OWN CORRESPONDENT, Chelmsford | Saturday 7.30pm.
NEIL Johnson has stolen the World Cup spotlight from some of the tournament’s more illustrious names after propelling Zimbabwe into the Super Six stage with a telling all-round performance against South Africa.
Johnson, who opened the batting and the bowling, made his highest Cup score of 76 and produced an incisive spell of three for 27 as South Africa’s run of four wins out of four ended with a shock 48-run group A defeat on Saturday.
The result has rekindled Zimbabwe’s ambitions and left tournament favourites South Africa to contemplate a more demanding Super Six challenge because of the system under which points gained against fellow qualifiers are carried forward.
Losing to Zimbabwe means South Africa can take only two points with them and they will need to win two out of their three matches in the second phase to have a chance of reaching the semifinals.
Zimbabwe’s prospects of qualifying for the Super Six appeared bleak after they followed wins over Kenya and India with defeats by England and Sri Lanka.
But Johnson’s exploits have helped to revitalise a team who were playing below their best and seemed destined to return home after completing their group games against South Africa.
Victory over Hansie Cronje’s side is particularly sweet for Johnson, who is Harare-born but grew up in South Africa where he played both for their A team and in provincial cricket before returning to his native country.
The quietly spoken Johnson said: ”I left Zimbabwe when I was about nine and lived in Natal. I then went to university in Port Elizabeth, played at Eastern Province with (former South African captain) Kepler Wessels for four years and then went back to Natal for seven years. I left at the end of last year.”
Against that background there could be little doubt that Johnson would take great pride in beating his adopted country.
”Our performance was number one, the best. It’s unbelievable for us to play against our big brothers and to pull off a win like that,” he said.
Johnson has already made his mark for Zimbabwe in test cricket. He hit his first century, 107 against Pakistan at Peshawar.
When South Africa set out to make 234 to win Johnson knew his side’s priorities.
”We had to get wickets. They’re a great batting side with Lance (Klusener) coming in at number nine but with the new ball on these tracks you do get a little bit of assistance and we had to run in hard. It worked out perfectly (dismissing Gary Kirsten) first ball and we just kept nicking them out.”
Asked how close Johnson came to selection for the senior South Africa side during his long spell in that country, coach Bob Woolmer said: ”Over the years his name was mentioned but he didn’t quite mix it with the likes of Klusener, Pollock and Kallis.
”But he played very well today and we didn’t bowl very well at him until later on.”
Woolmer’s charges will finish top of group A despite Saturday’s upset — the first time Zimbabwe have beaten their African neighbours in their eight one-day meetings — but may go into the Super Six at a points disadvantage to the sides below them under the new format for the tournament.
However, former England all-rounder Woolmer said: ”I think it’s a wonderful format. I hope it stays that way. Yet in saying that, if we go through with only two points it means we’ve got to win two of the three (Super Six) games which is going to be tough because there are some very good sides to play against.” — Reuters