ICC World Cup 2019: Match 25, New Zealand vs South Africa, Review – Williamson and Grandhomme take Kiwis ‘home’ in a ‘grand’ manner

The game between New Zealand and South Africa at the Edgbaston in Birmingham turned out to be a cliffhanger. It went right down to the last over where both the teams had an equal chance to win. Eventually, the Kiwis skipper Kane Williamson took them home with four wickets and three balls to spare. Even as the Black Caps top the points table, the Proteas’ semis-hopes of advancing to the next round took another blow.

South Africa huff and puff

The Proteas brought back Lungi Ngidi, who developed a hamstring strain earlier this month, in place of Beuran Hendricks. After a rain delay and under overcast conditions, it didn’t spring a surprise that the Black Caps elected to field first. The decision paid dividends as Trent Boult cleaned up Quinton de Kock. Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla added 50 for the second wicket and was seeming to get the measure of the conditions.

Lockie Ferguson pulled out a lethal Yorker to send back Faf, who could manage a 35-ball 23. Aiden Markram and Amla stitched together a stand of 52 runs. Amla got to his maiden fifty in the mega event off 75 deliveries. Mitchell Santner spun one past his outside edge to send him packing. Amla with a laboured effort managed an 83-ball 55 with four boundaries. Markram also looked good for his 38 off 55 with four fours.

Colin de Grandhomme got Markram’s number in the 33rd over. At the other end, Rassie van der Dussen was arguably South Africa’s most fluent batsman, as he scored an unbeaten 67 off 64 balls with a couple of fours and three sixes. David Miller threatened to play a big knock, having scored 36 off 37 but got out before firing off. For the Kiwis, Ferguson was the most successful with three wickets. The Proteas in their innings racked up 241 runs in 50 overs.

Grandhomme and Kane do it for the Kiwis

In the run-chase, Colin Munro started with a couple of fours, but a sharp caught and bowled from Kagiso Rabada showed him the door. Martin Guptill cobbled together a partnership of 60 with skipper Kane Williamson. Unfortunately, he got himself out in a bizarre manner as Guptill stepped onto the stumps after scoring 35 off 59. The Kiwis lost Tom Latham and Ross Taylor in no time and that almost derailed their innings.

Both Latham and Taylor perished to Chris Morris, and the strikes reduced the Blacks from 74/1 to 80/4. With the team under extreme pressure, James Neesham joined his skipper in the middle. Meanwhile, captain Kane got his third fifty of this mega event off 72 balls, but there was still a lot of work to be done. Neesham scored 23 in a partnership of 57 with Williamson after which Morris nipped him out.

De Grandhomme came out firing on all cylinders and played his shots. In the last 10 overs, the Kiwis needed 59 runs. Grandhomme got to his fifty in a mere 39 balls and took his team close and he got out to Lungi Ngidi for 60. In the last over, the Kiwis needed eight runs and Williamson deposited Phehlukwayo over mid-wicket on the first ball to seal the deal and bring up his ton. He then picked up a single to pull the curtains down.

Brief Scores

South Africa: 241/6 in 49 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 67*, Hashim Amla 55, Aiden Markram 38: Lockie Ferguson 3/59)

New Zealand: 245/6 in 48.3 overs (Kane Williamson 106*, Colin de Grandhomme 60, Martin Guptill 35: Chris Morris 3/49)

Result: New Zealand win by four wickets

Man of the match: Kane Williamson

Here is the Points Table: