That’s all from me. Thanks for your time and your attention. It’s been one of the great World Cup semi-finals, I think - here’s hoping the tournament’s final two fixtures live up to this ludicrously high standard. Bye!
Brendon McCullum’s post-match ponderings, or at least those of them I could get down.
It’s pretty amazing. I thought the game was outstanding. It was a great advertisement for cricket and I’m sure everyone here will remember it for the rest of their lives, I know we will.
What was I thinking when it rained? Keep raining. There were two very destructive batsmen at the crease and set. We just knew we had to hang in there. Even with the bat, we had to hang in there and give ourselves a chance near the end. What an innings from Grant, he’s come in from the wilderness not long ago, and now he’s won the semi-final.
We had to generate some sort of run rate early when you’re chasing such a big score, and that’s what we tried to do. Credit to South Africa, they’ve been a credit to their country and have given us one hell of a run today.
It’s the greatest time of our lives as players. It’s been an incredible ride all the way through. I hope they’re all dreaming as much as what we are. We’ve got a huge occasion in a few days time, and jeez it’d be nice to win it.
AB de Villiers speaks.
An amazing game of cricket. Probably the most electric crowd I’ve ever heard in my life. I think the better team came out on top. We gave it our best, we left everything out there on the field. We don’t go back with any regrets, but we had our chances. It’ll take us a while to get over this.
There’s a bigger picture, people back home. We play to make a difference back home, and hopefully the people can still be proud of us no matter that we lost tonight.
I felt we had a wonderful thing going as a team in this tournament. I don’t want to single out any individuals, but really good individual performances throughout the tournament.
Still waiting to hear from the captains, as New Zealand enjoy a victory lap. What fine, fine sport that was. Infinite credit to both teams.
Non wine related tweet, but CONGRATULATIONS to the @BLACKCAPS . What a game and what a win! #CWC15 Good luck in the final!!
— New Zealand Wine (@NZWine_Europe) March 24, 2015
Updated
Grant Elliott steps up to collect the player of the match award.
I don’t think this win is for myself, it’s not for the team, but it’s for everyone here. The support has been amazing. I think we timed the pace of the innings to perfection. When you’ve got 40,000 fans screaming at you every ball, it’s been an absolute pleasure playing at Eden Park. We’ve had a good run. It’s the first final we’ve been in. We’re a very level team. i think we’ll just approach it as every other game.
What was going through my mind at the end? Nothing. I don’t even know where the ball went.
What a match. Elliott wins it for NZ with a six from the penultimate ball.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) March 24, 2015
Fantastic sportsmanship from South Africa, to wipe the tears from their eyes - literally, in many cases - and embrace the victors, after being put through the wringer like that. They had their chances, with a couple of run-out opportunities and that drop in the penultimate over, probably decisive, and will never know what they might have scored had rain not fallen.
Updated
And ... exhale. What a brilliantly dramatic game. South Africa’s players are strewn around the ground, in various stages of physical or emotional disarray. New Zealand celebrate. Fireworks dirty the night sky. Fantastic.
New Zealand are in the World Cup final!
42.5 overs: New Zealand 299-6 (Elliott 84, Vettori 7)
SIX RUNS! Elliott sends the ball flying high over midwicket, and New Zealand win by four wickets with a ball to spare!
Updated
42.4 overs: New Zealand 293-6 (Elliott 78, Vettori 7)
Vettori plays and misses again, and they run a bye again, as South Africa shy at the stumps at each end and miss both times. New Zealand need four runs to tie, from two balls. A tie would see them through. Five runs to win.
42.3 overs: New Zealand 292-6 (Elliott 78, Vettori 7)
Four runs! Steyn attempts a wide yorker, and Vettori stretches to get bat to it, and sends it to the boundary at square third man!
Steyn, who left the field earlier for treatment to an apparent thigh injury, needs some further treatment here, so we’re going to have a delay. If you’ve got any fingernails remaining, you can now destroy them at your leisure.
42.2 overs: New Zealand 288-6 (Elliott 78, Vettori 3)
Elliott hits to cover but finds a fielder, and it’s a single! New Zealand need nine runs from four balls to tie (which would do for them).
42.1 overs: New Zealand 287-6 (Elliott 77, Vettori 3)
Steyn bowls, Vettori plays and misses but New Zealand run the bye! Elliott is back on strike.
42 overs: New Zealand 286-6 (Elliott 77, Vettori 3)
Dropped! Incredible drop! South Africa drop the World Cup (possibly)!!!! Elliott sends the ball high, high into the air (again), two fielders run to the ball. Behardien’s underneath it, but at the last minute Duminy dives in front of him, and neither ends up taking it! Two runs - and New Zealand could have taken three. They need 12 runs from the final over!
Updated
41.5 overs: New Zealand 284-6 (Elliott 75, Vettori 3)
Four! New Zealand needed that! A bit of width here, and Elliott smacks the ball over cover and away to the rope!
