New Zealand secure series victory
Sunday, February 29 2004
New Zealand created history today by winning their first ever ODI series against South Africa.
South Africa won the toss and sent New Zealand into bat in what was a rain reduced 33 over game.
Chris Harris was brought in at the expense of Michael Papps while Albie Morkel replaced the out of form Andre Nel.
Stephen Fleming was dismissed in the 2nd over for a golden duck in being given out caught at 2nd slip for 0 when the ball had clearly struck his back leg.
Chris Cairns was then promoted to number three to try and get a run rate going.
The South Africa’s looked up for today’s game as they should have been and were electric in the field closing down runs with ease.
Hamish Marshall was dismissed with the score at 34 and South Africa had dismissed the two most in form New Zealand batsman for low scores.
New Zealand managed to pick the scoring up with some sixes from Cairns and one from McMillan but wickets continued to fall and at 73/5 New Zealand were in trouble.
Harris joined Oram and together they managed to turn the innings around with some well taken singles and some hard hitting. Harris especially looked up for it in hitting a six over cover early in his innings.
Going into the final four overs New Zealand were 154/7 having lost Oram for 22 and McCullum for 11.
A score of 200 was what everyone thought was required and Harris and Vettori looked to get New Zealand there. With the score at 182 Harris’ brilliant innings came to a close at the hands of Shaun Pollock who took his first wicket of the series in having Harris caught and bowled for 55.
Vettori and Mills got New Zealand through the rest of the overs to finish up with 193/8 from the allocated 33 overs.
Ntini and Klusener were the pick of the bowlers taking 3/47 and 2/30 while Shaun Pollock took 1/36 and Morkel 1/41.
Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith came out in search of early runs with Gibbs being the aggressor and taking to Tuffey and Mills early on. In the 3rd over Gibbs was dismissed though to a sensational catch at point by Chris Harris off Tuffey and he was on his way for 13.
Lance Klusener was promoted as a pinch hitter and together with Smith they took 18 from one Mills over but Klusener got cared away and in the next over he skied one to Mills off Tuffey and New Zealand had South Africa’s danger man out for 14.
Morkel was the next in to obviously make a quick 20/30 but really struggled against the bowling of Cairns and Oram and the pressure eventually got to his partner Graeme Smith and he was bowled by Oram for 15.
Kallis then joined Morkel and together they dug an even deeper hole for South Africa. Morkel was out for 11 and at 64/4 from 14 overs with the run rate climbing South Africa badly needed a good partnership.
Dippenaar wasn’t the man to provide that with him departing for 8 and South Africa were 86/5 still requiring another 108 runs for victory.
Kallis and Boucher tried to bring South Africa close but even another last over shocker from Kyle Mills saw South Africa fall 2 runs short and lose their first ever series against New Zealand.
Both teams now head for Napier for the 6th and final ODI before the test series begins.
Score Summary
New Zealand 193/8 (C Harris 55, C Cairns 28, J Oram 22, M Ntini 3/47, L Klusener 2/30)
South Africa 175/5 (J Kallis 58*, M Boucher 48*, J Oram 2/20, C Cairns 2/22)
New Zealand won by 2 runs
Man of the Match Chris Harris
New Zealand lead series 4-1 with one game remaining
Posted by James
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