'If I am greedy, we were 10-20 short, especially after the start we got. Not quite played a complete game of cricket but we are on the right track.'
South Africa skipper Aiden Markram applauded his bowlers for sealing a thrilling seven-run victory over England in a T20 World Cup Super Eight Group 2 match in St Lucia on Friday, saying they did not wilt under pressure.
England needed just 25 runs from the last three overs with six wickets in hand but tight bowling left them stranded at 156 for 6 in their chase of 164, on an easy-paced wicket with even bounce.
"Last three overs we had a lot against us but the bowlers had good plans and pulled it off," said Markram, whose side's innings was built around opener Quinton de Kock's fine 65 off 38 balls.
"If I am greedy, we were 10-20 short, especially after the start we got. Not quite played a complete game of cricket but we are on the right track."
He singled out de Kock for special praise. The opener dished out a second good performance in the Super Eight stage and helped South Africa win their sixth game on the bounce in the World Cup.
"Quinny (de Kock) has been good for us in the last two games. It was a bit nerve-wracking in those (last three) overs but it can happen. The plans were there, just the execution wasn't. I'm grateful that catch (of Harry Brook) stuck," he added.
England skipper Jos Buttler too praised De Kock on his enterprising batting.
"The tougher overs in the power play today were from the bottom end which de Kock really took on and took some risks and played well, so as I've mentioned, I felt like the power play was the difference in the game," he said.
"I think the way Quinny could bat at the rate that none of us could bat at for -- but like I say, yeah, we fought back brilliantly well with the ball and restricted a really strong line-up to what was about a par score probably."
England couldn't push the pace in the powerplay, losing Phil Salt (11) in the second over. None of the top-order batters -- Jonny Bairstow (16), Buttler (17) and Moeen Ali (9) could capitalise on the starts.
It was a spirited fightback from Harry Brook (53) and Liam Livingstone (33) which gave England hope but South African bowlers executed their plans to perfection as the defending champions couldn't make 25 runs in the last three overs despite having six wickets in hand.
"The wicket was probably a little bit slower than everyone expected. So, yeah, 160 was about a par score. I thought we bowled really well in the back 10-15 overs there to restrict them.
"Brook and Livingston had a fantastic partnership, like I say on a slow wicket where other guys struggled and I thought their partnership was brilliant and they've got us to a position where, you're probably looking like your favourites at one point to go on and win the game.
"But yeah, I thought that was an awesome partnership and just couldn't quite finish it off."
De Kock, who picked up his second 'Player of the Match' in Super Eight stage, said he just tried to carry on from where he had left off against the USA in the previous game.
De Kock had scored 74 off 40 deliveries in the opening Super Eight game.
"I try to carry on confidence game by game. We bowled really well in the powerplay and we controlled it very nicely. To be able to defend 160 on a decent wicket is a good effort from us."
