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HOBART, Jan 15: South Africa defeated New Zealand by 26 runs Tuesday to surge to the top of the standings in the triangular one-day series.
Veteran opener Gary Kirsten, named Man-of-the-Match, made a typically gritty 97 and wicket-keeper Mark Boucher smashed an unbeaten 30 off 19 balls in South Africa’s 257 for seven at Bellerive Oval after captain Shaun Pollock had won the toss and batted first.
New Zealand replied with 231 for nine after their run chase disintegrated following the departure of captain Stephen Fleming for 85 in the 38th over at 170 for four.
South Africa have scored eight points from their two matches while New Zealand have four points after a win and a loss.
Australia opened the series with losses to both teams in Melbourne last week.
The New Zealanders lost seven wickets for 50 runs before wicket-keeper Adam Parore (21 not out) and fast bowler Shane Bond (17 not out) added 29 for the last wicket.
Fleming came to the crease at 10 for one in the fourth over and added 61 for the second wicket with Lou Vincent (23) and 81 in 100 balls for the third wicket with Craig McMillan (36).
Allan Donald, who finished with figures of three for 40, removed opener Mark Richardson caught at third man for eight.
The fast bowler then returned to take the wickets of tailenders Daniel Vettori, for no score, and James Franklin, for two, in the 44th and 46th overs.
Fellow paceman Makhaya Ntini was the only bowler to severely test the otherwise untroubled Fleming and claimed the wickets of New Zealand opener Lou Vincent and all-rounder Chris Cairns, for 11, to end up with a return of two for 36.
Earlier, South Africa laid a solid platform to the innings with Kirsten sharing partnerships of 82 with fellow opener Herschelle Gibbs (36) and 75 for the second wicket with Boeta Dippenaar (37).
But, from 157 for one, they then lost four wickets for 23 runs before Boucher hammered two sixes in the final over of the innings, which cost Bond 19 runs.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA:
H.H. Gibbs c Fleming b Vettori 36
G. Kirsten run out 97
H.H. Dippenaar c McMillan b Bond 37
J.N. Rhodes c Harris b Cairns 13
N.D. McKenzie c Fleming b Franklin 22
L. Klusener b Vettori 5
M.V. Boucher not out 30
S.M. Pollock run out 0
J.M. Kemp not out 10
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-1, NB-3) 7
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 257
FALL OF WKTS: 1-82, 2-157, 3-178, 4-194, 5-215, 6-217, 7-217.
DID NOT BAT: A.A. Donald, M. Ntini.
BOWLING: Bond 10-0-64-1; Franklin 8-0-42-1 (2nb, 1w); Cairns 10-0-54-1; Vettori 10-0-37-2 (1nb); Harris 10-0-43-0; Styris 2-0-14-0.
NEW ZEALAND:
L. Vincent c Pollock b Ntini 23
M.H. Richardson c Klusener b Donald 8
S.P. Fleming c D’penaar b Klusener 85
C.D. McMillan c Gibbs b Kemp 36
C.L. Cairns b Ntini 11
S.B. Styris c Boucher b Klusener 9
C.Z. Harris c Dippenaar b Kemp 2
A.C. Parore not out 21
D.L. Vettori c Kirsten b Donald 0
J.E.C. Franklin c Boucher b Donald 2
S.E. Bond not out 17
EXTRAS (B-3, LB-8, W-5, NB-1) 17
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 231
FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-71, 3-152, 4-170, 5-181, 6-183, 7-192, 8-196, 9-202.
BOWLING: Pollock 10-2-38-0; Donald 10-1-40-3; Ntini 10-0-36-2 (1nb, 1w); Kemp 10-0-50-2 (3w); Klusener 10-0-56-2 (1w).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Gary Kirsten.
NEXT MATCH: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney (D/N), Thursday.
