Kiwis 'choke' Proteas, reach semis
Dhaka: New Zealand produced an inspired fielding and bowling performance to extend South Africa's horror run in World Cup knockout matches with a 49-run upset win in Friday's quarterfinal. South Africa appeared to be coasting at 108-2 in the 24th over after restricting New Zealand to 221 for eight, but crumbled to 172 all out. The 'chokers' tag they had been so keen to banish at this tournament will continue to haunt them.
The turning point came when Jacob Oram took an athletic catch on the boundary to dismiss Jacques Kallis on 47, and the rot set in for South Africa. AB de Villiers was run out for 32 after Faf du Plessis called for a needless single to give New Zealand a second wicket in three balls and leave South Africa reeling on 121-5 in the 28th over.
Tempers flared when New Zealand's 12th man, Kyle Mills, appeared to say something to Du Plessis after running out with the drinks, prompting some barging and angry exchanges between the two sets of players. It was a sign of the high tension in the middle, tension that South Africa's players succumbed to. Du Plessis and Morne Morkel rallied their team briefly with a ninth-wicket stand of 26 but it was too little, too late.
A jubilant New Zealand team heads to Colombo for Tuesday's semifinal against Sri Lanka or England, while South Africa heads home to deal with the fallout from another big-match failure that leaves them winless in five World Cup knockout matches. South Africa's bowling unit restricted New Zealand to 221 for eight to give the Proteas the upper hand in Friday's World Cup quarterfinal.
New Zealand, with Daniel Vettori returning as captain after two matches out, won the toss and chose to bat but the loss of two early wickets put the Kiwis on the back foot early. Jesse Ryder (83) and Ross Taylor (43) combined for the third wicket and cautiously guided the team past the 150 mark, but when the New Zealanders tried to increase the scoring rate at the end of the innings, they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Graeme Smith's tactic of rotating his bowlers in short spells and varying his fields was key. Morne Morkel (3-46) taking two wickets in the penultimate over to prevent the late and lofty hitting. Dale Steyn (2-42) and Imran Tahir (2-32) snared two wickets apiece.
Spinners Tahir, Robin Peterson and Johan Botha played central roles in South Africa's progress to the quarterfinal, and New Zealand's response was to include their own spin trio in Vettori, Nathan McCullum and Luke Woodcock, making his World Cup debut in place of injured fast bowler Kyle Mills.
Smith handed Peterson the new ball. The left-arm spinner took two early wickets when Smith tried the same ploy against England, and it worked wonders again. Peterson took his 15th wicket of the World Cup with a wonderful diving catch to his left to dismiss Brendon McCullum and New Zealand was then 16-2 after Martin Guptill was deceived by a slower ball from Steyn and skied a catch to Botha.
New Zealand set about the task of getting to the final 15 overs with wickets in hand, banking on its big-hitters to deliver in the latter stages as they did in the group stage win over Pakistan. Ryder had been in poor form so far at this World Cup but after a shaky start, he settled into his stride, leaving the big-hitting Taylor to play a supporting role.
In response, Smith rotated his bowlers in two or three-over bursts and, allied with some sharp fielding and New Zealand's cautiousness, the scoring rate remained under 5 per over. Ryder celebrated his fifth one-day half-century in the 22nd over, and the 100 partnership came up after 144 balls.
Taylor, who has hit more sixes in the tournament than any other player, managed just one four in an uncharacteristically restrained knock and, just when he looked like releasing the shackles, he was gone. An over after launching a six over mid-wicket, he tried the same trick against Tahir and holed out to Jacques Kallis.
Scott Styris, Ryder, Nathan McCullum and Jacob Oram followed him back to the dressing room after attempting risky hits, and while Kane Williamson was unbeaten on 38, his ponderous innings featured one six and one four. Vettori, playing what could be his final World Cup game amid reports he is planning to quit the one-day internationals, was the last wicket to fall when he was bowled by a clever Morkel yorker.
