What did you really expect from the Proteas in the T20 World Cup? Batting collapses, below par death bowling performances, drop catches at crucial moments and an obvious inability to stay calm when it matters most. The South African cricket team managed to steer clear of those usual obstacles. They had a terrible opening game against Australia during which it seemed as if the belief just wasn't there. At the same time I have to say that I don't think I have ever seen a tournament where winning the toss has been so important. Even though the format is so short, the team fielding first almost always had a big advantage. That does not justify scoring only 118 runs in your first match in a global tournament.

South Africa bowled Bangladesh out for only 84 runs. That was the real opportunity to improve their net run rate. It took a little bit longer than expected to achieve the total. Australia managed to win their games more convincingly and they reached the semi-finals by virtue of a better net run rate. A bitter pill to swallow indeed, but a brave performance by a team that had been given no chance of getting close to the play-offs. The Proteas proved that they can beat the best with a 10 run victory against England. The team does not intend to roll over and become an easy target, but it is imperative that young talent is kept within the borders of the country and that they are nurtured to become the best that they can be. Otherwise, I am afraid that the Proteas will always be one step behind the regular top performers.