41.4 overs: New Zealand 280-6 (Elliott 71, Vettori 3)
Another fine boundary-saving stop, after Vettori worked the ball to deep fine leg. Single.
41.3 overs: New Zealand 279-6 (Elliott 71, Vettori 2)
Just a single, and totally chanceless.
41.2 overs: New Zealand 278-6 (Elliott 70, Vettori 2)
Elliott skies the ball into the air over midwicket, where it drops between three fielders, safely! Two!
41.1 overs: New Zealand 276-6 (Elliott 68, Vettori 2)
Vettori smears Morkel’s first delivery through the covers, only for a diving Amla to somehow stop it, restricting New Zealand to a single when they seemed destined to get four.
Updated
41st over: New Zealand 275-6 (Elliott 68, Vettori 1)
Another run-out chance for South Africa goes to waste! Elliott works the ball to backward square leg and as the batsmen delay an age before committing to a second run, the ball is returned by Rossouw to De Kock and he seemed to take his eyes off it, letting it squirm straight through him with the batsman nowhere! And then another run-out chance off the final ball, harder this one, as Elliott scoops to short mid-on and with Vettori backing up a direct hit would have done for him! It didn’t. Six from the over; New Zealand need 23 runs from 12 balls.
Updated
WICKET! Ronchi c Rossouw b Steyn 8 (New Zealand 269-6)
Ronchi scoops the ball to deep midwicket, where Rossouw takes a neverless catch.
Ranchi goes, holes out to mid wicket for 8. Dan Vettori on his way out with 29 needed #nzvsa ^RI
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 24, 2015
40th over: New Zealand 269-5 (Elliott 63, Ronchi 8)
Imran Tahir bowls his final over. Ronchi gets a single from the first, then two dots and another single. And then Ronchi releases the pressure by pushing through midwicket for four, before a single off the last. New Zealand need 29 runs from three overs at 9.67 an over (though 28 would do).
39th over: New Zealand 262-5 (Elliott 62, Ronchi 2)
De Villiers bowls a third over, every ball straight and full. Line and length. Single, dot, single. The pressure builds, and then pop! Elliott smacks the fourth ball over square leg for six! New Zealand need 36 runs from four overs at nine an over.
38th over: New Zealand 252-5 (Elliott 54, Ronchi 0)
That’s great bowling from Morkel! Elliott gets a single from the first, and then Anderson is in all sorts of bother, a couple of snorting short balls and a lovely, straight delivery that flummoxes the batsman. Pressure builds with each passing dot ball. With one remaining, Graeme Swann on Test Match Special says “they’re going to lose a wicket here, this ball”. And they do.
Updated
WICKET! Anderson c du Plessis b Morkel 58 (New Zealand 252-5)
Anderson hits this high, really high, really very very high indeed. Du Plessis at midwicket sets himself, waits for the ball to land, waits a little longer, waits a bit more, and then takes the catch!
Updated
37th over: New Zealand 251-4 (Elliott 53, Anderson 58)
De Villiers bowls, and Elliott plays across the line and the ball smacks into his pad! The referee, though, shakes his head and South Africa have used up their review. Looks like the batsman might have got a faint edge. Later, Anderson pulls the last to the fine leg boundary for four. South Africa need to take wickets, plural, and soon, with the match slipping away from them.
36th over: New Zealand 243-4 (Elliott 52, Anderson 51)
Tahir’s back, but his run-preventing touch has deserted him. He starts with a wide, followed by a short, wide delivery that Anderson thumps square for four. A single off the next brings up his half-century, and after a dot ball Elliott sends the next over cover and away for four to bring up his own 50. “A classic neutral’s win-win? maybe if you’re a white Englishman,” sniffs Evan Maloney. “Even then, it’s unlikely you’d be going for South Africa unless you’ve got no sense of romance (for the record, I’m a white Australian and 100% behind our neighbours - go New Zealand).” I agree that the Black Caps are the romantic’s choice, and that South Africa’s choker reputation is a teensy bit funny, but really, I’m all for the best team winning.
35th over: New Zealand 231-4 (Elliott 47, Anderson 45)
Six! Elliott hits Morkel’s first delivery high in the air and it plops down to ground just over the short square leg boundary. Then Anderson hits high but safe to midwicket, De Villiers chases after it, dives, flicks it away from the rope and into his leg, and inadvertently kicks it back again. Four. “What happens in case of a tie?” asks Anand. If it’s a tie New Zealand win, because of a superior record in the pool stages.
34th over: New Zealand 219-4 (Elliott 40, Anderson 40)
Steyn bowls, four runs and a leg-bye scored, and a fine diving stop from De Villiers at mid-on stops Elliott sending the last to the boundary - in all the last 10 overs have brought just three fours (there have been a couple of sixes, to be fair, but none of those in the last five overs).
