<p>South Africa captain AB de Villiers rued the run-outs that cost them dearly as they slumped to a 130-run defeat to India in their World Cup Pool B encounter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Chasing a target of 308, South Africa were cruising at 108/2 in the 23rd over when de Villiers, trying to return for a second run, got run out. Wickets kept falling thereafter. Another run-out, that of David Miller, affected the run flow of the Proteas.<br /><br />The Africans finally wrapped up in the 41st over with 177 on the board"The run-outs cost us dearly tonight, just when we got started with the bat. We lost our way," said de Villiers at the post match presentation ceremony.<br /><br />The skipper, however, praised his bowlers for restricting India to 307/7 but added that losing Vernon Philander due to an injury dented their bowling strength.<br /><br />"Thought our bowlers fought back well, we were looking at 350 at one stage. It was a 270-275 kind of wicket. But looking at the way the Indians batted, it was a good effort to restrict them to 307. We just have to regroup as a batting unit and work hard on our game," said the 31-year-old.<br /><br />"I still thought it was a good toss to win (for Dhoni). It was one of those where you wanted to bat first and put a team under pressure who had fielded in the heat, but still no excuses. We lost Vernon and I needed Parny's (Wayne Parnell) overs. Otherwise I'd have ended up bowling again. We just didn't bat well enough."</p>
<p>South Africa captain AB de Villiers rued the run-outs that cost them dearly as they slumped to a 130-run defeat to India in their World Cup Pool B encounter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Chasing a target of 308, South Africa were cruising at 108/2 in the 23rd over when de Villiers, trying to return for a second run, got run out. Wickets kept falling thereafter. Another run-out, that of David Miller, affected the run flow of the Proteas.<br /><br />The Africans finally wrapped up in the 41st over with 177 on the board"The run-outs cost us dearly tonight, just when we got started with the bat. We lost our way," said de Villiers at the post match presentation ceremony.<br /><br />The skipper, however, praised his bowlers for restricting India to 307/7 but added that losing Vernon Philander due to an injury dented their bowling strength.<br /><br />"Thought our bowlers fought back well, we were looking at 350 at one stage. It was a 270-275 kind of wicket. But looking at the way the Indians batted, it was a good effort to restrict them to 307. We just have to regroup as a batting unit and work hard on our game," said the 31-year-old.<br /><br />"I still thought it was a good toss to win (for Dhoni). It was one of those where you wanted to bat first and put a team under pressure who had fielded in the heat, but still no excuses. We lost Vernon and I needed Parny's (Wayne Parnell) overs. Otherwise I'd have ended up bowling again. We just didn't bat well enough."</p>