New Zealand beats S. Africa by 47 runs
By Vic Mills
ADELAIDE (JP): New Zealand sprung something of a surprise in the first ever one-day international to be played under lights at the Adelaide Oval by beating South Africa, conquerors of Australia yesterday in Sydney, by 47 runs.
Sent into bat by Proteas captain, Hansie Cronje, New Zealand made the worst possible start, losing two wickets in the third over. Matthew Horne (4) was the first to go, caught by Jonty Rhodes at cover off Shaun Pollock, as he looked to hit over the close fielders.
Three balls later, Nathan Astle was run out without scoring as a risky single ended in disaster, with Pollock hitting the stumps with a direct throw. This left New Zealand in trouble at two for 6.
Looking to play his strokes from the outset, Chris Cairns attempted to wrest the initiative. Medium pacer Lance Klusener found himself in the firing line as Cairns lofted him for sixes over mid wicket and long on in the 10th over to post New Zealand's 50.
The balance swung back to South Africa in the next over as Pollock had Stephen Fleming (10) caught behind by Dave Richardson.
Undaunted, Cairns continued to score heavily through the off side, bringing up his own 50 and forcing Cronje to introduce Alan Donald.
The change brought immediate results as Donald's extra pace accounted for Cairns (55 off 54 balls) caught behind by Richardson, and the wicket of Roger Twose (1) leg before four runs later, to leave New Zealand five for 93.
Having weathered Donald's opening spell of 2-5 in seven overs, 21-year-old Craig McMillan and Chris Harris set about rebuilding the innings. Mixing caution with counter-attack they added 124 in 103 minutes for the sixth wicket.
McMillan (86 off 112 balls) perished in the penultimate over, but Harris (52) remained unbeaten to take New Zealand to 224 for six off their 50 overs. Donald with 2-17 and Pollock with 3-36 were the pick of the Proteas attack.
South Africa never got to grips with the modest run rate of 4.34 an over and wickets fell at regular intervals. Jacques Kallis (14), Lance Klusener (25), Daryll Cullinan (13), Gary Kirsten (35) and Hansie Cronje (11) all made starts, but were unable to produce the type of quality innings that McMillan had constructed earlier in the afternoon.
Disciplined bowling and thoughtful field placing restricted first the singles and then the boundaries. The resultant pressure brought rash strokes and the steady fall of wickets. Shaun Pollock (37) hit some lusty blows at the death, but it was too little too late as South Africa were bowled out for 177 in 47.5 overs.
New Zealand's battery of slow-medium bowlers won the day with Gavin Larsen 2-31, Nathan Astle 2-31 and Chris Harris 1-32 providing wonderful support for the fast men Chris Cairns 2-29 and Shayne O'Connor 2-36.
The bowling figures highlight the all-round team effort. Craig McMillan rightfully won the player of the match award for an innings that changed the course of the game.