RESULT
1st ODI (D/N), Centurion, August 19, 2015, New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa
(48.1/50 ov, T:305) 284

South Africa won by 20 runs

Player Of The Match
124 (126)
hashim-amla
New
NZ
Full commentary

8.50pm Right, then. That is it from me for this first ODI. Do join us for the second ODI between these two sides on Sunday. Until then, ciao.

8.30pm Well, what a match to begin. New Zealand will be distraught with that chase. They had it for major chunks of that innings, but lost too many wickets far too quickly. A brief few overs in the middle claimed three-four wickets, which in hindsight was the turning point of the game. South Africa were excellent for lots of that bowling innings but were unnaturally poor for a lot of time too. Their fielding is a point of concern, more than a few catches were dropped. But more importantly, they found a way to win.\

Hashim Amla is the Man of the Match. "Myself and Morne found that it was quite hard initially. We found some runs early which released the pressure. I thought 250 was defendable at the interval. Rilee is an exceptional player and we learn from each other."

AB de Villiers: "Very happy with the win, always happy with the win. We played well in patches but some very poor cricket in between. We didn't hit our straps and we need to do that on Sunday. Amazing set up by Hash again. I thought it was hard to bat at the end, the ball got a little soft at the end, I thought we should have won by a bigger margin. I was a bit worried about our energy, but it happens when we have some new faces. Reverse swing went away as we changed the ball but we adapted well.

Kane Williamson: "The way the boys stuck at it with the ball was a good effort. It's always a fine line with white ball cricket. If we could have carried a partnership or two, it would have been interesting. But we were outplayed. Some areas to touch on and SA are a top side and we had to be at our best to beat them. It's always about adapting."

Mumble: "Both teams looked determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory - but it made for entertaining cricket. Good game. "

48.1
1W
Rabada to Milne, 1 run, OUT

gone, it is all over. Very very interesting cricket from NZ. Milne drills past the bowler and they run through for one. But NZ's batsmen aren't satisfied with just the one though. The mid-off fielder is quick to his right to keep it in and gets in a quick throw to Rabada. Just a slight misfield from Philander at mid-off and Sodhi comes back for two. He is well short though and that means South Africa take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Ish Sodhi run out (Philander/Rabada) 0 (0b 0x4 0x6 1m) SR: 0

Basanta: "whom to support at this stage of the game? thoughts are becoming pendulum"

end of over 488 runs • 1 wicket
NZ: 283/9CRR: 5.89 RRR: 11.00
Adam Milne14 (11b 1x4)
Dale Steyn 9-0-50-2
David Wiese 7-0-63-2
47.6
W
Steyn to McClenaghan, OUT

gone this time. Cleaned him up. Cross seamed delivery on off stump on a fuller length, MM makes room to try and drive over cover. But misses. The off stump is broken and NZ are 9 down. Very interesting shot.

Mitchell McClenaghan b Steyn 16 (13b 1x4 1x6 6m) SR: 123.07
47.5
4
Steyn to McClenaghan, FOUR runs

and some more runs. Dale Steyn goes short, bouncer on middle and leg. MM gets a little bat of glove on it which agonisingly lobs over Morne van Wky for four more.

47.4
2
Steyn to McClenaghan, 2 runs

low full toss outside off, slogged to deep midwicket where they decide to come back for a suicidal second run. The throw is slightly wide and van Wyk collects cleanly but fails to hit the stumps. Should have been out

47.3
Steyn to McClenaghan, no run

in the hitting arc again. But outside off, MM misses the slog-heave again

47.2
2
Steyn to McClenaghan, 2 runs

excellent yorker but NZ get two. Inside-edged just past the stumps. Runs down towards fine leg. But they scamper through for two.

47.1
Steyn to McClenaghan, no run

angled across the heaving bat of MM. McClenaghan moves across but misses the slog

So just 10 runs per over required. Very gettable for NZ. SA will need a wicket to calm their nerves. Dale Steyn is back to get that wicket

end of over 4716 runs
NZ: 275/8CRR: 5.85 RRR: 10.00
Adam Milne14 (11b 1x4)
Mitchell McClenaghan8 (7b 1x6)
David Wiese 7-0-63-2
Imran Tahir 10-0-40-2
46.6
2
Wiese to Milne, 2 runs

banged in halfway down the track again, heaved away to the right of de Villiers at long-on. They come back for two

46.5
1
Wiese to McClenaghan, 1 run

lower full toss, mistimed off the front foot towards mid-off

46.4
6
Wiese to McClenaghan, SIX runs

slower offcutter once more and cracked away off the front foot way over deep midwicket. Massive six. Interesting times.

46.3
1
Wiese to Milne, 1 run

shorter offcutter on off stump. Bouncer. Pulled off the front foot to deep square leg

46.2
2
Wiese to Milne, 2 runs

quick delivery this time, Milne swats to long-on with no timing. Just enough to get two though

46.1
4
Wiese to Milne, FOUR runs

another boundary. Slower offcutter on middle and leg, Milne helps it along it s way past short fine leg for another boundary

jayakanth: "can i trade that catch for behardien's drop during WC 15 semifinals." -- No, you can't.

end of over 468 runs
NZ: 259/8CRR: 5.63 RRR: 11.50
Mitchell McClenaghan1 (5b)
Adam Milne5 (7b)
Imran Tahir 10-0-40-2
Kagiso Rabada 9-0-48-1
45.6
4b
Tahir to McClenaghan, 4 byes

googly again, van Wyk doesn't pick it either. MM misses his sweep and luckily too because he earned his side four extras

45.5
2lb
Tahir to McClenaghan, 2 leg byes

skiddy delivery once more, clips the pads and rolls away to fine leg

45.4
1
Tahir to Milne, 1 run

almost through him. The skiddy delivery with no turn, Milne goes back and tries to cut but just about gets some bat on it

45.3
1
Tahir to McClenaghan, 1 run

fuller googly again outside off, MM swats it off the front foot to long-on

45.2
Tahir to McClenaghan, no run

yorker on middle, drilled back to the bowler

45.1
Tahir to McClenaghan, no run

googly first up, outside off. McClenaghan has no idea and is beaten by miles

54 off 30 balls, still very gettable but way too many wickets have fallen

end of over 454 runs • 1 wicket
NZ: 251/8CRR: 5.57 RRR: 10.80
Adam Milne4 (6b)
Kagiso Rabada 9-0-48-1
Imran Tahir 9-0-38-2
44.6
W
Rabada to McCullum, OUT

what a catch Behardien. Stunning catch in the deep. Scintillating stuff. Short ball on middle and off stump, McCullum goes for the pull and executes half-decently. McCullum doesn't bother keeping it down though. Behardien runs around from square leg towards fine leg and completes a really really good catch.

Nathan McCullum c Behardien b Rabada 10 (14b 1x4 0x6 20m) SR: 71.42
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