Confident Guptill eyes series win over Proteas
The echoes of 2013 are getting louder for Martin Guptill, suddenly the Black Caps’ most experienced player who can sense another one-day upset in South Africa.
New Zealand will return to SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday (10.30pm NZT) for the first ODI fortified by their 32-run victory over the Proteas at the same venue in the second Twenty20. Led by Guptill’s knock of 60 off 35 balls, which saw him named man of the two-match series, the Black Caps posted 177-7 then defended it with a lively bowling and fielding performance.
After his mate Ross Taylor suffered an injury and become the fifth Black Caps frontliner to sit out the South Africa tour, Guptill’s 116 ODIs leave him as the mostcapped of the tourists ahead of Nathan McCullum (83) and skipper Kane Williamson (82). The young side needed that win to boost their self-belief.
‘‘A few of our guys haven’t played against South Africa before. The other day didn’t go so well [a six-wicket defeat in Durban] and today was a much better performance. It gave us that confidence that we have beaten them in this series and we can do it again,’’ he said.
The series will be about who copes best without their key men, and how the fringe performers step up. Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Corey Anderson are absent for New Zealand while the hosts aren’t as badly hit, with Morne Morkel and JP Duminy both on paternity leave and Faf du Plessis under a knee injury cloud after missing both T20s. Importantly they welcome back pace duo Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander which could provide alarm for New Zealand’s top order if the ball zips about under lights.
Still, Guptill hits the series in form after his knock which included six fours and three sixes and set the platform for a par total. His past five innings in Zimbabwe and South Africa have been 116 not out, 42, 33, 42 and 60. Back in January 2013 a Guptill century led New Zealand to a T20 victory in East London, they were demolished in the tests but then bounced back to win the ODIs 2-1; their first series victory in the republic.
‘‘The sort of cricket we’ve played over the past year to 18 months has had a lot of confidence and a bit of aggression. With Brendon not being here, Kane is leading the side the same way and the guys are feeding off that and really enjoying the chance to be over here. South Africa are a world class side but the guys are very confident and excited.’’
It was a committed team performance in the field, helped by some South African batting recklessness as all eight wickets fall to catches. The hosts ended 145-8, after key men Hashim Amla and A B de Villiers departed early to big shots and the dry, cracking pitch seemed to slow up.
For the first of three ODIs New Zealand have two main selection calls to make; who bats in the middle order with George Worker looking to have the edge over Colin Munro, and their bowling balance after spinners Ish Sodhi and Nathan McCullum claimed two wickets apiece.
Both tweakers could get a run again if the pitch looks spinfriendly, although in a day-night match with the ball likely to swing under lights there might be a temptation to add another paceman to join Mitchell McClenaghan and Adam Milne.