Live Score Updates
New Zealand 299/6 (42.5 Ovs)
Elliott 84 (73)
South Africa 281/5
Steyn 8.5-0-76-1
NZ won by 4 wkts (D/L method)
 |  |  |
Grant Elliott smashed an unbeaten 84 to help New Zealand reach the final of the World Cup for the first time. © AFP
Match end: New Zealand staring at history
New Zealand have finally broken the jinx and have qualified for the final of the World Cup for the first time. They will play the winner of the second semi-final between Australia and India in Sydney on Thursday. New Zealand and Melbourne will be waiting with bated breath.
Post match comments: McCullum praises Elliott, Ab de Villiers is devastated
AB de Villiers: "Amazing game of cricket, this is probably the most electric crowd I've ever heard in my life. Credit to the crowd here tonight. They were really here to support their team. I guess the better team came out on top today. We gave it our best. We left everything out here on the field and I couldn't ask anything more from my boys. We don't go back with any regrets, but I guess we had our chances and it's hurting quite a bit. So it will take us a while to get over this. That (rain coming down when South Africa were set for a big score) is probably the worst of it all. We are not playing for ourselves. There is a bigger picture. We are playing to make a difference in our country back home. Hopefully the way the passion we showed here did make a difference in our country back home and I hope people back home can still be proud of us no matter about the fact we lost tonight. I felt we had wonderful things going as a team in this tournament. Really had a good feeling."
Brendon McCullum: "It's pretty amazing. They gave us a tough fight. Really proud of the boys. That obviously set it up nicely for us, two set batsmen were at the crease. What a great innings from Elliott. He's played a match-winning innings in the semi-final and the partnership he had with Corey was amazing. We had to generate some sort of run rate early when you are chasing a big total. This is the greatest time of our lives as players. The brand of cricket we have been playing is phenominanl. Hopefully we'll win it in a few days time. We know that if we play good cricket we will have a great chance in the final. We've got an outstanding management with us."
Grant Elliott (Man of the Match): "I don't think this win is for myself, not for the team, but it's for everyone here. The support has been amazing. We (him and Anderson) just wanted to take it as deep as we could and Corey (Anderson) batted fantastically well and I think we timed the pace of the innings to perfection. Probably not (when asked if he was calm during the final stages), but when you have got 40,000 fans screaming at you every ball, it's has been an absolute pleasure playing at Eden Park, playing in front of the home crowd. I think we have had a good run and it is the first final we have been in as a New Zealand team and we are a very leveled team. We will approach it as every other game and when we look back at the end of the day hopefully, it falls in our place (talking about the final). Nothing, nothing, I didn't even know where the ball went."
Match analysis: Elliott proves to be a master-stroke
Grant Elliott has lived up to his nickname of 'Magic'. His selection prior to the World Cup was met with some disbelief but he has repaid the faith back immensely. In the series against Sri Lanka, he was in fine form and on the big stage, he held his nerve and made an unbeaten 84 to help New Zealand reach their maiden World Cup final.
This is not the first time Elliott has delivered under pressure. In the 2009 Champions Trophy, Elliott played a similar knock against Pakistan in the semi-finals and it helped New Zealand reach the final.
This was the final match of the New Zealand summer. Auckland has produced three absolute humdingers in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. The thrilling Trans-Tasman clash, Pakistan's greatest victory in World Cups against South Africa and now the semi-final. It has been a brilliant host and from all cricketing fans, we say a loud 'Thank You' to New Zealand for being such excellent hosts.
Match analysis: Elliott, McCullum
The first semi-final of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 3644th ODI has proven to be the clash for the ages. AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis were looking ominous during the South African innings before the rain intervened. After a 90-minute rain delay, the match was reduced to 43 overs and David Miller's exploits helped them reach 281/5.
Chasing a revised D/L target of 298, Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill got off to a blazing start. McCullum, in particular, was devastating and he got going by smashing 18 runs off Vernon Philander and 25 runs off Dale Steyn. McCullum's fifty came off 22 balls but he perished n the quest for aggression. New Zealand maintained a brisk scoring rate but they lost wickets quickly.
In stepped Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott. Both of them benefited from some fielding lapses from the South African fielders. Both batsmen survived some close run-out chances and they gradually gave New Zealand hope. Both batsmen went past their fifties and the 103-run stand made the match evenly poised. Anderson departed for 58 but Elliott held his nerve and helped New Zealand win the match by four wickets with one ball to spare.
