South Africa is having a great World Cup this year. Barring a disappointing loss against the Netherlands, the Proteas have won all their remaining matches. After beating England and Australia, Temba Bavuma’s team has one foot in the semi-finals of the tournament after defeating the strong New Zealand by a big margin. South Africa defeated New Zealand by a huge margin of 190 runs in Pune on Wednesday (November 1).
With this victory, South Africa has reached the top of the table after 7 matches with 12 points keeping behind the host India. Even with the same number of points in 6 matches, India has dropped to two as the net run rate is lower. On the other hand, New Zealand has gone down to fourth spot with 8 points in 7 matches.
Kiwi captain Tom Latham won the toss and sent South Africa to bat first. However, in the current World Cup, sending the Proteas to bat earlier means allowing runs to flood. This match was no exception. Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen, who were in career-best form, scored a couple of centuries to help the Proteas score 357 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in the allotted 50 overs.
Chasing a huge target, New Zealand lost opener Devon Conway (2) by just 8 runs. After that, Will Young and Rachin Ravindra failed to attack the Protea bowlers after trying to take the lead of the team in the second wicket. Ravindra left the crease whilst the team total was 45 runs and Young left with 56 runs. Ravindra scored 9 runs off 16 balls and got out being the victim of Marco Jansen. Young returned to the dressing room by Gerald Coetzee with 33 off 37 balls.
After the departure of the two, the Kiwis’ batting camp collapsed. Skipper Latham departed after playing an individual 4-run innings for the team’s 67 runs. Daryl Mitchell played an individual 24-run innings and made his way back to the pavilion for the team’s 90 runs off Keshav Maharaj. After that, Glenn Phillips tried to keep the team score flowing by keeping one end safe, but Mitchell Santner and James Neesham could not accompany him.
Phillips was a little aggressive when they lost the ninth wicket of the team’s 133 runs. He quickly picked up a personal fifty. In the end, he got out in the 36th over after scoring 60 runs off 50 balls hitting 4 sixes and 4 fours. The innings of the Kiwis stopped at 167 runs.
Keshav Maharaj took the maximum number of 4 wickets at the cost of 46 runs for the Proteas. Marco Jansen took 3 wickets for 31 runs. Gerald Coetzee clutched 2 wickets.
The Kiwis had a disappointing day with the bat, but the South African batsmen had a run festival when they came out to bat first. They started slowly. When Proteas captain Bavuma was dismissed in the ninth over, the team total was 38 runs. They collected 43 runs, losing 1 wicket in the first power play.
However, the in-form De Kock began to open his hand with time. Partner Van der Dussen also played with open arms. They added exactly 200 runs in the pair of 189 balls. Meanwhile, De Kock scored his fourth century in the current World Cup. He scored 114 off 116 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes, was caught by Phillips off Tim Southee and this pair was broken.
Van der Dussen also got a century. He scored 133 off 118 balls with 9 fours and 5 sixes before being bowled by Southee. This is his second century in the current World Cup. He also smashed a century against Sri Lanka in the first match. De Kock also scored a century that day.
David Miller scored a half-century after being promoted to the batting order. He scored 53 runs off 30 balls smashing 2 fours and 4 sixes. Heinrich Klaasen played an innings of 15 runs off 7 balls. And Aiden Markram remained unbeaten with a six off the last ball.
Tim Southee took 2 wickets with 77 runs in 10 overs for New Zealand. On the day of the run festival, Trent Boult got 1 wicket conceding 49 runs in 10 overs. James Neesham took the remaining wicket giving away 69 runs in 5.3 overs.
South Africa – 357/4 (50.0)
New Zealand – 167/10 (35.3)
Result – South Africa won by 190 runs
Player of the match – Rassie van der Dussen
Rassie van der Dussen
New Zealand | Tom Latham (c & wk), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, Matt Henry, Trent Boult, and Tim Southee. |
South Africa | Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, and Kagiso Rabada. |
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