SA Vs AUS Preview!! 1999 and 2007. The ghosts of these two semifinals will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of every single South Africanfan and player. But today is the chance for Temba Bavuma and his boys to change the narrative, put all that baggage behind them and go where no other South African men’s team has gone before, and that is to the finals of the World Cup.
But standing in front of them are the Australians, who were the ones who inflicted these soul-shattering defeats on the Proteas, and to whom playing in the knockout stages of ICC tournaments is as effortless as breathing. While Australia will look to go ahead and show why they are World Cup royalty, South Africa will look to prove to the world that this is their year finally.
Background
South Africa as a team can be characterized by two sides of the same coin. On one side is their prowess while batting first, where they look like dragon let loose and who lays waste to anything that is in front of them. They have had scores of 429, 399, 382, and 357. But on the other side is the South Africa side who bats second, an approach that can be compared to a 12-year-old child stuck in a match problem.
He has no clue what to do ahead and falls in an embarrassing mess created by themselves. But they have easily shown why they are the second best team in this tournament. They have the second highest run getter in de Kock, and some of the best powerplay and middle overs bowlers in Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee and KG Rabada. They are a formidable force and will go ahead with no baggage whatsoever.
Australia on the other hand started the tournament woefully but then like they always do, they came back in a manner that only they are capable of. They got all their key members back in form. Zampa is getting wickets, Warner is firing on all cylinders. Head is back and running. Marsh and Maxwell are going supernova. Pat Cummins is leading them from the front and has the sixth World Cup in his sights. They will want to go ahead and show the world that they are never a force that should be trifled with in ICC events.
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Head-to-head
South Africa is the only country in World Cricket that enjoys a better head-to-head record against the Aussies. In fact, such has been the dominance of the Proteas, that they have won 15 of the last 18 meetings between the two. To add to that, they are on a 4-game winning streak against the Aussies that includes a 134-run evisceration in Lucknow in the league stage of the tournament early in October.
Key players- Marco Jansen and Mitchell Starc
Both left arm pacers. Both are the leading men for their respective bowling attacks, but both have had rather contrasting tournaments leading into this game. While Jansen has been on the forefront of a well-rounded and efficient Proteas pace attack by leading the way with his exploits in the powerplay, Starc has had a rather subdued World Cup by his lofty standards.
Both these pace tyros will definitely look to attack the opening batters with their mastery of seam and swing in what could potentially be overcast bowling conditions in Kolkata. We could be in for a potential showdown between the two with the ball, and it will not be a stretch to say that the fortunes of the teams will hinge on how their respective lead pacer performs.
Prediction-
It is very difficult to pick between two sides who are so well balanced and pretty much cover all bases, but it is hard to look past the Proteas due to the superior record they enjoy over the Men in Yellow and that they have a much more well balanced side than Australia.
Author Credits- Delwyn Serrao
