Times Media
TELFORD VICE, Auckland
THE afterglow of New Zealand’s stunning win over SA in their World Cup quarter-final at Eden Park on Tuesday shone warmly in Auckland a day later.
At the airport every television was tuned to a rebroadcast of the match, which the home side won by four wickets when SA-born Grant Elliott smashed the penultimate delivery, which was bowled by Dale Steyn, for six.
Passengers and public awaiting flights could hardly tear themselves away from the screens - until the Black Caps themselves came strolling along en route to Melbourne for the final on Sunday.
New Zealand, who are in the final for the first time having lost six semi-finals in previous editions of the tournament, will play the winner of today’s semi between Australia and India in Sydney.
Shouts of “well done” and “bring it home” rang in the players’ ears as they walked, and they could not take more than a few steps without stopping to sign an autograph or pose with fans for selfies.
Spontaneous applause blossomed when the squad reached their boarding gate. The players politely thanked their admirers.
An anguished post mortem is underway among South Africans, with Graeme Smith writing in his column on the International Cricket Council website that, “In a tight game with so much at stake neither team is going to put in a flawless performance but the Proteas missed the half-chances that counted and it ultimately cost them.”
Elliott’s matchwinning 84 not out was “the innings that will define his career on the biggest stage possible”. New Zealand were the “better team on the day and have been the better team in the tournament so far”.
“I experienced three losses in World Cup knockout games and know that the hurt will be present for some time but the team will bounce back,” Smith wrote.
The devastated South African players, meanwhile, have disappeared from view and have maintained a stoney silence on social media - although consultant Mike Horn tweeted on Wednesday, “Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose!”
That was not the case on the New Zealand side of the fence, where everyone from former players Stephen Fleming, Jesse Ryder and Scott Styris to All Black lock Ali Williams and prime minister John Key to actors Russell Crowe and Sam Neill took to Twitter to give their views.
“What an unbelievable game,” Fleming wrote. “So proud of (New Zealand) and what they have achieved. Also feel the raw pain of (SA) on an amazing day.”
Styris said, “Congrats SA on this performance and your tournament. Quite simply the best match I’ve ever been to live! Worthy of a final.”
Williams said he had “watched the game with fellow Kiwi Carl Hayman and our South African mate Bryan Habana. Sorry lads. #yerright”
Crowe offered a simple, “Well done Black Caps ...”, while Neill said, “I’m alive. Unbelievable Black Caps!”
Even author Salman Rushdie saw fit to comment: “Wow. Congratulations New Zealand. What a finish”
To South Africans, some of the above will read like satanic verses indeed.
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