By Anand Philar, IANS,
Chennai: South African captain Graeme Smith, while expressing disappointment at the six-run defeat to England chasing a target of 172 in the Cricket World Cup here Sunday, denied that his team, like its peers, was susceptible to pressure.
“Obviously, we are disappointed that we lost. Generally, we handle ourselves well if you go by some of the results we have achieved. So, I wouldn’t say we can’t bat under pressure.
“Today, you should look at the skills the England bowlers showed. I thought 170 was a good total to chase, but unfortunately, we did not do that today,” he said.
Smith said that both Francois du Plessis and AB de Villiers should have batted on and their dismissals at the same score proved decisive.
“They should have hung on for a few more overs. Losing those two quick wickets at that stage of the match was a big blow. The wicket of du Plessis was crucial, but it was good fielding by (Ian) Bell (who ran out the batsman),” Smith said.
Regarding the conditions, Smith said: “There was a lot of inconsistent bounce and reverse swing. We are not complaining, but it was not easy to bat on.”
He conceded that the 12 wides that the South African bowlers sent down made a difference in the end.
“Conceding 12 wides in a tight game is disappointing. It is these little things that make a difference,” Smith said.