33rd over: New Zealand 213-4 (Elliott 37, Anderson 38)
The (shortened, four-over) powerplay is called, and Anderson thumps the first delivery, bowled by Morkel, down the ground for four, and then does nothing until he takes a single off the last. “I have a little bit of a dilemma. I’m not really a fan of sporting stereotypes and take great joy in seeing them hit out of the ground, sorry for the metaphor,” writes Phil Withall. “Therefore I’d like to see South Africa win and lose the chokers tag the media has bestowed them. However, I also like the New Zealand team and the way they play cricket. It really is nagging away at me. Help!” There’s no need for help, Phil - this is a classic neutral’s win-win. Sit back and enjoy the game, without seeking out reasons to punish yourself for anything that happens along the way. 10 overs to go, 85 runs required.
32nd over: New Zealand 208-4 (Elliott 37, Anderson 33)
A real let-off that for New Zealand, who may well need all those wickets as their run chase heats up, and then Elliott hits Steyn’s final delivery to third man for four!
Not out!
Elliott pushes to point, Anderson’s backing up a little over-eagerly, and when he’s sent back he’s way short of his ground when the ball is returned to the bowler’s end. But it was not in hand when the bails fell, and that is not out!
Run out! Or is it! De Viliers may have fouled this up!
New Zealand go for a foolish run, and De Viliers, behind the stumps, collects the ball, drops the ball and dislodges the bails in one movement. But what order, precisely?
31st over: New Zealand 203-4 (Elliott 33, Anderson 32)
AB de Villiers bowls, full and straight and it’s all perfectly controlled. Three runs and a leg bye ensue. New Zealand need 95 runs at 7.91 an over.
Updated
30th over: New Zealand 199-4 (Elliott 32, Anderson 30)
Steyn, last seen limping off the field with his hand on his thigh, returns for South Africa. There’s no sign of the limp now, which is just as well, as far as South Africa are concerned. This innings started horribly for Steyn, but it was largely McCullum who did the damage, and he’s been fine thereafter. In other words, his figures can basically be ignored; the fact that he once conceded 25 from a single over is irrelevant now (though Shane Warne, commentating for Sky, doesn’t think so). This one goes for three, courtesy of a push through the covers by Elliott.
29th over: New Zealand 196-4 (Elliott 29, Anderson 30)
Spin from both ends as Duminy returns and New Zealand’s stream of singles continues, the first four deliveries each costing one. But the fourth is pulled to long leg for a couple by Anderson, who then smashes the last - a wide full toss, real trash - down the ground and into the stands.
28th over: New Zealand 183-4 (Elliott 26, Anderson 19)
Imran Tahir’s seventh over brings four singles. He’s bowled beautifully and most importantly cheaply, his seven overs thus far bringing 21 runs at three apiece.
27th over: New Zealand 179-4 (Elliott 25, Anderson 18)
After three dots Philander bowls full and wide at Elliott, who creams it through the covers for four. That’s poor bowling. The next is much better, speeding past the edge, but to no avail. That’s his eighth over, presumably his last.
26th over: New Zealand 174-4 (Elliott 20, Anderson 18)
Imran Tahir comes back and applies the brakes once again. Elliott pushes the third ball to long-on for a single, and that’s the beginning and the end of the scoring. We’ll now have some drinks, and another intense huddle for the fielding side.
25th over: New Zealand 173-4 (Elliott 19, Anderson 18)
Philander bowls to Anderson, who defends a couple, mistimes a couple, and after four balls no runs have been scored. But then he pulls the fifth to midwicket for a couple, and the last is poor and sent steepling over square leg for six.
24th over: New Zealand 165-4 (Elliott 19, Anderson 10)
Duminy continues, and both batsmen score singles and fours with excellent, powerful sweeps.
23rd over: New Zealand 155-4 (Elliott 14, Anderson 5)
Philander bowls, and the ball nips back into Anderson, flummoxing him completely, and flying just over the stumps. He nods at the bowler in recognition, and then pushes the next ball down the ground for four. Those are the only runs from the over, and the run rate ticks to 7.15.
Ball zipping around a bit now.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) March 24, 2015
22nd over: New Zealand 151-4 (Elliott 14, Anderson 1)
That’s a big wicket for South Africa, racketing the tension up a notch or two, while the required run rate, which dipped below six briefly after over five, is now at seven, for the first time, after three singles are taken.
WICKET! Taylor c de Kock b Duminy 30 (New Zealand 149-4)
Duminy sends the ball down the leg side - if Taylor had just left it alone it would have been a wide. But instead he flicks his bat at it, gets a nick and is caught behind!
