Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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| Justin Kemp: turned the match with his 73 © Getty Images |
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A brilliant, aggressive knock of 73 from Justin Kemp turned a nightmare start for South Africa into a sweet two-wicket victory in the first one-day international at Bloemfontein on Sunday. New Zealand had been on top for much of South Africa’s reply, as wickets toppled regularly – but Kemp was his usual demonstrative self, hitting five fours and three sixes in a superbly timed 64-ball innings.South Africa’s openers got off to a rollicking start, aided by Bond whose first ball of the innings was a wide. Three fours were struck in the first over, which cost 17, and two further boundaries by Boeta Dippenaar in the second. The hosts had reached 29 without loss, in under three overs, before Bond got one to nip back sharply to trap Dippenaar in the crease for 10.New Zealand by now had restricted the run flow considerably, by bowling full and straight – much as Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini had done in New Zealand’s innings. In the sixth over, Jacques Kallis – attempting a flourishing cover-drive – missed the ball completely, and was bowled through the gate by Kyle Mills’ first delivery: a rarity for a batsman of such quality.Kemp came to the crease with South Africa struggling on 85 for 4. It was during the 36th over in which he found his destructive rhythm, smashing Jeetan Patel, New Zealand’s Supersub, for a mammoth six over long on. He followed this up in the next over by striking Nathan Astle for two fours and two sixes – but even this late, violent flurry left South Africa needing 68 from the final 10 overs.Shane Bond still had two overs left in his allocation, but Fleming chose Patel to bowl the 46th over – and he conceded just seven runs by bowling straight, full and fast, restricting Kemp and Pollock who could only pick up singles. Bond did return to the attack, with South Africa needing 24 from the final three overs: Pollock swung, ungainly, and the wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum could only watch the ball sail past him. Pollock was to be dismissed a few balls later, quickly followed by Justin Kemp – but the damage had been done, mainly by Kemp. Despite a valiant diving effort from Stephen Fleming to catch Nicky Boje’s heave-ho, South Africa snuck home by two wickets with three balls to spare.New Zealand’s innings had revolved around Craig McMillan’s solid 66, and Fleming’s elegant 45. Fleming had lost both Astle and Lou Vincent cheaply, but looked in terrific touch before he too fell to a stunning catch at point by Gibbs. Flinging himself to his left, Gibbs pulled off what most other fielders would regard as a one-off; for him, though, it was but a formality.At 70 for 3 McMillan started his rescue act, hitting eight fours and a six in his half-century. He received excellent support from Jacob Oram, with whom he put on 75 for the fifth wicket, before Oram suicidally ran himself out. A lofted six by McMillan off Kallis increased the momentum of his innings significantly, and he was quick to dispatch anything short: his fifty, from 57 balls, came via a deft cut for four to third man.Kallis, with an excellent slower ball, foxed McMillan (66) whose attempt to nudge the ball to the leg-side provided Ashwell Prince with the simplest of chances at midwicket, and Kallis’s 200th ODI wicket. Daniel Vettori, who could only last three balls, made way for Adams who lofted a big six over long-on. In the next over, McCullum drove Nel over extra cover for his second six – an extraordinary, almost effortless shot which he attempted to repeat later in the over, to his peril. Nel bowled admirably, fully deserving the flattering figures of 3 for 42.A flurry of runs from the tail enabled New Zealand to creep up to a very respectable score of 249 for 8, which represented a significant recovery from the shaky position they earlier found themselves in. But, despite the quick runs from their lower-order, it wasn’t enough to stop the damaging blade of Kemp, whose innings deservedly earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. The two sides meet again on Friday at Cape Town – and both will be looking to improve upon scratchy performances today.<!–Full report to follow.25 overs
