New Zealand v South Africa, 2014-15
Wisden's review of the second ODI, New Zealand v South Africa, 2014-15
15-Apr-2015
At Mount Maunganui, October 24, 2014. South Africa won by 72 runs. Toss: New Zealand.
Plenty of teams have paid for a moment's inattention against Hashim Amla. New Zealand became the latest, as he profited from two drops to make his fourth one-day international century of 2014. Both chances came off Southee before Amla had reached 15: an edge flew between wicketkeeper Ronchi and first slip Latham; then a skied hook landed harmlessly in front of Vettori, apparently unsighted by the sun. With du Plessis in menacing form, Amla paced himself expertly, until South Africa lost seven for 47, as Anderson finished the innings with a double-wicket maiden, and McClenaghan, in his 23rd one-day international, became the joint-second-fastest to 50 wickets (Ajantha Mendis got there in 19). But none of New Zealand's top four could manage more than 20. Latham's dismissal was comical: he paddled a de Villiers long-hop to short fine leg to give him his first wicket, in his 170th one-day international; the second came when Boult missed a slower ball. Ronchi managed 79 off 83 deliveries, but this time it was damage limitation. Remarkably, he and McClenaghan put on 76, to beat the New Zealand tenth-wicket record Ronchi and Boult had set three days earlier. By then, though, the crowd's buzz had faded to a resigned hum.
Man of the Match: H. M. Amla.
Plenty of teams have paid for a moment's inattention against Hashim Amla. New Zealand became the latest, as he profited from two drops to make his fourth one-day international century of 2014. Both chances came off Southee before Amla had reached 15: an edge flew between wicketkeeper Ronchi and first slip Latham; then a skied hook landed harmlessly in front of Vettori, apparently unsighted by the sun. With du Plessis in menacing form, Amla paced himself expertly, until South Africa lost seven for 47, as Anderson finished the innings with a double-wicket maiden, and McClenaghan, in his 23rd one-day international, became the joint-second-fastest to 50 wickets (Ajantha Mendis got there in 19). But none of New Zealand's top four could manage more than 20. Latham's dismissal was comical: he paddled a de Villiers long-hop to short fine leg to give him his first wicket, in his 170th one-day international; the second came when Boult missed a slower ball. Ronchi managed 79 off 83 deliveries, but this time it was damage limitation. Remarkably, he and McClenaghan put on 76, to beat the New Zealand tenth-wicket record Ronchi and Boult had set three days earlier. By then, though, the crowd's buzz had faded to a resigned hum.
Man of the Match: H. M. Amla.