Updated
21st over: New Zealand 148-3 (Taylor 30, Elliott 13)
Steyn remains absent, and Morkel is his replacement. Elliott moves across his wicket to flick the first delivery fine for four, but it’s not the start of a run-flood. Instead the next four balls yield nowt, with the last of them nipping in off the seam and flying between bat and stumps, missing the latter by a fraction, before Elliott nicks a single from the last.
20th over: New Zealand 143-3 (Taylor 30, Elliott 8)
Tahir’s fifth over is completed, and they’ve gone, on average, for three apiece. His fifth is thus entirely average, seeing as it does three singles and nowt else.
19th over: New Zealand 140-3 (Taylor 29, Elliott 6)
Steyn, whose first three overs cost 39 but who hasn’t bowled since over five, back when McCullum was destroying anything in his path like some kind of vaguely human bat-wielding Godzilla, returns. This is considerably less humiliating, even if Taylor does push the final delivery off his pads to the long-on boundary. Steyn promptly leaves the field, for reasons unknown.
18th over: New Zealand 133-3 (Taylor 23, Elliott 5)
Both batsmen hesitated after starting that run, and by then the die was cast and the only question was whose innings was over. Elliott comes in, and he gets four off his first ball with a paddle sweep.
Updated
WICKET! Guptill run out 34 (Amla) (New Zealand 128-3)
Disaster! A howler! Taylor deflects the ball to gully and takes a single, Amla collects and returns to De Kock, and Guptill is miles short as the bails come off!
Updated
17th over: New Zealand 128-2 (Guptill 34, Taylor 23)
Boundaries here, the first since was back in over 11. Philander’s first flies down the ground from Guptill’s bat for four, and then the third is sent through midwicket by Taylor where there’s a misfield by Miller, who dives to push the ball away from the rope with his left hand, only to send it into his right hand, which deflets it back into the rope. He beats the ground in frustration.
16th over: New Zealand 113-2 (Guptill 28, Taylor 17)
“That decision to bowl Duminy for two overs when Tahir had Guptill in all sorts of trouble was an appalling piece of captaincy,” fumes Krishnan Patel, as Tahir’s third over goes for three. “If the Taylor-Guptill partnership wins it for the Kiwis, I wonder how many of the watching public will blame AB like Cook would have been had he done the same. Goes on to show people only see what they want to see.” Perhaps, but those Tahir overs could come in handy later on.
Updated
15th over: New Zealand 113-2 (Guptill 25, Taylor 16)
New Zealand are a shade over a third of the way through their innings, and seem to be on course, needing about six and a half an over from now on. Philander’s fourth over brings three singles. No panic.
14th over: New Zealand 112-2 (Guptill 25, Taylor 16)
Imran Tahir, whose maiden over back in over six seemed to transform the course of this innings from wild run-accumulation to, well, something a bit more complicated, returns for a second go, and this time concedes five in the form of three singles and a two. This match is on a knife-edge, tension rising with every passing over.
13th over: New Zealand 107-2 (Guptill 23, Taylor 13)
After a drinks break and a fairly intense-looking South Africa huddle, Philander returns and concedes three singles, bowling shortish and straightish.
12th over: New Zealand 104-2 (Guptill 21, Taylor 12)
Duminy bowls a second over, and New Zealand reach triple figures when the third ball his slog-swept for six by Guptill. Add a sprinkling of sixes and that’s a 10-run over, the first time New Zealand have even approached double figures since McCullum smacked over No5 for 25.
Updated
11th over: New Zealand 94-2 (Guptill 13, Taylor 10)
Morkel bowls short and wide to Taylor and the batsman goes and fetches it, spearing the ball between point and cover for four. That excepted it’s a fine over, ending with a beauty that moves away from Guptill, leaving the batsman looking perplexed as it zips through.
10th over: New Zealand 88-2 (Guptill 12, Taylor 5)
The powerplay having ended after nine overs, Duminy bowls the 10th. New Zealand snaffle singles from his first three deliveries, before Taylor sweeps deftly to fine leg for four.
9th over: New Zealand 81-2 (Guptill 10, Taylor 0)
Only one scoring shot from Morkel’s over, Williamson pulling his fourth delivery through midwicket for four - a nice shot, but also his last.
WICKET! Williamson b Morkel 6 (New Zealand 81-2)
Williamson tries to pull Morkel through midwicket, but bottom-edges into his stumps!
Updated
8th over: New Zealand 77-1 (Guptill 10, Williamson 2)
Guptill continues to scratch about a little unconvincingly in search of runs, though he does hit Philander nicely to the square leg boundary for four.
Guptill looks right out of nick. how can that be?
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) March 24, 2015
Updated
7th over: New Zealand 72-1 (Guptill 6, Williamson 1)
A bit of a lull here for New Zealand, who score their first run for 12 balls when Williams grabs a single off the last. “England are light years away, light years,” writes Paul Ewart. “I’m watching Brendon McCullum flay the bowling to all corners and wondering just how Peter Moores concluded that Jonathan Trott would have helped England’s cause. Perplexing.” It’s true, both these sides have some catching up to do before they can claim to approach the game with the purity and patience with which England so royally entertain the world.
