Home ground but unfamiliar conditions didn’t fall in New Zealand’s favour as AB de Villiers-led South African registered a clinical six-wicket win over the hosts in the first one-dayer of the three-match series at Bay Oval.
This is the first time New Zealand was hosting a match in October and that too at an alien venue in Mount Maunganui. The Black Caps playing their first one-day international since January failed to unsettle the visitors, who played as a unit.
The New Zealanders looked rusty against the steaming Proteas pace attack and at one time were reduced to 156 for nine in 35 overs. Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir and Ryan McLaren ripped through the Black Caps batting order.
“Very happy, can’t fault the bowlers’ effort with them getting the team nine down, but thinking of the world cup, if we get teams nine down in 35 overs, we need to finish them off,” de Villiers said. “Played pretty good cricket, fighting back from four down to win it.”
Luke Ronchi and Trent Boult, however, showed fighting instinct and gave their side a more than decent chance by lifting them to 230, which at one time looked highly unlikely. The last-wicket pair stitched 74 runs but it proved insufficient at the end.
Ronchi didn’t bog down as the wickets kept falling from the other end and made an 83-ball 99. He, however, missed out on a well-deserved century, while running down Dale Steyn to the third man but was caught by Quinton de Kock.
“Luke Ronchi was brilliant, disappointed for him not to get a hundred,” kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum insisted. “Always good to see Dan back, different role today. Looked like he was racing around like a youngster.”
Despite setting under-par total on the board, the Black Caps came out firing and got early breakthroughs through Boult, who dismissed de Kock (9) and Faf du Plessis (8) inside 10 overs to put the hosts upfront.
“Rusty, little uncertain of the conditions,” McCullum said. “Wicket played relatively well. Tennis ball bounce, slower than we realised. Through the top and middle stages, they kept picking up wickets regularly. Boult was outstanding today, starting to flow his Test game into the shorter game.”
New Zealand got four Proteas wickets inside 100 runs, but de Villiers (89 not out) and JP Duminy (58 not out) took the game away from them by making an unbeaten 139 runs partnership for the fifth wicket.
“Felt pretty good, Funny kind of wicket,” de Villiers said. “Didn’t feel like I was in at any stage. Forced me to play more conservatively.”
