POTCHEFSTROOM: Martin Guptill hit an unbeaten century as New Zealand cruised to an eight-wicket win in the second One-day International against South Africa at Senwes Park on Sunday.

Guptill made 103 not out, reaching his ninth One-day International with the winning boundary as New Zealand won with 5.5 overs to spare after bowling out South Africa for 204.

The win squared the three-match series, with the decider to be played in Durban on Wednesday.

Doug Bracewell, playing in his first One-day International in more than two years, earlier took ODI career-best figures of 3-31 for New Zealand as the South African batsmen failed to come to terms with a slow pitch.

He was backed up by fellow seamer Adam Milne, who collected 2-39.

Guptill and Tom Latham made the victory target look easy with an opening partnership of 126, a record one-day first wicket stand for New Zealand against South Africa.

The previous record of 114 had been set by Mark Greatbatch and Rod Latham — Tom’s father — in Auckland during the 1992 World Cup.

Latham made an impressive 64 off 81 balls before he was caught at deep square leg off leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

Guptill, who was dropped three times in making his first 40 runs, clobbered nine fours and three sixes in a 134-ball innings.

Despite the loss of captain Kane Williamson soon after Latham went, George Worker, on his ODI debut, made 20 not out to help see New Zealand home alongside Guptill.

Williamson said his bowlers had to adapt their plans after realising how slow the pitch was.

“We knew we had to play above ourselves to get back in the series. The way the guys executed was fantastic — a great effort with the ball, then the way the openers batted.”

Milne struck twice in his first two overs, dismissing Hashim Amla and Morne van Wyk to put South Africa on the back foot.

On his recall, Bracewell removed Rilee Rossouw, big-hitting David Miller and top-scorer Farhaan Behardien for his three wickets.

Behardien made 70 for South Africa, with tail-ender Vernon Philander providing some support with his 30 not out.

Already struggling at 188-7 when Behardien went, South Africa lost their last three batsmen to run outs, with Dale Steyn going in bizarre fashion as he got his bat stuck in the pitch and dropped it as he reached out to make his ground.

“We didn’t score enough runs,” South African captain A.B. de Villiers said. “There’s a lot to play for in Durban.”

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA:

H. Amla c Elliott b Milne 8 M. van Wyk b Milne 2 R. Rossouw c Williamson b Bracewell 39 A. de Villiers c Guptill b Elliott 31 D. Miller c Munro b Bracewell 5 F. Behardien c Williamson b Bracewell 70 D. Wiese lbw b Sodhi 8 V. Philander not out 30 A. Phangiso run out 1 D. Steyn run out 2 Imran Tahir run out 4

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-1) 4

TOTAL (all out, 49.3 overs) 204

FALL OF WKTS: 1-9, 2-20, 3-68, 4-76, 5-107, 6-134, 7-188, 8-192, 9-195.

BOWLING: Wheeler 9.3-1-39-0 (1w), Milne 10-0-39-2, Bracewell 10-0-31-3, Sodhi 10-0-59-1, Elliott 7-0-25-1, Worker 1-0-5-0, Munro 2-0-3-0.

NEW ZEALAND:

M. Guptill not out 103 T. Latham c Rossouw b Imran Tahir 64 K. Williamson b Phangiso 7 G. Worker not out 20

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-10) 13

TOTAL (for two wkts, 44.3 overs) 207

DID NOT BAT: G. Elliott, L. Ronchi, C. Munro, D. Bracewell, A. Milne, B. Wheeler, I. Sodhi.

FALL OF WKTS: 1-126, 2-140.

BOWLING: Philander 6-0-21-0, Phangiso 10-1-37-1 (2w), Steyn 8-1-38-0 (4w), Wiese 4-0-23-0 (1w), Imran Tahir 10-1-42-1 (1w), Behardien 2-0-18-0 (1w), Rossouw 2.3-0-14-0 (1w), De Villiers 2-0-11-0.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Martin Guptill (New Zealand).

UMPIRES: Shaun George (South Africa), Ian Gould (England).

TV UMPIRES: Johan Cloete (South Africa).

MATCH REFEREE: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka).

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015

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