New Zealand entered
their maiden ICC World Cup final, beating South Africa by five wickets in a
thrilling rain-reduced World Cup semi-final at Eden Park in Auckland on
Tuesday.
Set 298 to win from
43 overs, the Kiwis, led by fine knocks from captain Brendon McCullum (59 off
26 balls) and Grant Elliott (84 off 73) got across the finish line with one
ball to spare. Elliott hit the winning run with a six over long-on off the
bowling of Dale Steyn.
South Africa captain
AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 103
from 73 balls to power their team to an imposing 281 for five in a rain-reduced
World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Eden spoPark on Tuesday
The co-hosts were set
298 to win from 43 overs on the Duckworth-Lewis system after a rain break five
minutes short of two hours. Neither side has ever played in a World Cup final.
De Villiers, who was
dropped on 38 by Kane Williamson at short cover off Corey Anderson in the first
over of the batting powerplay, was unbeaten on 65 while du Plessis anchored the
innings with a composed 82.
David Miller then
smashed 49 from 18 balls, including consecutive sixes off Anderson, in the
remaining five overs after the break.
New Zealand made an
impressive start after de Villiers opted to bat following heavy overnight rain.
Openers Hashim Amla
(10) and Quinton De Kock (14) fell cheaply to Trent Boult who broke Geoff
Allott's New Zealand record of 20 wickets at the 1999 World Cup.
De Kock had a life on
10 when wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, diving to his left, could get a fingertip
only to an edge off Boult which sped to the boundary.
In the next over from
Southee, Amla mistimed a hook which hung tantalisingly in the air before
falling short of Boult running around from long-leg.
New Zealand's luck
changed in Boult's following over. Amla pushed his bat at a full delivery without
moving his feet and the ball took the inside edge and crashed on to the stumps.
De Kock looked
tentative throughout his brief innings against the swinging ball and it was no
surprise when he sliced Boult high to Southee at third man who did not have to
move.
Matt Henry, replacing
the injured Adam Milne, bowled with high pace and accuracy as McCullum
increased the pressure with three slips and a gully.
But Boult's seventh
over went for 12 runs and McCullum turned to Daniel Vettori to reimpose some
control.
Henry was rested
after his opening five overs had cost only nine runs as South Africa
consolidated.
The sun emerged
briefly and du Plessis off-drove two boundaries in a Southee over and struck
Grant Elliott back over the bowler's head for the first six of the game.
The partnership
between Rossouw and Faf du Plessis had reached 83 when McCullum introduced
Anderson. The first ball to Rossouw was a wide and the second flew off the
shoulder off the bat to backward point where Martin Guptill leaped to his right
to hold the catch in his fingers.
Du Plessis reached
his half-century from 85 balls and celebrated by lofting Henry straight back
over his head for six. De Villiers started to collect boundaries at the other
end as the South Africans started to accelerate.
The 50-partnership
came off 44 balls and De Villiers struck Anderson for 14 runs off three balls
immediately after he was dropped by Williamson who failed to cling on to a
fierce drive.
De Villiers was in
full flow now before the players left the field after the 38th over when rain
blew in over the stadium.
After the teams
returned Anderson dismissed du Plessis caught off his gloves down the leg side
by Ronchi when McCullum asked for a review after umpire Ian Gould had signalled
a wide. But the New Zealand jubilation was cut short when left-hander Miller
climbed into their bowling and 65 came off the final five overs.
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