Guptill leads Kiwi charge as SA’s trump card folds
Heinz Schenk
As Martin Guptill steered New Zealand to a seven-wicket victory in the fourth ODI against the Proteas yesterday with a magnificent unbeaten 180, one sequence stuck to one’s mind.
It was the two sixes in succession he hit off Imran Tahir’s final over – a slog-sweep off a googly and straight smash from a fuller ball. Those hits messed up the leg-spinner’s figures (2/56) to such an extent that some are wondering if he’s lost his aura in the current ODI series.
It’s not a nice thought given that the series is now tied at 2-all going into Saturday’s decider in Auckland.
Tahir, the No 1 ranked bowler in limited overs internationals, indeed hasn’t quite been firing as four wickets at an average of 45 and economy rate of almost six suggests.
But AB de Villiers, the Proteas skipper, isn’t concerned.
“All the New Zealand batters are doing is respecting Imran a bit more,” said De Villiers, whose unbeaten 72 earlier guided the Proteas to 279/8.
“It happens when you have a match-winner in your ranks. The opposition tends to be more careful and work harder to try and play him well.
“We do the same. You try and be cautious against one of two key bowlers and then try and attack the rest.
‘‘I think New Zealand have a similar approach. They played him really well.”
In a game where the Black Caps used two frontline spinners effectively, the Proteas might’ve rued only picking Tahir as tweaker.
“I have no reason to believe it would’ve been different if there had been a second spinner present,” De Villiers said.
Guptill put up a 180-run stand with Ross Taylor (66) for the third wicket at Seddon Park yesterday that set up the Kiwis’ comfortable win with five overs to spare.