The writing was on the wall for New Zealand the moment that Daniel Vettori was forced to withdraw from the final. Then again, most of us thought that the writing was on the wall when Jacob Oram was injured, and then Darrel Tuffey, and Jesse Ryder…!

It won’t be any sort of consolation but, when they reflect on their achievement in reaching the final, the Black Caps should – and hopefully will – feel very proud of themselves.

Even during the final when things once again looked bleak and their backs were to the wall, they carried on fighting and refused to give up. We’ve all been in situations which seem hopeless – and we all have some experience of escaping from them and winning games which had surely seemed lost. Every run might be vital and that’s the way you have to play, either batting or fielding. Treat every run you score, or save, as though the match depends on it.

Australia, on the other hand, oozed confidence from the first day of the tournament until the last. Ricky Ponting’s men might not be able to repeat the feats of Gilchrist, Hayden and McGrath on the field but they can copy the body language of their great predecessors and learn to play like winners.

Personally I really enjoyed watching the top orders battle against the new ball on a pitch which offered the fast bowlers seam movement. It may have been said a hundred times already but that’s no reason not to say it again: Cricket is a contest between bat and ball and when conditions are loaded unduly in favour of one above the other then it is no longer a contest. At least, not a fair one.

Opening batsmen should have to work hard in the early stages of any game before conditions become a little easier. That’s why I batted in the middle order!

No doubt the debate and discussion will continue about the future of the 50-over format but, in my opinion, this tournament has done more than enough to remind people that there is still a place for all three formats of the game. I would happily entertain the idea of reducing ODIs to 40 overs and using up all power-plays by the 35th over but it doesn’t have to happen as a matter of urgency, if at all.

It may not have been a ‘classic’ tournament or one which will stick in our memories for years to come but it was still a fine tournament, well organised and well supported. You cannot hope for a classic race every time, even when the best teams in the world are involved.

As a batsmen I have to say that watching a man score an unbeaten hundred to win a match is one of the most satisfying things you can hope to see. Goodness only knows how satisfied Shane Watson must feel after doing it twice in consecutive matches!

There is an old saying in cricket – and probably in all team games – that the best players don’t necessarily make the best team. In fact, I’d say it was almost a rarity for the best team to have all the best players, especially at international level.

And I feel absolutely confident that I would not offend New Zealand’s players or their supporters by suggesting that it is primarily their team work and commitment as a unit which has got them into the Champions Trophy semi final.

I wonder how many of the Black Caps would make a current World XI? Certainly a few more now than would have been the case at the beginning of the tournament but even right now I suspect most people wouldn’t look too far beyond Daniel Vettori although mentions would be made of Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and Shane Bond. And two of their best players, Jesse Ryder and Jacob Oram, are injured! It has been a fantastic achievement.

On the one hand it is hard to qualify – and certainly quantify – the term ‘team spirit’. Often it just happens naturally but, on the other hand, a captain or a coach can try enhance it by telling his players to support each other, physically and emotionally. When somebody takes a great catch, run to him quickly from wherever you have been fuilding and make sure he knows how much you appreciate it.

When a bowler is tired and hurting, tell him that you understand, and look in his eyes when you do it so he believes you. Tell him that you’d happily share the pain if you weren’t so useless.
Remember, at all times, that nobody drops a catch on purpose, nobody deliberately bowls a half volley, run outs happen even to the most experienced partnerships and everybody plays a bad shot from time to time. Empathy and encouragement with team mates goes a lot further towards improvement than criticism.

And then, of course, there is appreciating what skills you and your colleagues do have rather than regretting what you don’t have. Grant Elliott is a classic example of a player performing to the very maximum of the parameters he has set himself. He knows exactly what he is capable of and concentrates on doing that rather than becoming distracted by something he can’t do.
Take a close look at the New Zealand players during the final, if you are lucky enough to be able to watch it. See how the fielders support and encourage each other, how the bowlers are made to feel special and nobody allows either their own head or a team mate’s head to drop.

New Zealand’s cricket teams, of course, have always felt like a special ‘band of brothers’ because there are so few of them in the first place and maybe the team spirit they have at the moment has just happened naturally. It doesn’t matter either way but it is what has got them to the final. And if they win I can’t think of anyone who would begrudge them the title.

