Champions Trophy: Just one more ball, laments Dwayne Bravo

West Indies make exit, South Africa through to last-four in Group B.

CARDIFF:

West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo regretted the fact his side was denied one more ball to win the match after they bowed out of the Champions Trophy following a tie with South Africa.

After rain reduced Friday’s fixture in Cardiff to 31 overs per side, South Africa, sent into bat by Bravo, made 230 for six on the back of man-of-the-match Colin Ingram’s 73, as well as handy contributions from David Miller (38) and Proteas captain AB de Villiers (37).

For West Indies, however, when Kieron Pollard (28) was dismissed off what turned out to be the last ball of the match, the West Indies went from being in a winning position (with Marlon Samuels’ knock of 48) to exactly dead level on the Duckworth/Lewis method for deciding rain-affected matches at 190 for six off 26.1 overs. The umpires then took the players off the field for the final time because of rain and while both sides received a point for a tie, it was South Africa who qualified for the last-four because of their superior net run-rate.

“I must say I am disappointed with how the game ended, but I am not disappointed with what the umpires did,” said Bravo. However, the all-rounder added: “I think it would have been fair for both teams, the fans and tournament if that extra ball had been bowled or something like that.

“But you have to give credit to both teams, South Africa batted very well and I was pleased with how my guys went in the run chase.”

The other bad news for the West Indies was the penalty imposed on the team for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match. Bravo’s side was ruled to be one over short of its target at the end of the 31-over match, after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Bravo was fined 20 per cent of his match fee while his team mates received 10 per cent fines.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2013.