15 - Brendon McCullum's 59 came from 15 scoring shots. Carnage. #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/6t39vgOBLX
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) March 24, 2015
Updated
WICKET! McCullum c Steyn b Morkel 59 (New Zealand 71-1)
Morkel returns for a second over, after a change of ends, and his first ball brings the wicket South Africa needed! McCullum tries to hit over mid-on from hip height but he doesn’t get hold of the ball at all, and the fielder takes a straightforward catch without so much as moving his feet.
Updated
6th over: New Zealand 71-0 (Guptill 6, McCullum 59)
That is a maiden over from Imran Tahir to Guptill, who has faced 11 deliveries, 30.5% of the total, for his six runs, 8.5% of the total.
Not out!
The ball was clearing the stumps by a few inches, and South Africa remain in search of a breakthrough.
REVIEW! IS Guptill out lbw to Tahir here?
South Africa think he is. The on-field umpire doesn’t.
5th over: New Zealand 71-0 (Guptill 6, McCullum 59)
McCullum continues to flay the bowlers hither and yon, reaching his half-century from his 22nd delivery. Steyn’s first ball is sent flying back over the bowler’s head for a massive six, then McCullum hits along the ground to the long-off boundary, high over square leg for six, flicks to long leg for four and deflects past point for another. Dale Steyn is being dismissed like a schoolboy, and not a particularly talented schoolboy either. Twenty-four (24) runs off the over Still, it ends with a dot, so it’s not all bad.
“G’day Simon,” writes Brendan Jones. Hello. “Can Uma Venkatraman shed a bit more light on why she’s fuming on behalf of the Kiwis? In my view, the Kiwis have been considerably advantaged by the rain break, it was likely that AB and Faf were just about to flay the Kiwi bowlers to all parts for 12 overs when they went off. A target of 6.93 rpo seems fair, effectively saying that if South Africa had have been able to bat out their 50 overs without a break, they would have scored 346 runs. I reckon they would have scored more than that. We’ll never know. The target has been set, so get over it, and let’s look forward to a cracking conclusion to this match.” I think it was a question of pure sportsmanship, and a desire to avoid shortening the game if it was at all possible not to, which, with a spare day put aside just in case, it vaguely was.
Updated
4th over: New Zealand 46-0 (Guptill 6, McCullum 35)
Philander, having conceded 18 runs from his opening over, is promptly replaced and his replacement, Morkel, is promptly clubbed over mid-on for four, first ball. A couple of dots later McCullum pulls through midwicket, not a clean hit but good enough to limp to the boundary. A single and a wide later Guptill hits his first boundary, and Morkel’s opener has gone for a not-much-better 14. “Following Obo in the office in Singapore,” writes Rohit. “A colleague just walked over to ask why I look so tense! I have no idea how to explain the game, the occasion or the context in a way that would make sense to the uninitiated.”
3rd over: New Zealand 32-0 (Guptill 2, McCullum 26)
Guptill takes a wildly risky single to cover, gets halfway down the pitch and is sent back - a direct hit from Duminy and he’d have been out by a distance. There wasn’t one, mind, and New Zealand were able to complete the run in their own time. Guptill has only faced four balls so far, as McCullum hogs the strike, and he pushes the ball over a desperately stretching fielder at cover for four. Halfway through his over there’s a break while Steyn has his spikes sorted by the umpire - perhaps some kind of wet-grass-related issue here.
2nd over: New Zealand 26-0 (Guptill 1, McCullum 21)
Philander’s first delivery of the day is banged in short and clears both batsman and keeper before running away for four byes. The next is pulled over backward square leg by McCullum for six more, and though when he tries a near-repeat he doesn’t catch it right, there’s nobody on the midwicket boundary to catch it and it goes for four. A couple of dots follow, before McCullum flicks the final delivery off his hip and away to fine leg for four, and New Zealand’s chase has started in sterling style.
'duckworth' & 'lewis' are now trending in New Zealand http://t.co/dewpaNTAwL
— Trendsmap NZ (@TrendsNZ) March 24, 2015
1st over: New Zealand 8-0 (Guptill 1, McCullum 7)
Steyn bowls, and the first ball squares Guptill up and takes a thick edge, though it safely bisects slip and gully. McCullum’s first delivery isn’t much more comfortable, given that he slips in his follow-through, and in the process one of his shoes comes off. A short ball then flies straight through to the keeper, and after four balls only one run has been scored. So McCullum bashes the next over cover for six.
The players are back out after an abridged break. The skies look promisingly clear over Auckland. These are big moments in this World Cup. Deep breath.
@Simon_Burnton I'm not even Kiwi and I'm fuming on their behalf. I hope the rain comes pouring down and they have to use the reserve day.