New Zealand’s bowlers responded to the impetus provided by their batsmen to restrict South Africa to 100 for 4 after the first 25 overs of South Africa’s reply, in the first one-day international at Bloemfontein.South Africa’s openers got off to a rollicking start, aided by Bond whose first ball of the innings was a wide. Three fours were struck in the first over, which cost 15, and two further boundaries by Boeta Dippenaar in the second. The hosts had reached 29 without loss, in under three overs, before Bond got one to nip back sharply to trap Dippenaar in the crease for 10.New Zealand by now had restricted the run-flow considerably, by bowling full and straight – much as Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini had done in New Zealand’s innings. In the sixth over, Jacques Kallis – attempting a flourishing cover-drive – missed the ball completely, and was bowled through the gate by Kyle Mills’ first delivery: a rarity for a batsman of such quality.South Africa’s nightmare start to their innings was to continue as Graeme Smith, arguably the form batsman of both sides, dragged a delivery from Andre Adams onto his stumps. Bowling around the wicket, Adams found some swing and Smith, attempting to drive it on the off-side, clipped it onto his stumps. At 42 for 3, New Zealand were well on top and, despite a steady partnership of 44 between Herschelle Gibbs and Ashwell Prince, the visitors applied the brakes, increasing the required-run-rate to beyond five per over. Mills, in particular, bowled superbly and conceded just 21 from his eight overs.The introduction of Nathan Astle brought the wicket of Prince who, like his captain, chopped a ball onto his stumps. Astle tossed the ball up wide of Prince’s off-stump, whose eyes lit up at the prospect of a certain boundary – but, again like Smith, a cross-batted swat resulted in the ball clipping the stumps, and Astle threw his arms up in delight, and shock.Gibbs, not out on 15 from 55 balls, remains the key for both sides’ chances of victory in what is certain to be a tight finish.50 overs New Zealand 249 for 8 (McMillan 66, Fleming 45, Nel 3-42) v South Africa
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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| Craig McMillan: anchored the innings © Getty Images |
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Craig McMillan anchored New Zealand’s innings with a composed 66, before Brendon McCullum and Andre Adams provided some late impetus to lift their total to a respectable 249 for 8, in the first one-day international against South Africa at Bloemfontein. New Zealand’s innings had been given a good start by their captain, Stephen Fleming, who made 48 from 45 balls before falling to a stunning catch at point from Herschelle Gibbs.McMillan was joined by Jacob Oram, with whom he put on 75 for the fifth wicket, before Oram suicidally ran himself out. A lofted six by McMillan off Jacques Kallis increased the momentum of his innings significantly, and he was quick to dispatch anything short: his fifty, from 57 balls, came via a deft cut for four to third man.Kallis, with an excellent slower ball, foxed McMillan (66) whose attempt to nudge the ball to the leg-side provided Ashwell Prince with the simplest of chances at midwicket, and Kallis’s 200th ODI wicket. Daniel Vettori, who could only last three balls, made way for Adams who lofted a big six over long-on. In the next over, McCullum drove Nel over extra cover for his second six – an extraordinary, almost effortless shot which he attempted to repeat later in the over, to his peril.A flurry of runs from the lower-order enabled New Zealand to creep up to a very respectable score of 249 for 8, which represented a significant recovery from the shaky position they earlier found themselves in.South Africa had dominated the first half of New Zealand’s innings, snaffling four early wickets, and restricting the run-rate considerably. Makhaya Ntini and, in particular, Shaun Pollock were quick to find the right length, consistently troubling both Nathan Astle and Fleming, neither of whom were able to break free.Astle flashed and edged precariously and, in the third over, Pollock tempted him into cutting a ball, which gave Mark Boucher his first catch of the day. A delightful and disdainful flick from Astle’s replacement, Lou Vincent, broke the shackles for New Zealand, who had scored just 11 in the first five overs. But Ntini cleverly got one to straighten on Vincent, who played a poor back-foot defensive shot which gave Boucher his second simple catch of the innings.Fleming then took the initiative, striking three glorious boundaries in the eighth over – Pollock’s fifth on the trot. He was looking in particularly elegant touch, before Gibbs pulled off a catch, at point, which few fielders in the world could have made look much simpler. Nel, in his second over and bowling around the wicket, bowled full and slightly wide, causing Fleming to slash one to point: Gibbs flew to his left, and clung on, even holding his pose for the waiting photographers, and sparse crowd.With the loss of Fleming, which ended his 52-run partnership with Hamish Marshall, South Africa threatened to strangle New Zealand’s innings, but McMillan, McCullum and Adams proved just how vital lower-order runs can be. –>