Strauss doesn’t like close games

By John Weaver

 

A delighted Strauss praised England's character but said he does not want any more cliffhangers. England revived their faltering World Cup hopes Sunday with a nail-biting six-run win over South Africa, recovering after being shot out for just 171.

By John Weaver

 

Chennai: Mar 7, 2011

 

England revived their faltering World Cup hopes Sunday with a nail-biting six-run win over South Africa, recovering after being shot out for just 171. Needing a win to get their campaign back on track after a shock defeat against minnows Ireland, the Ashes winners made a terrible start and were 15 for three before Jonathan Trott (52) and Ravi Bopara (60) staged a recovery.

 

Their score of 171 did not look enough as South Africa cruised to 63 without loss but the Proteas slipped from 124-3 to 127-7 and a late rally could not save them as they were all out for 165 in Chennai. Paceman Stuart Broad took four for 15 and Jimmy Anderson 2-16 as England applied severe pressure on South Africa, with the defeat raising new doubts about the Proteas’ ability to close out matches under pressure.

 

A delighted Strauss praised England’s character but said he did not want any more cliffhangers. “We’ve been involved in three outstanding games of cricket and we’ve done our best to advertise the 50-over format, but I would like them to be less close,” Strauss said.

 

“It wasn’t one of our best wins ever. To lose three wickets early on a wicket like that was criminal,” Strauss said.

 

Disappointed South African skipper Graeme Smith, who had won his previous two matches in the tournament, said his side had played well for most of the game but could not see it out. “We’ve got to move forward. It’s obviously very disappointing for us not to get over the line after playing some good cricket but India becomes an important game and we’ve got a week to prepare for it now.” 

 

In the other match Sunday, also in Group B, India bowled out Ireland for 207, with skipper William Porterfield making 75. Part-time spinner Yuvraj Singh was the pick of the bowlers, taking 5-31. Meanwhile, Australia called up veteran batsman Michael Hussey to replace injured fast bowler Doug Bollinger.

 

The 35-year-old Hussey was in the original 15-man squad but did not make the trip to the sub-continent because of a hamstring injury despite his insistence he would be fit by the later stages of the six-week tournament.

 

Off the pitch, West Indies coach Ottis Gibson blasted International Cricket Council boss Haroon Lorgat as “ridiculous” for attempting to play down the Dhaka bus stoning controversy. Lorgat insisted that Friday’s incident, which saw the West Indies team bus attacked by angry Bangladesh fans after the home team had suffered a humiliating loss, was minor with just pebbles hurled at the vehicle. 

 

But Gibson told Lorgat that it was a serious breach of security which caused the West Indies team to take cover on the floor of the bus. The fans thought they were venting their anger at their own side.

 

“There were stones thrown at our bus. I just want to make it clear first of all and remind Haroon Lorgat of his responsibilities. He can’t sit in a hotel room in Chennai and say they were pebbles,” said Gibson.

 

“What we heard hitting the bus and smashing glass didn’t seem to us to be pebbles. So it is not fair to make a statement like that. We as management of the West Indies team believe that was a ridiculous statement to make.”

 

Security around the West Indies team has been stepped up in Mohali where they face Ireland on Friday. “Is it ok for me to say thank god I left bangladesh???!!!,” said spinner Sulieman Benn on his Twitter account.

 

© AFP

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