Innings New Zealand 149 (de Grandhomme 32, Rabada 3-25, Tahir 2-14) v South Africa
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
01:38
McGlashan: de Villiers could decide fate of series
South Africa produced a performance of sustained hostility with the ball and intensity in the ground-fielding as they dismantled New Zealand for 149 in the deciding ODI at Eden Park.
There was no let-up from South Africa’s attack, beginning with Kagiso Rabada’s working over of the Hamilton hero Martin Guptill, to the accuracy of Imran Tahir – who produced the most economical 10-over spell by a South Africa spinner in ODIs – and the bustling skiddy seamers of Andile Phehlukwayo as he returned after a minor groin injury. And when it wasn’t the bowlers it was the fielders, run outs accounting for Kane Williamson and Mitchell Santner.
However, even taking into account South Africa’s excellence it was a miserable batting display from New Zealand which quickly moved the narrative on from Wednesday evening in Hamilton. Colin de Grandhomme ended as the top-scorer at No. 8 before being the last-man out with more than eight overs remaining.
AB de Villiers had made it five correct calls in a row at the toss and, perhaps with half an eye on the chance of showers later (remember the World Cup), opted for a chase. The crowd wanted to see more of Guptill – his name was cheered raucously when the teams were read out and again as he strode to middle. But there was no repeat of Seddon Park.
He opened his account off his 11th ball with a skewed drive over point, missed a pull at Chris Morris which brought an appeal for caught behind but had brushed the hip and was hustled by the pace of Rabada on a surface where the ball flew through more than any other in the series.
It was a superb set-up from Rabada, a sharp bouncer which ensured Guptill had to be wary of planting forward then a yorker which he tried to advance to but only got in a horrid position with his stumps exposed. As ugly as Hamilton was breathtaking.
Williamson and Dean Brownlie weathered the rest of the opening ten overs but a horror few minutes sent the innings into a spiral. It’s a period Brownlie will want to forget. Firstly he decided to chance de Villiers’ fielding at midwicket which left Williamson stranded when the South Africa captain dived and flicked in the blink of an eye. Williamson’s bat got caught in the turf short of the crease, but he would have been short regardless.
Then three balls later, Brownlie play round a full delivery from Phehlukwayo and almost walked before the finger was raised. The scoring seized up. Tahir’s first four overs cost just four and ten runs came between the 10th and 16th overs. As in Wellington, Phehlukwayo was key to that, bowling wicket-to-wicket at brisk pace, and was rewarded again when Ross Taylor fell across a straight one.
Luke Ronchi hadn’t passed fifty in 31 ODI innings – since his career-best 170 not out against Sri Lanka in January 2015 – and looked all at sea. He was given a loud cheer when his first run came off his 15th delivery, but the end was tame when he tried to sway out of the line of a short ball which followed him and grazed the glove.
James Neesham, yesterday recalled to the Test squad, was as comfortable as any of the top order and pinged a straight six down the ground off Dwaine Pretorius but for the second time in the series was removed by a short ball from Rabada although it needed the DRS to confirm the top order.
New Zealand were plummeting fast and had to try and see out the overs. Santner and de Grandhomme were both given lives by missed caught and bowled chances and nudged, flicked and scampered best they could – de Grandhomme finally opening his shoulders to clear long-off – but the build-up to Santner’s demise highlighted South Africa’s suffocating ground fielding. Three consecutive shots from Santner were intercepted sharply in the infield, then the fourth when to JP Duminy at backward point who slid and threw from the ground, hitting directly with Santner nowhere.
Tahir, who did not concede anything other than singles, gained his reward against the lower order and the last wicket came via the DRS when de Grandhomme’s bottom edge to give Rabada his third wasn’t initially spotted.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo