South Africa crush New Zealand, take series 3-2
AUCKLAND: Faf du Plessis led South Africa to a resounding six-wicket victory over New Zealand in their crunch one-day international finale in Auckland on Saturday to wrap up the series 3-2.
South Africa needed less than 33 overs to overhaul New Zealand’s 149 with du Plessis ending the game with a boundary which also brought up his half century.
The New Zealand innings folded at the start of their 42nd over and while South Africa lost early wickets in reply, du Plessis (51 not out) held the innings together with partnerships of 40 with AB de Villiers and an unbeaten 63 with David Miller.
De Villiers’ 23 was his lowest score and only the third time he was dismissed in the series where he averaged 87.33.
But he was at the crease long enough to assist de Plessis in turning the innings around after South Africa, like New Zealand, started out losing wickets cheaply. A swash-buckling David Miller then belted 45 off 35 deliveries to partner du Plessis through to the end.
After New Zealand’s thumping seven-wicket victory in game four to level the series at 2-2, South Africa looked to stamp their mark early.
When De Villiers won the toss and opted to bowl, the world’s number one spinner Imran Tahir and Kagiso Rabada led a disciplined attack that decimated the New Zealand batting.
Tahir’s 10 overs produced two for 14, while Rabada took three for 25 off 7.1.
South Africa’s response was not all plain sailing with Quinton de Kock (six), Hashim Amla (eight) and JP Duminy (three) out early to have the tourists three for 48 in the 16th over, comparable to New Zealand’s four for 51 at the same stage. But from there du Plessis and de Villiers pushed the score up to 88 before being joined by Miller through to the end.
The two sides start a threeTest series in Dunedin next Wednesday.