Sydney 1992. Edgbaston 1999. Durban 2003. Dhaka 2011 and now Auckland 2015. Every World Cup has proven to be painful for South Africa and this result continues the sorry saga. However, they have done the world proud with their performances. This is the fourth consecutive loss for South Africa against New Zealand in World Cups.
For New Zealand, the ghosts of all the previous World Cup semi-final exits have been exorcised. In 1992, there was heartbreak in Auckland. 23 years later, Auckland has given them immense joy. In a stroke, 1999, 2007 and 2011 have all faded away into oblivion.
Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott's fifties have given New Zealand hope in the semi-final © Getty
Update: Elliott brilliance helps New Zealand to their maiden World Cup final
What a moment! What a match! What an occasion! 10 runs needed off 4 balls but Grant Elliott and Daniel Vettori held their nerve to clinch one of the greatest victories for New Zealand in the World Cup.
Vettori backs away and carves a full toss to third man for a boundary and he steals a bye to take the equation to five runs in two balls. Elliott, like the iceman, remains calm and smashes a six in the fifth ball to help New Zealand reach the final of the World Cup for the first time.
As soon as the winning runs were hit, New Zealand's players celebrated in joy and the Auckland capacity crowd celebrated. For South Africa, Morne Morkel, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers broke down. It was indeed heartbreaking for South Africa, who have been knocked out in the most exceptional circumstances for the fourth time.
In a twist of fate, a South Africa born batsman knocked South Africa out of the World Cup.
Update: More drama in the final over
Dale Steyn has pulled up after bowling two balls. The physio is out there and it seems he is suffering from cramps in his calf. More delay as the match extends even further. 10 needed off 4 balls, 9 to tie
Update: All down to the last over
Grant Elliott is playing a gem of a innings here. And there is plenty of drama in Morne Morkel's last over. Elliott top edges a pull shot to long leg and JP Duminy and the subsitute Farhaan Behardien drops the catch. New Zealand need 12 runs in the final over, with 11 to tie.
Update: South Africa close in, New Zealand have a faint chance
23 needed off 12 balls. Morne Morkel will bowl the penultimate over while Dale Steyn will bowl the final over. Elliott is still there.
Update: Quinton de Kock misses the run-out
Grant Elliott nudged Dale Steyn to deep backward square leg and set off for a risky couple. Rillee Rossouw swoops in and fires a good throw at the keeper but Quinton de Kock does not collect it and he breaks the stumps prematurely. The match continues to see-saw.
Wicket: Ronchi falls, NZ on the back foot
Steyn gets the big wicket and it is now advantage South Africa. Ronchi flicks it straight to deep square leg and South Africa in front.
Luke Ronchi c Rillee Rossouw b Dale Steyn 8 (7)
Update: Match is turning into a cliffhanger
Tahir has conceded seven runs in his ninth over and he finishes with figures of 9-1-40-0. He has now bowled out. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel will now bowl out.
Wicket: Anderson falls, game evenly poised
It is the big moment of the match. Morne Morkel had conceded just one run in five balls and the pressure was immense. Anderson looks to pull a short ball but ends up getting a top edge and Faf du Plessis takes the high catch and roars in delight. The third umpire checks whether the ball touched the ropes of the spider camera but it is alright.
Corey Anderson c Faf du Plessis b Morne Morkel 58 (57)
Milestones: Anderson, Elliott fifties give NZ hope
Grant Elliott scored his eighth ODI fifty while Corey Anderson scored his fourth ODI fifty as their partnership gave New Zealand some hope. The batting Powerplay has also been good for New Zealand. They scored 35 for the loss of no wickets. Game on in Auckland. The partnership has also gone past 100.
Brendon McCullum blazed away to a magnificent fifty © Agencies
Update: Corey Anderson survives a run-out
Massive moment in the game! AB de Villiers shows he is human. Elliott taps Steyn to point and Anderson sets off for a quick single. He is sent back with Anderson half-way down the pitch and he is slow in turning back. The point fielder fires the throw at the bowler's end and de Villiers does not collect the ball cleanly. In the process, he knocks the stumps over and he tries to uproot the stump but is unable to do so. Anderson had given up but he survives.
Update: Fifty partnership between Elliott and Anderson
Grant Elliott and Corey Anderson are keeping New Zealand's hopes alive as the match is evenly poised. The partnership has gone past 50 and New Zealand have reached 200. It is a close match.
