Not for the first time in the past few weeks, AB de Villiers has refused to look further down SA’s World Cup road than the next robot.
Yesterday, he was again all revved up with a particular place to go. “Pakistan in Auckland on Saturday is our next game,” De Villiers said when he was asked whether he had wondered who his team’s quarterfinal opponents might be.
“We wouldn’t like to touch on what is going to happen too far in the future. I’ve encouraged the boys not to watch a lot of cricket – other cricket. We’re focused on playing Pakistan in Auckland.”
Behind De Villiers and his team lay yesterday’s 201-run hammering of Ireland at Manuka Oval in Canberra. Ahead of them was the Pakistan match.
But, on Sunday, after Australia and Sri Lanka clash in Sydney, they could know who they will play in the final four. If the Aussies win, SA are likely to meet the Lankans in Sydney. If Sri Lanka win, an Australia-SA quarterfinal in Adelaide seems on the cards.
The ifs and buts of that permutation would keep most South Africans up late into the night. But De Villiers has enough to think about without getting into uncertainties.
Kyle Abbott, for instance, has bowled up a storm since replacing the injured Vernon Philander.
He dismissed West Indian kingpins Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels cheaply in Sydney on Friday and claimed career-best figures of 4/21 against the Irish yesterday. But what happens to Abbott when Philander regains his fitness?
“To have as many guys as possible in good form in a tournament like this is key,” said De Villiers. “ plays with his heart on his sleeve; he plays with a lot of passion.
“You always know what you’re going to get from him. He’s very easy to captain. But no one is guaranteed a place in the side.”
De Villiers was also satisfied with the performance of spearhead Dale Steyn, who had taken just one wicket in each of SA’s first three games but showed more aggression yesterday to claim 2/39.
“I’ve got full faith in him to win us a couple of games in this tournament,” said De Villiers. “He could have taken it easy – we had 400 on the board. But he ran in with good pace an intensity and gave his all against a team he didn’t have to do that against.”
SA’s total of 411/ was anchored by a second-wicket stand of 247 between Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis. Amla scored 11, 22 and 65 in his first three innings in the tournament, and banked a career-best 159 yesterday.
AB stays cool, calm and collected
Yesterday, he was again all revved up with a particular place to go. “Pakistan in Auckland on Saturday is our next game,” De Villiers said when he was asked whether he had wondered who his team’s quarterfinal opponents might be.
“We wouldn’t like to touch on what is going to happen too far in the future. I’ve encouraged the boys not to watch a lot of cricket – other cricket. We’re focused on playing Pakistan in Auckland.”
Behind De Villiers and his team lay yesterday’s 201-run hammering of Ireland at Manuka Oval in Canberra. Ahead of them was the Pakistan match.
But, on Sunday, after Australia and Sri Lanka clash in Sydney, they could know who they will play in the final four. If the Aussies win, SA are likely to meet the Lankans in Sydney. If Sri Lanka win, an Australia-SA quarterfinal in Adelaide seems on the cards.
The ifs and buts of that permutation would keep most South Africans up late into the night. But De Villiers has enough to think about without getting into uncertainties.
Kyle Abbott, for instance, has bowled up a storm since replacing the injured Vernon Philander.
He dismissed West Indian kingpins Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels cheaply in Sydney on Friday and claimed career-best figures of 4/21 against the Irish yesterday. But what happens to Abbott when Philander regains his fitness?
“To have as many guys as possible in good form in a tournament like this is key,” said De Villiers. “ plays with his heart on his sleeve; he plays with a lot of passion.
“You always know what you’re going to get from him. He’s very easy to captain. But no one is guaranteed a place in the side.”
De Villiers was also satisfied with the performance of spearhead Dale Steyn, who had taken just one wicket in each of SA’s first three games but showed more aggression yesterday to claim 2/39.
“I’ve got full faith in him to win us a couple of games in this tournament,” said De Villiers. “He could have taken it easy – we had 400 on the board. But he ran in with good pace an intensity and gave his all against a team he didn’t have to do that against.”
SA’s total of 411/ was anchored by a second-wicket stand of 247 between Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis. Amla scored 11, 22 and 65 in his first three innings in the tournament, and banked a career-best 159 yesterday.
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