S Africa to review failure

JOHANNESBURG (AP):

South Africa's sports ministry and cricket federation will hold a review into their team's failure following another knockout stage defeat at the World Cup.

Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said yesterday his ministry would meet with Cricket South Africa officials in the first week of April, ironically around the same time as the World Cup final in India, after the Proteas continued a dismal run in crucial games at the event with a quarter-final loss to New Zealand.

"Let us draw lessons to be learned from this painful experience,'' Mbalula said. "We believe we owe it to the nation to provide a well-researched review of the results of our participation in the championship (World Cup).''

Team manager Mohammed Moosajee said CSA would also hold its own "debrief and review'' and conceded, along with outgoing coach Corrie van Zyl, that the team may have been affected by their underachieving past at the World Cup.

South Africa have lost every one of the five knockout games they have played at the top 50-over tournament, dating back to their debut in 1992.

"We have to accept that maybe the burden of previous generations remains with us,'' Moosajee said.

Van Zyl, who decided before the tournament that he would be stepping down as coach, apologised to fans for the disappointing exit, but said the players had carried an "extra burden'' after being constantly reminded of past failures.