Update: Match evenly poised
The fifth bowling option is proving to be costly for South Africa. JP Duminy concedes 13 runs in his fifth over and New Zealand need 102 runs in 14 overs. It is very much gettable.
Wicket: Taylor's struggles ends
Ross Taylor has been struggling in this 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and he finally departs. Duminy floats a flatter delivery down the leg side and Taylor looks to tickle it to fine leg but gets an edge that is well taken by the keeper.
Ross Taylor c Quinton de Kock b JP Duminy 30 (39)
Update: Bowling issues for South Africa
South Africa are facing some issues in their bowling right now. Dale Steyn has walked off due to a hamstring injury while they are struggling with the fifth bowler's composition. This is the time New Zealand must capitalize.
Wicket: Run-out dents NZ further
A horrible mix-up and Guptill, who had scores of 105 and 237* in his previous two matches, falls. This is a big wicket. Taylor taps the delivery to point and hesitates as he takes the quick single. Even Guptill hesitates and Amla swoops in and fires the throw to Quinton de Kock who whips the bails off quickly to catch Guptill well short. The game is evenly poised in Auckland.
Martin Guptill run-out (Hashim Amla/Quinton de Kock) 34 (38)
In fact, in the last two matches, both these batsmen have been involved in run-outs. Guptill
Update: Taylor-Guptill keep New Zealand afloat
Following the quick dismissals of Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor have slowly rebuilt the innings and are keeping in touch with the required run-rate. The partnership has now gone past fifty and New Zealand will need these two to carry on.
Wicket: Morne strikes again
Morne Morkel is proving to be a handful for New Zealand. He keeps the delivery short and Williamson is lured into the pull but he ends up dragging it back onto the stumps.
Kane Williamson b Morne Morkel 6 (11)
Update: Guptill, Williamson the key for NZ
With McCullum's dismissal, Martin Guptill is now the key for New Zealand. He is now
Wicket: McCullum falls and South Africa come back in the game
All of Auckland groans in disappointment as Brendon McCullum, who was looking so ominous. The New Zealand skipper comes down the track and Morne bangs a short ball which cramps him for room. McCullum goes for the slog but ends up mistiming it to mid-on where Dale Steyn takes the catch.Update: Guptill survives a review
Martin Guptill looks to go after Imran Tahir as he goes for the sweep but misses it and gets hit on the pad. Tahir appeals vehemently appeals and South Africa take the review. Replays show that the ball was missing the stumps and they lose the review. However, Tahir provides some relief as he bowls a maiden over.
Milestone: Brendon McCullum blasts South Africa away
Chasing a big total needs a great start and Brendon McCullum has provided it in his own style. He blasts Dale Steyn for 25 runs, including three fours and two sixes. He notches up his 31st ODI fifty off just 22 balls and has gone past 3000 ODI runs in New Zealand. McCullum is in that zone and AB de Villiers is a worried man.
Faf du Plessis scored his 15th ODI fifty as South Africa made steady progress. © Getty
Update: Philander finds the going tough
It is not a happy first over for Vernon Philander on his comeback as he leaks 18 runs in his first over. He concedes four byes in his first ball and disappears over long leg for a maximum. He smashes another four and in the final ball, he short-arm pulls it to long leg. T
Brendon McCullum started off in style by smashing a six off Dale Steyn's third ball. New Zealand have already scored eight runs in the first over. Some journalists have pointed out McCullum's end on 281, New Zealand need 298 to qualify
It has been a breathtaking passage of play in the first semi-final. New Zealand started off brightly by taking the wickets of Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla cheaply. Faf du Plessis and Rillee Rossouw steadied the ship by notching up a 83-run stand for the third wicket. When Rossouw perished for 39 thanks to a wonderful catch by Martin Guptill, AB de Villiers came in and blazed away in his trademark style. He notched up his fifty off just 32 balls and the signs looked ominous.
Following a 90-minute rain delay, the match was reduced to 43 overs and Faf departed for 82. However, David Miller blasted 49 runs off just 18 balls to help South Africa end on a high. South Africa managed to score 65 runs in the final five overs and New Zealand's target is 298, according to the D/L method. This tweet spells out clearly what New Zealand and
David Miller was hammering New Zealand and he was clearing the Eden Park boundary with ease. However, in the quest for quick runs, Miller slogs at a wide delivery and edges it to the wicketkeeper. Amazing knock from Miller comes to an end.
