December 02, 2007	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 21, 1428

PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa), Dec 1: Brendon McCullum and Jamie How pounded the South African bowlers as New Zealand ended a losing streak with an emphatic seven-wicket victory in the second One-day International at St George’s Park on Friday (also reported partially in Saturday’s edition).

McCullum (81) and How (76) put on 154 for the second wicket as New Zealand cruised in with 11.2 overs to spare to level the three-match series. The deciding match will be in Cape Town on Sunday.

New Zealand’s win followed heavy defeats in two Tests and losses in a Twenty20 international and the first ODI.

The Black Caps dominated most of the match, reducing South Africa to 66 for five after South African captain Graeme Smith won the toss and decided to bat.

All-rounder Shaun Pollock and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher added 89 for the sixth wicket to enable South Africa to make 209 for nine.

New Zealand lost Lou Vincent to a run-out with only nine runs scored but McCullum and How made the target look easy. They shared the man-of-the-match award.

McCullum was in particularly good form as he hammered 81 off 85 balls with nine fours and a six before being run out by a good throw from deep cover by substitute fielder Dale Steyn while attempting a second run.

McCullum was aggressive from the start of his innings and How was the ideal foil, playing solidly but picking off loose deliveries to make his runs off 106 balls with 11 boundaries. It was the second successive impressive knock by How, who made a career-best 90 in the first match in Durban.

South Africa’s bowling and fielding were unimpressive, although they were hampered by dew, which made conditions difficult for the fielding team.

Earlier on Friday, opening bowler Kyle Mills struck the first blows for New Zealand on a slow pitch, which offered some early seam movement, dismissing opening batsmen Herschelle Gibbs and Smith without scoring.

Mills followed up his five for 25 in Durban by taking three for 43 while fellow new ball bowler Mark Gillespie took three for 55.

New Zealand produced their best bowling and fielding performance of a disappointing tour before Pollock (52) and Boucher (48) rebuilt the innings, starting their stand slowly but increasing the scoring rate after they played themselves in.

Tail-ender Andre Nel gave the innings late impetus when he hit a six and two fours off the 49th over, bowled by Mills. Then he edged a four and slogged a six off the last two balls of the innings from Gillespie to finish with 30 not out off 13 balls.

But Nel quickly gave back most of the runs he scored when he conceded 28 off three overs with the new ball, including a straight six by McCullum. He went for another 27 in a second spell of three overs.

McCullum was dropped on 29 when a pad-bat chance off Pollock looped to Gibbs at cover.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA

H Gibbs c Styris b Mills 0

G Smith c Taylor b Mills 0

J Kallis c Taylor b Oram 26

A de Villiers b Gillespie 8

J Duminy c Vincent b Patel 23

M Boucher c Patel b Vettori 48

S Pollock b Gillespie 52

A Morkel b Gillespie 6

J Botha c Vincent b Mills 8

A Nel not out 30

C Langeveldt not out 2

EXTRAS (NB-1, W-5) 6

TOTAL (for 9 wkts, 50 overs) 209

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-5, 3-20, 4-53, 5-66, 6-155, 7-167, 8-176.

BOWLING: Mills 8-1-43-3 (1w), Gillespie 10-1-55-3 (1nb, 1w), Oram 10-1-31-1 (1w), Patel 10-0-39-1 (1w), Vettori 10-1-29-1 (1w), Styris 2-0-12-0.

NEW ZEALAND

L Vincent run out 9

B McCullum run out 81

J How lbw b Langeveldt 76

S Styris not out 24

R Taylor not out 13

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-4) 7

TOTAL (for 3 wkts, 38.4 overs) 210

FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-163, 3-190.

BOWLING: Pollock 9-0-29-0, Nel 8-0-66-0 (2w), Langeveldt 8-0-40-1 (1w), Morkel 6-0-38-0, Botha 7.4-0-34-1 (1w).

DID NOT BAT: M Sinclair, J Oram, D Vettori, K Mills, J Patel, M Gillespie.

RESULT: New Zealand won by seven wickets.

UMPIRES: M Benson (ENG), M Erasmus (RSA)

TV UMPIRE: I Howell (RSA)

MATCH REFEREE: J Srinath (IND).—AFP