Ah.. someone giving some credit where it is due: South Africa's performances in this World Cup have been variable, but when they have been good they have been VERY good... and against England they reminded everyone why they came into the World Cup as the World No 1 side.

Anyone recall the devastation and carnage this SA side wreaked just before the tournament started?

As for England's batting... the start was sensible enough, appropriate to the circumstances... and each opener looked like justifying his watchfulness immediately prior to his dismissal: Bell settled more quickly than Vaughan and was hardly out of order in thinking the hook was on when he got out... and Vaughan had just played a couple of glorious shots, reminiscent of his best ever form, immediately prior to his misjudgement.

Even at 3 down, England were in the driving seat: Barry Richards reckoned 225 would be a good score... and with Strauss and Collingwood at the crease this looked eminently feasible. At the 30 over mark England were 104/3.... with two well set batsmen looking eminently capable of scorring centuries and ALL the big hitters to come. The usual prediction is for a score to be doubled in the final 20 overs... but with that many wickets in hand, 230 was well within reach.

What followed was obviously not pretty: 111/3 to 121/7 is a blow from which no team can be expected to recover... but it is also something that can happen to any team! In itself, this one collapse is hardly grounds for concern... and whilst I'd agree that Flintoff's woeful lack of form with the bat has helped make this sort of thing all too familiar in this tournament... I don't see a huge problem with what happened.

Compare England's ODI winter with the bat with India's or Pakistan's and England look set fair... and even on a man for man match up with the World's No 1 ODI side... England's batting look fine. Bell, Pietersen and Collingwood are a fair match for DeVilliers, Gibbs and Kallis. In any other recent season, Flintoff has looked a match for Pollock. Players like Vaughan and Strauss look more than a match for (say) Prince.

On top of that, the England ring-fielding has been excellent, much of the bowling has been impressive and the England have given everyone OTHER than SA a serious contest throughout the tournament.