AB de Villiers recovers after falling into his crease.

Home » Over and Out…but #ProteaFire Keeps Burning as De Villiers Reaches Out to Fans

Over and Out…but #ProteaFire Keeps Burning as De Villiers Reaches Out to Fans

South African cricket captain AB de Villiers has expressed his disappointment at today’s defeat of the Proteas by the New Zealand national team at Eden Park, Auckland…and at letting their fans down. South Africa was beaten by four wickets with a ball to spare after the Duckworth / Lewis system was taken into account (due to rain delays). […]

24-03-15 13:01

South African cricket captain AB de Villiers has expressed his disappointment at today’s defeat of the Proteas by the New Zealand national team at Eden Park, Auckland…and at letting their fans down.

AB de Villiers recovers after falling into his crease.
AB de Villiers: “I hope the people at home can still be proud of us.” Photo: CricketSA

South Africa was beaten by four wickets with a ball to spare after the Duckworth / Lewis system was taken into account (due to rain delays). South Africa’s revised score was 297 and New Zealand scored 299…thus knocking the Proteas out of the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

De Villiers said “I won’t single people out, we play as a unit and today the unit got unstuck”, adding “I couldn’t ask any more from my boys. It’s hurting quite a bit, but we gave it our all.”

The South African cricket captain said “the most disappointing part of this loss is the fact that we have let all of our fans and supporters down.

“As much as we are hurting, we also know that every single supporter who has been with us on this journey will be hurting too. Each time we were out in the middle we knew there were many South Africans up early to watch us – we appreciate that.

proteas-thank-you

“The support from back home has meant a great deal to us as a team, we wouldn’t have gotten this far without it.”

He said “I hope the people at home can still be proud of us.”

Judging from the messages on social media, they are. The Proteas may no longer be in line to win the Cup on Sunday…but they have already won the hearts of millions of supporters for whom the #ProteaFire will never be snuffed out.

Stand by Your Team, Cricket South Africa
Source: Cricket South Africa – “A true test of a supporter comes when the result doesn’t go their way. #ProteaFireForever “

KFC South Africa ‏tweeted “we’re all so proud of you @OfficialCSA, and you put up a So Good fight until the very end! You will always inspire the #ProteaFire! #NZvSA”

South Africa’s Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula tweeted his support saying “to Proteas, you are nothing but Winners in my eyes, and I am positive the whole nation agrees!”

The nation seems to agree. A few have expressed heartbreak that as a country South Africa needed this win so badly. But most seem united in a pride for South Africa’s best cricket players having given their best. Of course those choking jokes are surfacing already with comments like ‘coke’ needing to be renamed in South Africa as ‘choke’.

But today’s loss had nothing to do with choking. It was simply high level, brilliant, competition. And although the results were disappointing, even AB noted that it was an “amazing game” with “probably the most electric crowd I’ve ever played in front of.”

Ironically it was former South African under-19 all-rounder – and current Kiwi player – Grant Elliot who hit the winning six to clinch the match for the Black Caps.

South Africa lost Joburg-born and raised Elliot when he was advised in the late ’90s that the quota system in South Africa could block his path to higher cricketing achievements. The former St Stithians pupil moved to New Zealand in 2001 at the age of 22 to pursue his cricketing dreams.

The Proteas may be out, but the incredible performance by the AB de Villiers-led team at this year’s World Cup will still go down as one of South Africa’s best in the seven World Cups that we have taken part in to date.

New Zealand will meet Australia or India in the Cup Final.