— Uma Venkatraman (@uvr2002) March 24, 2015
The Guardian’s Mike Selvey gives his assessment, and he reckons it’s bad news for the co-hosts:
NZ will give this a real go but I reckon SA will win by a distance.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) March 24, 2015
While the adjusted target is confirmed by New Zealand:
298 is the @BLACKCAPS D/L target in 43 overs, at 6.93 an over. We’ll be back soon, it’s shortened innings break #nzvsa ^RI
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 24, 2015
New Zealand need 298 runs to win from 43 overs
The calculations have been completed, according to Sky (though I notice South Africa’s official twitter feed says they are still waiting to find out the results), and New Zealand’s target set. That’s 6.93 runs an over, run-rate fans. Interesting that, having spent an hour or so waiting for the rain to stop so De Villiers could display his wild-scoring skills, he barely scored - or, indeed, batted - thereafter.
An extraordinary microsession. AB: 4 off 6. Miller 49 off 18. SA: 65 off 5. Anderson: 6-0-72-3. Interesting figures. Interesting game.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 24, 2015
Trent Boult has a short twixt-innings chat:
It’s going to take some chasing. Credit to the South Africa batsmen, but we feel like we’ve got the firepower. There were a few nerves early on. It’s a shame a couple of chances didn’t go to hand, but it is what it is.
43rd over: South Africa 281-4 (De Villiers 65, Duminy 8)
Anderson bowls the final over of South Africa’s curtailed innings. Miller’s 17th delivery disappears back over the bowler’s head for a hefty six, where it’s badly dropped in the crowd by a bloke in an orange T-shirt. Then comes the wicket, and after a dot ball Duminy hits the ball in the air to cover, where it’s misjudged by the sub fielder Nathan McCullum, who is slow to raise his hands and lets it fly between them and away to the rope. A wide and two twos later the over’s finished.
WICKET! Miller c Ronchi b Anderson 49 (South Africa 272-5)
Miller doesn’t reach his half-century, so the record’s safe, but his 18-ball 49 was a phenomenal effort, all the same.
42nd over: South Africa 266-4 (De Villiers 65, Miller 43)
This is a brilliant, destructive cameo from Miller, who continues by smacking Southee’s first, slower ball past long off for four. The over improves markedly from there, with good variation of pace and some well-aimed short stuff. His next five balls go for a combined three. Miller can equal the World Cup’s all-time fastest half-century if he gets seven runs or more from his next two deliveries.
41st over: South Africa 259-4 (De Villiers 63, Miller 38)
Anderson continues, and Miller top-edges the first ball high over his left shoulder, over third man and to the rope. A wide and a couple of singles later Miller hits back-to-back sixes, one low and lightning down the ground, just clearing the rope, and the other launched into orbit over midwicket and eventually down into the top tier of the stands. A single off the last and Miller’s 38 runs have come off 13 balls, and counting.
40th over: South Africa 239-4 (De Villiers 63, Miller 20)
Southee’s penultiate over, and it yields four fours. He’s welcomed back by Miller, who thwacks his first delivery to the rope at long off, and his next, full and wide, is deflected to the titchy third man boundary. After ducking under a bouncer, Miller thumps through cover and then down the ground, just under the diving McCullum and back to that long off boundary, both going for four.
Updated
39th over: South Africa 222-4 (De Villiers 63, Miller 3)
Corey Anderson, whose first three overs went for 31, returns, and this one goes for a relatively demure six. A bit lucky, given that had Du Plessis not got a glove to that ball it would have been a wide, and then he gets away with a wide full toss to De Villiers, which is speared away but fielded on the boundary at deep cover
WICKET! Du Plessis c Ronchi b Anderson 82 (South Africa 217-4)
He’s gone! Du Plessis doesn’t add to his pre-downpour score, the ball having clipped his glove on the way through!
WICKET! Du Plessis is caught off his glove. More here: http://t.co/oTILnREYcQ #CWC15 #fireitup pic.twitter.com/kMsoMNNCg5
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 24, 2015
REVIEW! Has Du Plessis been caught behind here?
New Zealand would like to think so. The umpire reckons it was a) not out, and b) a wide to boot. We’re about to find out who’s right!
The players are coming back out. The next quarter of an hour should be interesting...
Play is about to resume! The match is reduced to 43 overs a side. 3 bowlers can bowl max of 9 overs, 2 can bowl max of 8 overs. #cwc15
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 24, 2015
Hello world!
Simon Burnton here, taking over for the remainder of the game. All emails to simon.burnton@theguardian.com from here on in, if you’d be so kind, or tweet me @Simon_Burnton. The rain has significantly aided New Zealand, but much depends on precisely how much mayhem South Africa can wreak in their five remaining overs.
Finally we’ll have some play!