Dhaka: New Zealand produced an inspired fielding and bowling performance to extend South Africa's horror run in World Cup knockout matches with a 49-run upset win in Friday's quarterfinal. South Africa appeared to be coasting at 108-2 in the 24th over after restricting New Zealand to 221 for eight, but crumbled to 172 all out. The 'chokers' tag they had been so keen to banish at this tournament will continue to haunt them.
The turning point came when Jacob Oram took an athletic catch on the boundary to dismiss Jacques Kallis on 47, and the rot set in for South Africa. AB de Villiers was run out for 32 after Faf du Plessis called for a needless single to give New Zealand a second wicket in three balls and leave South Africa reeling on 121-5 in the 28th over.
Tempers flared when New Zealand's 12th man, Kyle Mills, appeared to say something to Du Plessis after running out with the drinks, prompting some barging and angry exchanges between the two sets of players. It was a sign of the high tension in the middle, tension that South Africa's players succumbed to. Du Plessis and Morne Morkel rallied their team briefly with a ninth-wicket stand of 26 but it was too little, too late.
A jubilant New Zealand team heads to Colombo for Tuesday's semifinal against Sri Lanka or England, while South Africa heads home to deal with the fallout from another big-match failure that leaves them winless in five World Cup knockout matches. South Africa's bowling unit restricted New Zealand to 221 for eight to give the Proteas the upper hand in Friday's World Cup quarterfinal.
New Zealand, with Daniel Vettori returning as captain after two matches out, won the toss and chose to bat but the loss of two early wickets put the Kiwis on the back foot early. Jesse Ryder (83) and Ross Taylor (43) combined for the third wicket and cautiously guided the team past the 150 mark, but when the New Zealanders tried to increase the scoring rate at the end of the innings, they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Graeme Smith's tactic of rotating his bowlers in short spells and varying his fields was key. Morne Morkel (3-46) taking two wickets in the penultimate over to prevent the late and lofty hitting. Dale Steyn (2-42) and Imran Tahir (2-32) snared two wickets apiece.
Spinners Tahir, Robin Peterson and Johan Botha played central roles in South Africa's progress to the quarterfinal, and New Zealand's response was to include their own spin trio in Vettori, Nathan McCullum and Luke Woodcock, making his World Cup debut in place of injured fast bowler Kyle Mills.
Smith handed Peterson the new ball. The left-arm spinner took two early wickets when Smith tried the same ploy against England, and it worked wonders again. Peterson took his 15th wicket of the World Cup with a wonderful diving catch to his left to dismiss Brendon McCullum and New Zealand was then 16-2 after Martin Guptill was deceived by a slower ball from Steyn and skied a catch to Botha.
New Zealand set about the task of getting to the final 15 overs with wickets in hand, banking on its big-hitters to deliver in the latter stages as they did in the group stage win over Pakistan. Ryder had been in poor form so far at this World Cup but after a shaky start, he settled into his stride, leaving the big-hitting Taylor to play a supporting role.
In response, Smith rotated his bowlers in two or three-over bursts and, allied with some sharp fielding and New Zealand's cautiousness, the scoring rate remained under 5 per over. Ryder celebrated his fifth one-day half-century in the 22nd over, and the 100 partnership came up after 144 balls.
Taylor, who has hit more sixes in the tournament than any other player, managed just one four in an uncharacteristically restrained knock and, just when he looked like releasing the shackles, he was gone. An over after launching a six over mid-wicket, he tried the same trick against Tahir and holed out to Jacques Kallis.
Scott Styris, Ryder, Nathan McCullum and Jacob Oram followed him back to the dressing room after attempting risky hits, and while Kane Williamson was unbeaten on 38, his ponderous innings featured one six and one four. Vettori, playing what could be his final World Cup game amid reports he is planning to quit the one-day internationals, was the last wicket to fall when he was bowled by a clever Morkel yorker.
News Posted: 25 March, 2011
|
