Awukwazanga uMzantsi Afrika ukuphumelela imidlalo yosuku (One-Day International) oyidlale nelizwe laseSri Lanka ebutsheni bale veki. Lo nto ibangele umqeqeshi weProteas, uMark Boucher, akhale ngabadlali abangekhoyo ngenxa yokonzakala. UMzantsi Afrika ubethwe yiSri Lanka ngemitsi engamashumi asixhenxe anesibhozo (78) emva kokuba ukhutshwe wonke uqhokre imitsi elikhulu elinamashumi amabini anesihlanu (125/10). Yona iSri Lanka eqhokre kuqala ivule inkundla ngemitsi engamakhulu amabini anesibini kuwe oothinti abalithoba emdlalweni wokugqibela ngoLwesibini wale veki. Umdlalo wokuqala waphunyelelwa yiSri Lanka ngemitsi elishumi elinesine (14) kuphela. Wona uMzantsi Afrika uphumelele umdlalo wesibini ngemitsi engamashumi amathandathu anesixhenxe (67).
Abadlali abaqhokrayo beProteas boyisiwe kukumelana nesantya seebhola zikaDushantha Chameera ezitshawuza okwemibane yezulu. Uvumile uBoucher ukuba iqela lakhe alidlalanga kakuhle kwaye kwakufanele ukuba liphumelele umdlalo wokuqala. “Asiwuqalanga kakuhle umdlalo kwaphela. Isiphazamisile ezingqondweni lo nto ngoba besingenabo nabadlali esiqhele ukuqala ngabo umdlalo. Bonke bonzakele emidlalweni emibini phambi wokugqibela. Emva kokuwa koothinti abathathu umdlalo usaqala, kuvele kwacaca nje ukuba siza kunzinyelwa emdlalweni,” utshilo uBoucher emva komdlalo watsho encoma uChameera weSri Lanka owenze umsebenzi omhle. UKeshav Maharaj, ongene njengebambela Kapteni, uzamile ukuxhaya abadlali abayingozi beSri Lanka nangona iqela lakhe libethiwe.
“Uyijula kakuhle ibhola yeqakamba, ubatyala kakuhle abadlali bakhe ebaleni kwaye unyanzelisa intlonipho ebaleni. Udlale kakuhle uMaharaj kwaye ubonisile ukuba uyinkokeli. Sibenelishwa lokuphulukana nabadlali abafana noTemba Bavuma. Ukuze uphumelele imidlalo enje ngale, kufuneka uwasebenzise amathuba avelayo. Nantso into esibethileyo; asikwazanga ukuphumelela la mdlalo wokuqala ithuba lokwenza oko likhona,” utshilo uBoucher. UMzantsi Afrika, osazama ukuzibekela indawo kwitumente yehlabathi, uza kudibana neSri Lanka kwakhona ngomso (Lwesihlanu) emidlalweni yeT20 yamazwe ngamazwe (T20 International).
Iphuncule amanqaku amathathu iChippa United emdlalweni obuseMonti!