New Zealand beat S. Africa In ICC World Cup 2015 Semi-Final, book first berth in final
Grant Elliot
(84 not out) helped New Zealand reach their first ever cricket World
Cup final as they overcame a spirited South Africa by four wickets via
D/L method in a thrilling and rain-curtailed first semi-final at the Eden Park here on Tuesday.
Faf du Plessis (82) and captain
AB de Villiers (65 not out) took South Africa to 281/5 in 43 overs.
Rilee Rossouw (39) and David Miller (18-ball 49) also contributed to the
total.
Rain halted play after 38 overs
of the Proteas innings and continued for more than 90 minutes. It
reduced the match to 43 overs per side, also forcing Duckworth/Lewis
(D/L) method to peek in.
As per the D/L method, the target was revised and the hosts needed 298 in 43 overs.
In reply, New Zealand got over
the line by contributions from skipper Brendon McCullum (26-ball 59),
Corey Anderson (58) and Elliot (84 not out).
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| New Zealand beat S. Africa In ICC World Cup 2015 Semi-Final, book first berth in final |
Leading from the front, McCullum
(26-ball 59) blasted eight fours and four sixes to give his side a
flying start. He notched up his 30th ODI half-century.
But when he and his deputy Kane
Williamson (6) were removed by pacer Morne Morkel, New Zealand were in
trouble at 81/2 in nine overs.
Opener Martin Guptil, who scored
an unbeaten 237 in the last match, scored 34 and got involved in a
47-run stand with experienced Ross Taylor (30).
Hashim Amla and wicketkeeper
Quninton de Kock joined hands to run out Guptill and soon, off-spinner
Jean-Paul Duminy got rid of Taylor. The two quick dismissals left the
hosts on backfoot at 149/4 in 22nd overs, still requiring another 149
runs.
It was then that Anderson and
seasoned Elliot repaired the damage. They ensured that New Zealand
remain in hunt as for as the run rate was concerned.
Their crucial 103-run
partnership ended when Anderson, who scored his fourth ODI fifty, skied a
Morkel delivery to du Plessis at square leg. With 46 runs still needed
from five overs, wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi scored just eight.
South Africa would rue their
missed chances. De Villiers and wicketkeeper de Kock missed the run-outs
of Anderson and Elliot at critical moments of the match. Jean-Paul
Duminy dropped the catch of Elliot.
With 12 required off the final
over, Dale Steyn conceded six runs in the first three balls. Later, with
five needed off two balls, Elliot, 33, pulled off a big heave towards
deep mid-wicket to win it for the home team. Daniel Vettori (7) remained
not out.
With this loss, South Africa now
have lost their fourth semi-final, while the home side has been lucky
in their seventh semi-final appearance of the World Cup.
Earlier, du Plessis, who scored
his 15th One-Day International (ODI) half-century, held the innings
together. The right-handed batsman was involved in a crucial 83-run
stand with Rilee Rossouw (39) for the third wicket.
That set up the game for the
big-hitters like de Villiers and David Miller. Left-hander Miller
bludgeoned his way to a 18-ball 49 and fired the team to 281/5 in 43
overs.
At the start, South Africa
openers Amla (10) and de Kock (14) failed to make the best of New
Zealand's generosity. In the fifth ball of the second over, left-handed
de Kock edged a pacer Trent Boult delivery but wicketkeeper Ronchi
failed to collect it.
In the second delivery of the
third over, right-handed Amla also got a reprieve as he pulled a Tim
Southee ball only to be dropped by Boult at fine leg.
However, Boult made amends by
removing both the batsmen. The left-arm seamer rattled Amla's stumps
before de Kock offering a catch to Southee.
At 31/2 in 7.5 overs, Rossouw
(39) joined du Plessis in the middle and the duo eased the pressure with
sensible batting. The left-right combination stitched an 83-run
partnership for the third wicket.
After Rossouw fell, de Villiers
and du Plessis started their show. While du Plessis held the innings
together, de Villiers was at his destructive best, finding boundaries at
will.
Du Plessis took 85 balls to
complete his fifty, while his skipper needed just 32. And as a result of
the latter's big-hitting, South Africa collected 152 runs in the final
13 overs and 97 runs in the final eight overs.
In the 36th over, de Villiers
was dropped on 38 by Williamson off Anderson. The right-handed batsman
jumped on the chance and recorded his 46th fifty in 32 balls.
However, the target was not enough as New Zealand crossed the target by displaying fearless brand of cricket.
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