David Miller c Luke Ronchi b Corey Anderson 49 (18)
Update: Killer Miller on the rampage
David Miller is on the rampage here and he is really killing New Zealand here in Auckland. Tim Southee concedes 17 runs in his eighth over while Corey Anderson concedes 20 runs in another over. Miller is on course to scoring a fifty that puts South Africa in the driver's seat.
Wicket: Corey strikes after the rain break
The rain break has done wonders for New Zealand and they have struck in the first over. Corey Anderson bangs a short ball down the leg side and Faf du Plessis looks to pull but misses it and umpire Ian Gould signals a wide. However, Brendon McCullum opts for the review and replays show the ball brushed the glove. Faf gone for 82. Big chance for New Zealand. The 103-run partnership is broken.
Faf du Plessis c Luke Ronchi b Corey Anderson 82 (107)
Milestone: De Villiers notches up his fifty
In the blink of an eye, AB de Villiers has notched up his 46th ODI fifty off 32 balls. With the short boundaries in Auckland and South Africa in the last 15 overs, South Africa are looking at a score now in excess of 350.
Update: Kane Williamson potentially drops the cup
It is the BIG moment in the World Cup semi-final. In the second ball of the batting Powerplay, AB de Villiers slams a short ball from Corey Anderson hard to cover and Kane Williamson drops a tough catch at cover. Given the moment, given the hour, it is a massive drop, potentially threatening for New Zealand's chances. To add insult to injury, de Villiers blasts a six and two fours off Anderson in the next three balls.
Update: AB de Villiers survives a run-out
Suicidal run attempted in Auckland. Faf du Plessis taps it hard to point and sets off for a risky single. Kane Williamson has a shy at the striker's end but misses. It could have been a close call but such is de Villiers' speed that he makes it. In fact, he has injured himself while diving but there are no major worries. In the last five overs, South Africa have scored 55 runs and with the batting Powerplay coming up, South Africa are looking at a total in excess of 330.
Update: Du Plessis, de Villiers turning it on
Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers are playing with great control and are setting up the base for an onslaught in the final 10 overs. It needs to be stated that South Africa's strongest area in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup has been in the final 10 overs. To compound matters even further, Corey Anderson has leaked 13 runs in his second over. Things looking ominous for New Zealand.
Milestone: Du Plessis fifty steadies South Africa
With wickets tumbling at the other end, Faf du Plessis made good progress and scored his 15th ODI fifty. On the big stage, this is a vital knock for South Africa and they will be hoping that he can carry on and make a good score.
Wicket: Corey Anderson shows he has the golden arm
Corey Anderson has had a knack of breaking partnerships in this World Cup and he responds yet again in his first over. Anderson bowls a short of a good length delivery outside off and Rossouw punches it on the up to point, but Martin Guptill flies to his right and takes a superb one-handed catch. Guptill can do no wrong. The 83-run stand is broken and New Zealand will be pumped up. However, they will be up against the freak, AB de
South Africa have chosen to bat in the first semi-final against New Zealand in Auckland. © Getty
Update: South Africa facing a serious challenge
The pressure is immense in Eden Park. Here are some of the tweets that sum up the mood ome. They have won seven matches in this World Cup and before the tournament, they won two ODIs against Pakistan.
7 - This is New Zealand's seventh semi-final appearance while South Africa have reached the semi-finals in 1992, 1999 and 2007.
6 - The number of times New Zealand and South Africa have played each other in World Cups before this match. New Zealand hold a 4-2 advantage over South Africa in World Cups. In fact, New Zealand have won their last three encounters against South Africa in the World Cup.
Matt Henry picked up 4 for 38 on debut against India in Wellington in 2014. © Getty
Update: Matt Henry profile
Matt Henry's journey is a story in itself. He made a sparkling debut against India in Wellington during the 2014 series and picked up 4 for 38. He has impressed since then in the seven subsequent ODIs and overall, he has taken 21 wickets at a wonderful average of 15.42 and a strike rate of 18.7.
A lot of eyebrows were raised when Henry was dropped from the 15-man World Cup squad. This was after a strong showing in the series against Pakistan where he picked his maiden five-wicket haul. However, he put in some strong performances in the Plunket Shield for Canterbury where he picked up 20 wickets in five games. A heel injury to Adam Milne meant that Henry was drafted into the squad and he is playing today in the semi-final. Talk about excitement and nervousness.
No comments:
Post a Comment