Yesterday required some quick thinking on his part to thwart the efforts of two of the sport's most experienced practitioners.

To sandbag someone also means to coerce him through heavy-handed means or to thwart the efforts of another person (or entity).

Winds and lack of water thwarted his efforts however.

However, conservative or reactionary nobility thwarted their efforts.

Managers can learn to think systemically if they can uncover the subtle interactions that thwart their efforts.