The South African cricket side spent over two hours in the dressing room trying to digest the fact that they had once again been dumped from the World Cup through a tied result.
While team psychologist Clinton Gahwiler admitted that there was a strong sense of deja vu in the dressing room, he was adamant that the tied semi-final at Edgbaston four years previously had had no bearing on Monday’s performance.
Following the tied game against Sri Lanka at Kingsmead, national coach Eric Simons described the player’s change room as ”an emotionally charged area”.
”And, understandably, there were some tears as well,” added Simons.
According to Gahwiler though the South Africans will deal with the body blow and rouse themselves sufficiently for Sharjah at the end of the month and the Test series against Bangladesh to follow.
”For over two hours after the game the guys just stuck together and something very interesting happened.
”Without any prompting, they held their own very informal, completely spontaneous debriefing in the dressing room.”
”A more formal debriefing,” he added, ”will take place once matters have settled somewhat.”
Until then, the squad will have to deal with heartbreak, amongst a host of other emotions.
”They’re facing disappointment, frustration and anger and so too will the public go through those same emotions.
”But eventually they’ll be okay.” – Sapa