If I’ve got my time zones right, that means there will be play in 15 minutes’ time. The poor South Africans must now go the tonk for five overs, rather than the 12 they’d planned for.
The match has been reduced to a 43 over contest and will resume at 6:45pm at Eden Park with @OfficialCSA on 216-3. #BacktheBlackCaps ^PT
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 24, 2015
It’s still raining at Eden Park
This has farce writen all over it, I must say. We’ll bring you any developments as they’re at hand but it’s a waiting game for now.
Though there is a reserve day, all effort will be made to complete the game on day 1. Even if it means New Zealand only bat 20 overs
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 24, 2015
The rain is still tumbling down in Auckland
...and Joshua Hines thinks that even those of us not having to shelter ourselves from the downpour should suffer. “Given how much this is starting to feel like 1992 for South Africa I vote we all listen to the billboard number one hit from that year – Boyz II Men’s ominously titled “End of the road”
Your wish is my slightly-bedgrudging command..
I’ll continue to cover this rain, don’t worry
Here’s another update. It seems to get worse every time I check in.
Rain now as heavy as at any stage #nzvsa
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 24, 2015
Not much movement at the station
“There’s rumours of the drizzle clearing,” says Mark Nicholas, as though it’s information that the commentary crew at the ground couldn’t possibly obtain. Instead Nine cut to an episode of Friends, which feels ominous on multiple levels. I won’t live blog it, I promise.
Reader Sam Fiddian has made an excellent suggestion for alternative viewing. “Afternoon Rusty, since Duckworth-Lewis will mentioned at some point, it seems a flimsy excuse to look at this:
Hmm...
Right...apparently the target would be 264 if it was 38 overs per side. (Rather than something like 340 in 50)
— Neil Manthorp (@NeilManthorp) March 24, 2015
This could be the most glorious burst of rain in New Zealand sporting history.
AB to the rescue
Did you know that AB de Villiers represented South African at junior-level competitive tractor-driving? I’m not sure where I read that. Possibly in a Comic Sans meme.
Bad luck NZ. De Villiers can do this as well. #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/ddLZP2Rv38
— ABCD Villiers (@abcdvilliers) March 24, 2015
Channel Nine brilliance
Ever the masters of subtlety, Australian network Nine are currently showing a mini-doco on the 1999 World Cup semi final. I’ve just watched Herschelle Gibbs drop the World Cup about a dozen times. Subtle as a sledgehammer, guys.
Reader Dennis Thorpe has all the latest on the weather: “Try this,” he says. “It updates every five minutes. Run the slider across the top for an action replay. You can see the rain’s isolated but there some ominous blue splodges out to the NW. I’m a mile west of the ground and it’s stopped raining here at the moment. It’s clear to the south but cloudier in the direction the weather’s coming from.” Hmm.
Some Hay-dross
Still zero fecking clue what Haydos is on about. "Rain break at the right time for #NewZealand who have been kissed the entire tournament"
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) March 24, 2015
Meanwhile, apparently the rain is easing off a little now. Good news.
From our man on the ground
Rain rules v complicated but essentially they would try to complete the match today even if it meant reduction of overs right down.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) March 24, 2015
I hope John Ashdown doesn’t have to live-blog rain for the rest of the day...
It's actually raining quite hard now.
— Sports Freak (@Sportsfreakconz) March 24, 2015
Another one for you pitch-cover fetishists
The covers remain on at Eden Park as the rain continues to fall. Update soon. #nzvsa ^PT pic.twitter.com/r10twbT9Eu
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 24, 2015
The rain isn’t too bad, apparently
On this matter at least, I’m choosing to trust the ICC.
Rain still coming down here in Eden Park but not too heavily, hopefully it won't be too long #cwc15 #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/HS6kcIeD8i
— ICC (@ICC) March 24, 2015
Rain delay - play suspended at the 38 over mark
I spoke too soon. The rain reaches a point that the umpires call the players off the ground and the covers come out. Boo! Or not, if you’re a Kiwi. This might be exactly what they need to break the momentum of South Africa. AB de Villiers is 60 off 38 and receiving stout support from Faf du Plessis.
We’ll be back as soon as there’s any movement from the umpires.
38th over - South Africa 216-3 (du Plessis 82, de Villiers 60)
McCullum has no option here but to introduce his stud. Boult is back but not even he can tame de Villiers, who leans back like he’s doing the limbo and angles a four down to the third man boundary. After a single to the Proteas skipper, du Plessis cracks a crisp boundary down the ground himself. As sad as this is to say, Boult looks spent now. Do you keep his last over up your sleeve? Maybe.
That rain I mentioned last over is getting a little heavier but the umpires are keen to stay out in the middle. The Kiwis, less so.
@rustyjacko Kane Williamson has not just dropped the Cup, he's smashed it to smithereens and NZ will be picking up the pieces till 2019.
