DUNEDIN, Feb 25: New Zealand edged closer to their first ever series victory over South Africa after crushing the tourists to take an unbeaten 3-1 lead in the six-match One-day International series here on Wednesday.
All-rounder Chris Cairns sealed a six-wicket victory for the home side with a huge six, as the New Zealanders revelled in chilly conditions at Carisbrook while the South Africans froze.
A record third wicket stand of 126 off 123 balls between Man-of-the-Match Hamish Marshall, who scored 74, and Scott Styris, 69, saw New Zealand reach their victory target after South Africa had earlier scored 259-7.
Big-hitting Cairns ensured the game was wrapped up with an over to spare, whacking Makhaya Ntini for two huge sixes and adding another off Andre Nel to be unbeaten on 29 from 22 balls.
Pollock, not down to start in Tuesday's washed out game because of a groin strain, but fit enough 24 hours later, went wicketless for a fifth consecutive match to stay stranded on 295 career scalps, but was the only bowler to contain New Zealand with none for 33 off 10.
On what was a hard, fast batsman's paradise, New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming made South Africa bat first and their total of 259 for seven, was about 20 runs short of what would have been a competitive score.
But where South Africa's top order failed to bed in, and they were four for 100 in the 28th over, Marshall and Styris came together at 102 for two in the 23rd. There was one anxious moment when Lance Klusener dropped a return catch from Marshall on nine, but the partnership ran smoothly after that.
Marshall reached his fifth half-century off 60 balls as he and Styris passed the previous best third-wicket stand against South Africa of 110 by Stephen Fleming and Roger Twose in Kimberley in 2000.
Styris continued his series sequence of 60, 24 and 45 not out with 69 off 62 balls including five fours and a huge straight six off Ntini. Openers Fleming and Michael Papps again put New Zealand on the right track by adding 71 in 16 overs, Fleming carving 51 off 56 balls and international newcomer Papps moving ever closer to securing the Test opener's spot with a polished 29.
Fleming made the right choice when he won the toss, as recalled paceman Michael Mason and Jacob Oram applied early pressure. Mason opened with one for 16 off six, trapping Herschelle Gibbs leg before wicket on 16, while Oram had two for 21 off seven, including Smith for 37 and Jacques Kallis for 13.
Jacques Rudolph and Nicky Boje fired up South Africa in the polar conditions coming together at four for 100 in the 28th over, and putting on 85 runs in 86 balls before Boje was bowled by Styris for 50.
Left-hander Rudolph, coming back after a bout of flu scored an unbeaten 70 off 71 balls. Oram ended with three for 51 off 10 overs while Mason conceded 30 off his last four to end with one for 46 off 10 in his first match on home soil.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA:
G.C. Smith c McCullum b Oram 37
H.H. Gibbs lbw b Mason 16
J.H. Kallis c Cairns b Oram 13
H.H. Dippenaar b Cairns 18
N. Boje b Styris 50
J.A. Rudolph not out 70
M.V. Boucher c McMillan b Oram 35
S.M. Pollock c Vettori b Mills 5
L. Klusener not out 3
EXTRAS (LB-6, W-3, NB-3) 12
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 259
FALL OF WKTS: 1-29, 2-53, 3-78, 4-100, 5-184, 6-248, 7-255.
DID NOT BAT: M. Ntini, A. Nel.
BOWLING: Mason 10-1-46-1 (1w); Mills 10-1-53-1 (2nb); Oram 10-1-51-3; Cairns 10-1-42-1 (1nb, 1w); Vettori 5-0-28-0 (1w); Styris 5-0-33-1.
NEW ZEALAND:
M.H.W. Papps c Boje b Ntini 29
S.P. Fleming c Pollock b Boje 51
H.J.H. Marshall c Kallis b Ntini 74
S.B. Styris c Klusener b Nel 69
C.D. McMillan not out 6
C.L. Cairns not out 29
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-2, NB-2) 6
TOTAL (for four wkts, 49 overs) 264
FALL OF WKTS: 1-71, 2-102, 3-228, 4-230.
DID NOT BAT: J.D.P. Oram, B.B. McCullum, D.L. Vettori, K.D. Mills, M.P. Mason.
BOWLING: Pollock 10-2-33-0; Nel 10-0-60-1 (1w); Ntini 10-0-63-2; Klusener 8-0-39-0 (2nb); Boje 6-0-35-1 (1w); Kallis 5-0-32-0.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Hamish Marshall.
NEXT MATCH: Auckland (D/N), Feb 28.-AFP/Reuters