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New Zealand v South Africa 3rd ODI

Sunday, February 22 2004

New Zealand has beaten South Africa by 5 runs in a thrilling reduced over game at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.

In what was likely to be a washout with the pitch being under water 2 days before play Trevor Jackson and his team produced an amazing effort for the match to even go ahead.

Graeme Smith won the toss for the 3rd time in succession and without hesitation put New Zealand into bat.

Michael Papps and Stephen Fleming were confronted with some superb bowling by Shaun Pollock who beat the bat many times but he lacked support and this was where Papps and Fleming managed to get the Kiwis off to a great start.

They put on 100 runs for the 1st wicket before Fleming was caught at square leg for 43 off Boje. This was the first time since February 2001 New Zealand had scored more than 100 runs for the 1st wicket.

Chris Cairns was promoted up the order to continue the momentum and did just that making 20 off 18 balls before being run out. Jacob Oram was next in and he started where Cairns left off but fell to the bowling of Graeme Smith for 20 off 13 balls.

The next to go was Michael Papps for 67 but he had done his job in a well complied innings. He showed great maturity and looks to have the goods for international cricket.

To finish the innings off Scott Styris with 45* and Brendon McCullum with 41* hit the South African bowlers to all parts in scoring 67 runs off the final 4 overs which was the difference in a score of 220 as apposed to the 254 they finished up with. This in the end proved the difference being winning and losing the game.

The best of the South African bowlers was again Shaun Pollock who took 0-8 off 5.5 overs. Sadly for South Africa he went off with a groin strain in his 6th over and is in doubt for the next one-dayer.

South Africa got off in the right frame of mind with Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs again proving very hard to dismiss. The break through came though when Smith looked to go over the top of midoff off Styris but Fleming managed to take a high catch and Smith was on his way for 43.

Their partnership had got South Africa off to the perfect start and with Gibbs firing South Africa looked well on track.

Kallis once again failed with the bat being caught behind for 16 off Daniel Vettori and then with the score at 140 Gibbs played a dreadful shot in hitting a simple catch down to Chris Cairns at mid on and South Africa were starting to struggle especially with Vettori bowling superbly at one end.

South Africa then lost Morkel for 6, Dippenaar for 8 and Boucher for 0 and with the score at 153/6 South Africa looked all but gone.

Boje and Prince looked to turn things around but struggled to keep up with the run rate and this eventually got to them with Boje being run out for 24 with the score at 203.

South Africa went into the final over needing 27 for a very unlikely victory but in what was some more amazing hitting at the Cake Tin Pollock took to Mills in hitting him for 3 sixes. Pollock ended up needing six runs from the last ball of the innings. Mills however produced a great yorker and New Zealand were home by 5 runs to lead the six match series 2-1.

Scott Styris was named man of the match for his superb 45 not out from 27 balls and taking 2/44 from his 8 overs.

Score Summary

New Zealand 254/5 (M Papps 67, S Styris 45*, S Fleming 43, B McCullum 41, G Smith 1/36, J Kallis 1/45, N Boje 1/49)

South Africa 249/7 (H Gibbs 69, A Price 45*, G Smith 43, S Pollock 29*, D Vettori 2/41, S Styris 2/44)

New Zealand won by 5 runs

Posted by James