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Narrow win for SA

Saturday, February 14 2004

1st ODI
New Zealand vs. South Africa
Auckland (D/N)
13 Feb 2004

Boeta Dippenaar's 44 not out steered South Africa home in the first ODI of the six-match series by 5 wickets, however off the final over of the match with only two balls to spare.

Chasing a competitive, yet meagre total of 226 for victory, South Africa looked to be bang on target when openers Greame Smith and Herschelle Gibbs looked in fine touch, on a slow wicket. Together they put up a stand of 86 runs, out of which Gibbs scored 43.

However, the introduction of left arm spinner Daniel Vettori brought about a change in the complexion of the match. Vettori struck first when a well flighted delivery caught the edge of Gibbs's defensive bat and Brendon McCullum snapped up a fine catch behind the stumps. This wicket, plus some very tight bowling brought down the scoring rate.

Smith, after scoring a well made 72 departed, bowled to Chris Cairns. He was soon followed by Jacques Kallis who was adjuged LBW to Vettori, on the same team score of 149, for 26. With 149/3 on the board, South Africa still looked the favorites.

Next batsmen in Dippenaar and Jacques Rudolph added 60 runs together, but due to tight bowling in tandem by Vettori and Scott Styris, the required rate kept on creeping up. South Africa were 17 runs short when Rudolph gave a return catch to Styris when he was on 24 and Boucher soon followed for a duck, bowled by Daryl Tuffey.

South Africa needed three runs of the last over. But the tension increased when Shaun Pollock didn't manage to score a single run off the first two deliveries. However, cool heads prevailed and the batsmen in the middle (Pollock and Dippenaar) took South Africa home safely, after the small hitch.

Earlier, after winning the toss Stephen Fleming and debutant Michael Papps launched New Zealand's innings with a 44-run partnership before Fleming was run out for 30 by Makhaya Ntini's direct hit.

Ntini then removed Papps, caught behind for 14. Hamish Marshall and Craig McMillan were both dismissed in a quick succession too to Ntini and Lance Klusener respectively, reducing the Kiwis to 79/4 in the 22nd over.

Styris and Cairns steadied the innings before raising the tempo with some powerful blows. They added 91 runs together before they were seperated when Styris was caught by Ntini off Andre Nel for 60. Cairns was clean bowled four overs later for 58 to the same bowler.

Klusener picked up his second wicket when Jacob Oram holed out for 15 and New Zealand's final total did not appear enough to extend the in-form South Africans. For South Africa, Nitni, Klusener and Nel, all three off them finished with two scalps each.

Brief Scorecard:

New Zealand: 225/8 in 50 overs
Scott Styris 60, Chris Cairns 58, Makhaya Ntini 41/2, Andre Nel 42/2, Lance Klusener 39/2

South Africa: 226/5 in 49.4 overs
Greame Smith 72, Herschelle Gibbs 43, Boeta Dippenaar 44*, Daniel Vettori 37/2, Scott Styris 35/1

Man of the Match: Greame Smith

Result: South Africa won by 5 wickets

Series: South Africa leads the six-match series 1-0

Posted by Sudeep