New Zealand improve woeful SA record

New Zealand have won as many matches in this ODI series as they had in 18 previous ODIs against South Africa in South Africa

S Rajesh

23-Jan-2013

Kane Williamson drives, Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 4th ODI, Hambantota, November 10, 2012

New Zealand's series win in South Africa is their first in their last ten attempts against a team other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The last time New Zealand won an ODI series against a top side was in November 2009, when they beat Pakistan 2-1 in the UAE. Since then they lost a couple of times to Sri Lanka, India and Australia, and also a series each to West Indies, South Africa and Pakistan. (Click here for New Zealand's series results against the top sides since 2000.)

It's only the second time New Zealand have won a bilateral series against South Africa, but it's their first in South Africa: they'd beaten South Africa 5-1 in a home series in 2004.

Before these two wins, New Zealand had won only two out of 18 ODIs against South Africa in South Africa (with two being washed out). Their win-loss ratio of 0.14 was their worst against any host team.

Kane Williamson's unbeaten 145 equalled the sixth-highest ODI score by a New Zealand batsman. However, the earlier such scores were all against the lesser sides - two against Ireland, two against Zimbabwe, and one each against East Africa and USA. That makes Williamson's score the highest by a New Zealander in ODIs against one of the top sides. The previous highest for New Zealand against South Africa was Stephen Fleming's unbeaten 134 in that memorable World Cup game in Johannesburg in 2003. Williamson's score is also the joint fifth-highest by any batsman against South Africa.

Williamson's form was good news for New Zealand, but Martin Guptill's early dismissal will worry them. In his last ten ODI innings, Guptill has scored 168 runs at an average of 16.80, with six single-digit dismissals, including three ducks. During this period his Test form has also been poor: his last 22 Test innings have fetched him 566 runs at 25.72.

For South Africa, this was yet another setback in a home series - they've lost two of their last three, and three of their last six, against England, Australia, and now New Zealand. Before November 2009, they'd won 17 home series in a row, dating back all the way to October 2002.

Kane Williamson South Africa New Zealand South Africa vs New Zealand New Zealand tour of South Africa

S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPNcricinfo. Follow him on Twitter