South Africa were on course to achieve the target – AB De Villiers
Apr 17, 2016 at 1:56 PM
The first ODI between hosts South Africa and England was a complete thriller. Even though the eventual outcome might suggest an easy victory for Eoin Morgan’s side, the game was far more competitive. England piled up a massive 399 on board, but a South African counterattack was always expected, as the Proteas have some exceptional batsmen in their arsenal.
Wicketkeeper Quinton De Kock led South Africa’s reply and completed an excellent ton, before the rain had the final say. As per the Duckworth-Lewis method, the hosts were 39 runs short of their target. Originally, they needed exactly 150 to win off 16.3 overs when the rain arrived. With an unstoppable De Kock at one end and Farhaan Behardien at the other end, victory was surely not impossible for the hosts. That is what skipper AB De Villiers felt post the game. De Villiers said that the hosts were well on course to achieve the target.
“It was advantage England but our run rate was right up there. I think we gave them a nice scare and showed them what we are all about as a top seven,” De Villiers said. The Proteas captain also spoke about his own wicket, which was a crucial point in the game. “If I batted another 30 minutes there, we would have been in a good position,” de Villiers said. “There are lots of rumours of theories going on in the change room. Lots of guys think I was unlucky there. But I am happy to walk off when the umpire gives me out. It was a silly shot. I am better than that.”
“Chasing a big target, a couple of those shots are needed,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that it was AB and Ben Stokes decided to pluck it out the air like that. It could have gone for six and we could have been on Duckworth-Lewis on the winning side,” said Man of the Match, Quinton De Kock.