they will make a fight of it, perhaps they will construct another fine victory, perhaps they will fade away and return home, perhaps they will storm into the semis, but the statement had been made. "We showed that we came to Super Eights not just to participate," said Bashar, "but to show that we deserve to play in the Super Eights." Perhaps he will be stopped asking the question.

Rahul Bhattacharya is author of Pundits from Pakistan: On Tour with India, 2003-04

© Cricinfo

THIS IS FROM CRICINFO

[AsifTheManRahman]

so which portion of this do you reckon did Rajesh tamper with?

[Farhad]

Anybody wonder if this sentence -

"Not like India. Winning is more familiar now."

was a typo? Cuz it makes a big difference if the apostophes went after "Not like India" or before. If its NOT a typo....that would be one heck of an insult. Almost going overboard id say....

[capslock]

Originally Posted by BD4eva
Anybody wonder if this sentence - was a typo? Cuz it makes a big difference if the apostophes went after "Not like India" or before. If its NOT a typo....that would be one heck of an insult. Almost going overboard id say....

Does it matter? Honestly?

[Farhad]

Originally Posted by AsifTheManRahman
so which portion of this do you reckon did Rajesh tamper with?

Did any of you guys notice that S Rajest seems very cautious with his wording nowadays when talking about BD? For instance, right after saying something that could portray BD in a negative light, he qualifies it by saying something (relatively) positive...

[Farhad]

Originally Posted by capslock
Does it matter? Honestly?

I would say it does. At least, to me. I know most people on this board dont care about what the rest of the world thinks of us (something i actually applaud). But I just cant seem to do that. Half the reason I support BD is because I want BD's image to the rest of the world to lift. And since, India is like 70% of the worlds cricketing population, Id feel wary about taking cheap shots at them. That is, if of course, Habib actually meant it in the way its written...

[chinaman]

Guys please put a link to the original articles and try not to copy everything from the originals. Atleast that much respect an author and the website deserve for thair hard works.

Please do not quote a large post in reply. Quote only the part that is related to your reply. Thanks a lot.

[AsifTheManRahman]

Originally Posted by BD4eva
I would say it does. At least, to me. I know most people on this board dont care about what the rest of the world thinks of us (something i actually applaud). But I just cant seem to do that. Half the reason I support BD is because I want BD's image to the rest of the world to lift. And since, India is like 70% of the worlds cricketing population, Id feel wary about taking cheap shots at them. That is, if of course, Habib actually meant it in the way its written...

If you read the next few sentences, you will notice that what he meant was that the celebrations in the dressing room were not as ecstatic as they were after the win against india, solely because the guys now believe that there will be more wins coming up in the near future.

this lack of celebratory flare can also be attributed to greater self belief.

[Farhad]

Originally Posted by AsifTheManRahman
If you read the next few sentences, you will notice that what he meant was that the celebrations in the dressing room were not as ecstatic as they were after the win against india, solely because the guys now believe that there will be more wins coming up in the near future.

this lack of celebratory flare can also be attributed to greater self belief.

Actually it was the sentence preceding the quote. Id taken that into account. Thats why I said "the way its written seems to show...". It wouldnt be grammatically correct for one, for another, Rahul Bhatttsasa (?) IMO is a very skilled writer and I doubt he would reply to the question asked ("Do you no longer consider yourselves minnows") by answering to something else....

[Farhad]

Originally Posted by chinaman
Guys please put a link to the original articles and try not to copy everything from the originals. Atleast that much respect an author and the website deserve for thair hard works.

Please do not quote a large post in reply. Quote only the part that is related to your reply. Thanks a lot.

I apologise. Im curious.....WHY? If you go with the whole "respect" thing, I did put both the websites name and the writers name with each of the "quotes". If its a legal reason, you might want to put that into the already filled up "Board rules" thread. I apologise once again....Im editing all the posts with a link.

[AsifTheManRahman]

Originally Posted by BD4eva
Rahul Bhatttsasa (?) IMO is a very skilled writer and I doubt he would reply to the question asked ("Do you no longer consider yourselves minnows") by answering to something else....

Bhattacharya :p

hehe, well i would agree it doesn't really make sense, but i guess Rahul did kinda screw up in this case.

[akabir77]

Originally Posted by BD4eva
I apologise. Im curious.....WHY? If you go with the whole "respect" thing, I did put both the websites name and the writers name with each of the "quotes". If its a legal reason, you might want to put that into the already filled up "Board rules" thread. I apologise once again....Im editing all the posts with a link.

also if u put link to it they will see that a lot of traffic came from Banglacricket...

[akabir77]

http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/070407/1/47ouc.html

Bangladesh humiliate South Africa with shock win

Bangladesh dealt a potentially fatal blow to South Africa's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals with a stunning 67-run victory in the Super Eights here on Saturday.
Bangladesh did the unexpected when they dismissed South Africa for a modest 184 on a slow pitch after having set a challenging 252-run target in their best-ever batting performance of the tournament.
Their first win over South Africa also threw the tournament wide open as more than four teams are now in contention for the semi-final berths.
Defending champions Australia lead the table with six points from three matches, followed by Sri Lanka (6/4), New Zealand (6/3), South Africa (4/4), England (2/3) and the West Indies (2/4).
Bangladesh, who beat India in the first round, found more than one match-winner as they batted, bowled and fielded with discipline.



read rest from the link

[akabir77]

Another one

http://in.sports.yahoo.com/070408/137/6e9xd.html

[Miraz]

Ashraful revels in crunch time

By Stephen Brenkley

Published: 08 April 2007



By common consent, Bangladesh are a vastly improved team. They defeated India and deserve their unexpected place in the second stage of the World Cup. But there is also an element of wishful thinking - cricket wants and needs them to be better.
If Bangladesh have indeed made progress they are still no great shakes. Their batsmen, blessed with flair, too often lack the rudimentary discipline to construct an innings and there is the suspicion that they can be intimidated into false strokes.
This shortcoming seemed about to be exhibited almost to perfection against South Africa yesterday. Batsman after batsman chose ill-advised courses of action and made a serviceable total harder to acquire.
It took some typically spectacular hitting from Mohammad Ashr

Read more from Independent

[Imteaz]

Interesting.............

[Farhad]

And finally, here's what may be the last one (and maybe even the best):

Originally Posted by Utpal Shuvro/Cricinfo

Bangladesh vs South Africa, Super Eights, Guyana

Bangladesh bring the Super Eights to life

Rankings? Tear them up, throw them away. That's what Bangladesh can say now, with some justification, after South Africa, the world's No 1 side, was comfortably dispensed with by the a team ranked ninth.
.................................................. .................................................. ............................

Click here to read more

[RazabQ]

Scyld Berry from Telegraph really likes Tamim. Really nice article with lotsa local color ...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../scscyl108.xml

[ammark]

Ashraful engineers humiliation


By Neil Manthorp in Guyana , Sunday Telegraph

Bangladesh give cue for the music


By Simon Briggs in Georgetown

I liked these write ups, thought I'd share

[rafiq]

The OBO from the Gaurdian is priceless...."Smith has a face like a slapped cow's arse, red and bulbous. He runs his tongue over his teeth, and is clearly thinking 'oh bugger'"

ps hopefully you have resolved it by now, but Bashar was referring to the celebrations after this win not being like the one after the win over India. Reading enough translations of Habibul Bashar quotes will have trained you to decipher this one