Narrow win for Proteas in last-over madness against Black Caps
23 Feb 2012
AUCKLAND — Marchant de Lange took two wickets in a final over yesterday that conceded only three runs as the Proteas blunted New Zealand’s run chase to win the third T20 by three runs and take the series 2-1.

New Zealand started the last over needing seven runs with five wickets in hand to overhaul South Africa’s total of 165-7, but failed spectacularly to finish on 162-7 in one of their most embarrassing international defeats.

Even a no-ball by De Lange from the last delivery of the innings couldn’t save the hosts.

The hosts had been coasting to victory when Jesse Ryder compiled a half-century from 37 balls. He hit five fours and two sixes after Rob Nicol (33) and Martin Guptill (26) had put on 65 for the first wicket.

Brendon McCullum furthered the run chase, scoring 18 from 19 balls.

When Nathan McCullum was out in the 16th over, New Zealand needed 24 runs from 28 balls.

Ryder was held scoreless for eight consecutive deliveries by tight Proteas bowling. He was out for 52, leaving the Kiwis on 158-5 and needing eight to win with seven balls left.

De Lange bowled a series of fast, short-pitched deliveries from which a succession of New Zealand batsmen were unable to score. The New Zealanders were bent on hitting boundaries and, as each ball passed without a run being scored, the match tipped in South Africa’s favour, with De Lange and off-spinner Johan Botha maintaining an unrelenting pressure.

Nathan McCullum top-edged a contrived shot and was caught by wicketkeeper AB de Villiers from the third ball of De lange’s final over. A scoreless Doug Bracewell was caught by Hashim Amla two balls later.

James Franklin faced the prospect of hitting a six from the final ball of the innings to win the match, but was reprieved when De Lange overstepped. New Zealand scrambled a single and Southee was left with the strike and a free hit, needing a four to win the match.

De Lange bowled a fast ball wide of off stump and Southee, anchored on the crease and swinging blindly, hit air. — Sapa-AP.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa

R. Levi c Nicol b Franklin11

H. Amla c B.McCullum b Bracewell33

A. Morkel c Nicol b Southee10

AB de Villiers b Nicol29

JP Duminy run out38

J. Ontong lbw b Nicol6

J. Botha c Guptill b Southee2

W. Parnell not out22

R. Peterson not out11

Extras: (lb1, w2)3

TOTAL: (7 wickets; 20 overs)165

Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Levi), 2-39 (A.Morkel), 3-59 (Amla), 4-121 (Duminy), 5-129 (de Villiers), 6-130 (Ontong), 7-137 (Botha)

Bowling: Hira 2-0-20-0, Bates 3-0-29-0, Franklin 2-0-23-1, Southee 4-0-22-2, Bracewell 4-0-28-1, N.McCullum 2-0-22-0, Nicol 3-0-20-2

New Zealand

R. Nicol c Levi b Morkel33

M.Guptill c Amla b Botha26

J. Ryder c M.Morkel b Botha52

B. McCullum c de Villiers b Peterson18

K. Williamson c A.Morkel b M.Morkel6

J. Franklin not out9

N. McCullum c de Villiers b de Lange0

D. Bracewell c Amla b de Lange0

T. Southee not out0

Extras: (lb5, w12, nb1)18

TOTAL: (7 wickets; 20 overs)162

Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Nicol), 2-73 (Guptill), 3-112 (B.McCullum), 4-142 (Williamson) 5-158 (Ryder), 6-160 (N.McCullum), 7-160 (Bracewell)

Bowling: Peterson 4-0-34-1, de Lange 4-0-36-2, A.Morkel 1-0-13-0, M.Morkel 4-0-31-2, Botha 4-0-20-2, Parnell 1-0-14-0, Duminy 2-0-9-0