South Africa needed 159 runs to defeat the Netherlands and secure a Twenty20 World Cup semi-final berth.
They could only manage 145.
The Netherlands’ Brandon Glover and Logan van Beck celebrate a South African wicket.Credit:Getty Images
The South Africans were beaten by the Netherlands, featuring Australian-born Tom Cooper, in their final group game at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, bringing their tournament to an end.
Their capitulation to the unfancied Dutch extends the Proteas’ wretched record in white-ball World Cups, chiefly in the 50-over format.
A win over the Dutch would have booked the Proteas a semi-final slot regardless of the result between India (six points) and Zimbabwe on Sunday night.
Now Pakistan (third, four points) meet Bangladesh (fourth, four points) on Sunday afternoon in Adelaide with both nations still a chance of advancing.
Roelof van der Merwe took a screamer.Credit:Fox Sports
On Sunday, the nervy Proteas’ top-order failed to fire and they were 4-90 in the 13th over.
With six overs remaining, South Africa still needed another 60 runs.
They lost another two batsmen in the 16th over to slip to 6-113 and yet another in the 18th over to be 7-120 – the Proteas were in a midst of a 4-30 slump.
To compound their predicament, No.8 batsman Keshav Maharaj was hobbled by a left leg injury and forced to literally hop when running between wickets.
Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada required 26 runs from the final over but fell short.
The Dutch posted 4-158, with Colin Ackermann top-scoring with an unbeaten 41 from 26 balls.
The Dutch made a bright start, with openers Stephan Myburgh (37 from 30 balls) and Max O’Dowd (29 from 31) featuring in a 58-run partnership.
And Cooper, whose mother was born in Dutch New Guinea, struck two sixes in making 35 from 19 deliveries.
South African paceman Anrich Nortje continued his fine tournament, taking 1-10 from four overs, and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed 2-27.
Sunday’s fixtures are the last games of the group stage, with New Zealand and England already through to the semi-finals.
AAP
