South Africa nearly messed up another run chase, but Ryan McLaren's six
off the final ball ensured they avoided their first limited-overs
whitewash on home soil by securing a gripping one-wicket victory in
Potchefstroom. Graeme Smith's tenth ODI hundred was guiding the innings
only for another uncertain display from the middle and lower order to
mean the game was never dead and it came down to needing three off the
last ball.
James Franklin, who the ball before had Dale Steyn caught at deep
midwicket, tried to bowl wide of off stump and McLaren responded by
scooping him over fine leg. Still, while the crowd went wild, South
Africa's celebrations, after the initial relief, were muted as they had
still come second best in this series and, barring Smith, their batting
performance was again one to raise concerns.
New Zealand never gave up and deserve immense credit for how they turned
their fortunes around during this one-day series. For a side that
fielded outstandingly, though, they will regret one moment when McLaren,
on 6, was dropped at deep midwicket by Jimmy Neesham who approached the
catch far too casually.
While Smith was at the crease the chase, while never simple, was under
control. He had brought up his hundred with consecutive boundaries off
Kane Williamson but attempting to loft the same bowler down the ground
picked out long-on with 32 still needed from 26 balls. Rory Kleinveldt
and Aaron Phangiso then both fell swinging across the line at Mitchell
McClenaghan to set up the grandstand final over where eight were needed
with two wickets in hand.
But Smith's innings deserved to be a matchwinner. During the course of
his 130-ball stay he moved second in the list of all-time run-scorers
for South Africa in ODIs, now just behind Jacques Kallis and Herschelle
Gibbs. Early on he was given plenty on the pads to pick off, but the
cover drive, not often a shot associated with Smith, twice made an
appearance.
His opening stand of 83 with Quinton de Kock laid the ideal base to
chase 260 but after de Kock misjudged his pull against Franklin the
innings stalled as New Zealand applied pressure. Nathan McCullum's
offspin was hard to score off and when South Africa called for the
Powerplay in the 27th over Colin Ingram pulled the first ball of it to
midwicket.
More loose shots followed, with Smith watching on from the other end.
Faf du Plessis also picked out midwicket against Kyle Mills, Farhaan
Behardien chipped a catch back to Williamson who did well to hold on
while colliding with Smith and David Miller played a hot-headed hoick
across the line shortly after Smith had reached his hundred. At 205 for 5
in the 42nd over New Zealand were back in contention and when they
removed Smith the whitewash was on the cards, but McLaren managed to
keep his cool.
New Zealand had earlier recovered impressively to reach 260, after
familiar problems at the top of the order left them 68 for 4, with Grant
Elliott, Colin Munro and Franklin hitting half-centuries. South Africa
will again be concerned about how they could not finish off an innings
with the ball as well as they had started.
Elliott, who played an important innings in Kimberley, began binding the
innings together. Munro grew as his stay progressed and at one stage
lofted Steyn for six having already taken debutant Phangiso for three
boundaries in an over during a maiden international fifty. He had been
given lbw against McLaren when he had 2 but he correctly reviewed as the
ball had pitched outside leg and also took an inside edge.
Eventually, however, both batsmen fell to Lonwabo Tsotsobe who had made
the early breakthroughs with the new ball. Elliott was the second wicket
of the innings to be caught at third man and Munro edged a slower ball.
New Zealand, though, benefited from their deep batting order which has
been key throughout this series. South Africa, who were again slow with
their overs but escaped punishment from match referee David Boon, also
gave a helping hand by conceded 17 wides.
Losing regular wickets meant Franklin could not cut loose, but he took
the innings as deep as he could with some smart batting. He managed to
keep the strike after the ninth wicket fell in the 48th over and the
final 11 balls of the innings brought 26 runs, including a six off the
penultimate delivery to reach his fifty. It was enough to set up an
engrossing finish.
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