Who would have thought that India, Sri Lanka and South Africa would all fail to make the semi finals? In many ways, the unpredictability of the tournament makes it work. If the Champions Trophy continues to develop a reputation for being unpredictable and throwing up surprises (there has been a different winner in every tournament so far) then it will go from strength to strength.

It still bemuses me that some people say there is no room in the calendar for a two-week gathering of the eight best teams in the world and high-paced scrap for a trophy that is, to all intents and purposes, a ‘mini World Cup.’

It has been a delight watching New Zealand and England cruise to semi-final places against seemingly impossible odds. The Black Caps lost no less than three key players to injuries in the group stage but still managed to reach the last four. Daniel Vettori has been a delight to watch, as a bowler, a captain and a person. His recalling of Paul Collingwood after the second run out fiasco of the tournament was certainly the right thing to do but still deserves enormous credit for cool thinking under pressure. It’s all too easy to let things slip. You only have about 60 seconds to make a decision and time flies when the eyes of the world are focussed on you.

England, too, have defied the odds. It’s hard to believe they lost six in a row to Australia and arrived in South Africa with even Andrew Strauss admitting that there were “serious concerns” about their one-day cricket.

It’s hard to know what to say about Pakistan…! Habitually written off because of their inconsistency and volatile temperament, they still rise to the big occasion more often than not. Nobody ever seems to know what makes them tick. I wonder if they know. Nonetheless, they are brilliant individuals and when they ‘click’ as a unit then they are a match for anybody, though the shorter forms of the game seem to suit them better.

I’m not surprised to see Australia in the semis and I won’t be surprised to see them in the final, either. And I certainly won’t be surprised to see them win it. They must be regarded as the favourites now and, after the disappointment of losing the Ashes, they aren’t lacking in motivation to give their supporters every form of consolation they can. A win here would go a long way to appeasing the hurt of their supporters. Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and Brett Lee have the experience and determination to make that happen.

Every team goes through highs and lows and sometimes there are very good reasons – or bad reasons – for their loss of form. But there are also times when practical and unavoidable factors play their part, like injuries, lack of match practise and plain luck!

If a team loses 12 out of 15 one-dayers then there is clearly a long term problem, but when teams as good as Sri Lanka, India and South Africa are castigated and threatened with sacking the coach and captain after losing two out of three games then I can’t help feeling that there is a bit of an over-reaction taking place.

There are winners and losers in sport. That’s how it works now and that’s how it has always worked. And sometimes the underdogs win, which makes it even better.

Cricket gives you the biggest ups and downs, and so close together! It was horrible after Tuesday when we played so badly against Sri Lanka and then just 48 hours later we were celebrating victory over New Zealand.
I couldn’t have imagined losing and being eliminated from the tournament so early, especially after bowling poorly in the first game. I started alright with the new ball but I became a bit tentative in the middle and lost my rhythm completely at one stage. It was the most pressure I’ve felt in my international career but I got through it and I know I’ll be a better player and a better person because of it.
Graeme could have changed the plan and given the ‘death’ overs to somebody else because I’d gone for more runs in both games than I should have but he showed faith in me and I really, really appreciate that. There’s nothing better than having a captain who backs you and trusts you not to let the team down. Fortunately I was able to repay him with five wickets, including the vital one of Ross Taylor which probably made the difference between chasing 250 and 215.
Some cricketers never get to play in an ICC event and others have to wait years to get the chance – and there’s me playing in two world events within three months at the age of 20. I am very, very lucky and I know it!
Herschelle and Makhaya have too much energy at the best of times but when they aren’t playing they are like two fireworks in the changing room. But it was a great relief to have them there on Tuesday night because they refused to let anybody feel ‘down’ and they were so positive, constantly reminding us that we could win the next two games and the defeat wouldn’t matter.
People probably imagine that we have two days ‘off’ between matches but it doesn’t feel like that with practise sessions, physio and various functions that we attend for the BCCI or sponsors. The time will go very quickly until we play England on Sunday which is a good thing because I’m raring to go and can’t wait to get back on the field again.

Sri Lanka Match

Johan Botha