— Uma Venkatraman (@uvr2002) March 24, 2015
37th over - South Africa 204-3 (du Plessis 76, de Villiers 54)
Tim Southee is back now. What can he muster? The Kiwis think they’ve run out de Villiers but the bigger mystery than the result of the TV review is that the umpire even called for it. His bat was past the stumps themselves!
Southee produces a cracking yorker, one that knocks du Plessis off his feet as he squeezes a single out to leg. Next up there’s a heart-stopping moment when de Villiers crashes a slog high into the air towards cow but somehow it drops right between a trio of New Zealand fielders and he survives. He’s looking menacing as drops of rain start to arrive.
On a scale of 1 to sh*tting yourself, how worried are all of you Kiwis out there?
@rustyjacko At Eden Park... Why do Mexican waves still exist? In a WC semi final. I feel sorry for everyone who couldn't get tickets
— Mark Hollingsworth (@import_mark) March 24, 2015
A valid question, really.
Updated
AB de Villiers dropped by Kane Williamson! Has he dropped the World Cup?
36th over - South Africa 199-3 (du Plessis 73, de Villiers 52)
Kane Williamson has dropped AB de Villiers! Ouch. It was a tough chance diving to his right at short cover but very much gettable. As if to prove that Corey Anderson is not the golden arm he thought he was, de Villiers then hammers him for a colossal six over cow, a more conventional four through cover and then another one straight. Salt, meet wounds.
That third boundary brought up de Villiers’ 50, which came off 32 deliveries. Anderson’s been taken apart in that over. It costs him 15 runs.
35th over - South Africa 184-3 (du Plessis 72, de Villiers 38)
The pressure is right back on the Kiwis now and even the normally-excellent Grant Elliott is making fielding mistakes. Worse is the next delivery, from which de Villiers takes off on a suicidal single and offers Kane Williamson a clear-cut run-out opportunity? Or was it? He missed with the throw but I also think he took too long to release it.
The Proteas skipper dived to make his ground and almost KO’d himself in the process, jamming his helmet into his own face and subsequently needing to take a quick breather in the presence of trainers. Henry’s day is worsening; de Villiers shows scant regard for his ego by stepping back and dabbing him down to the third man boundary for four. In doing so, he made it look as though he also might have had time to tie up his shoes and complete the crosswod before the ball arrived.
Meanwhile, I’m unknowingly taunting readers. Phil Withall is one. “Afternoon Russell, “This is going to be a lot of fun from here”. As I sit in the windowless heat trap that my employer laughingly calls an office, I am looking forward to sharing you proposed fun. Bring it on rather quickly.”
34th over - South Africa 175-3 (du Plessis 68, de Villiers 33)
McCullum is in need of a circuit-breaking wicket here so he turns to Corey Anderson. One thing is for sure: Anderson will supply us with entertainment. He’s not quick enough to bowl short but he bangs it down there anyway, so du Plessis cashes in by pulling four through mid-wicket. AB de Villiers does the same. It’s all a bit too easy for quality batsmen when you serve up rubbish like that.
“My worry for the Kiwis from here,” says Ian Forth, “is they go the same way as Brazil in their hometown World Cup semi last year. Come out all guns blazing, both full backs ahead of the forwards, forget they need to defend, and collapse in a heap. Also Oscar and David Luiz could be Pitchfork bloggers.”
There really should be a blog: ‘Sportspeople who look like Pitchfork bloggers.’ They could just put it up on Pitchfork. Another nominee: Paul Stirling, who looks like a big fan of My Morning Jacket.
33rd over - South Africa 162-3 (du Plessis 63, de Villiers 26)
Uh oh. AB de Villiers is comfortable now. Matt Henry had 0-9 from 5 overs but I can’t help feeling as though he could end up with a Jason Holder style debacle on his hands. He’s smacked for four through mid wicket and two to deep cover but does at least get his own back with a well-directed bouncer.
Next up Henry over-pitches, allowing de Villiers to punch four more to long on before he dabs a single down to third man to retain the strike after drinks. Strap in, this is going to be a lot of fun from here.
32nd over - South Africa 151-3 (du Plessis 63, de Villiers 15)
Fortune favours the brave, they say, and du Plessis gets a slice of luck when he tries to hammer Vettori through point but instead edges four through the vacant cordon region. Vettori hasn’t dropped his bundle at such, but you can’t offer up full bungers to AB de Villiers and not expect to be belted for a straight four, as the Proteas captain does here.
South Africa should be thinking 325 from here, not 270.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) March 24, 2015
Faf du Plessis brings up his half-century
31st over - South Africa 140-3 (du Plessis 58, de Villiers 9)
McCullum elects to hold back on Boult’s final two overs but has the luxury of throwing the ball to Matt Henry, who was excellent in his own first spell. He’s chipped over mid wicket by du Plessis for the two that brings up his half-century. That took 85 deliveries and featured just the four boundaries, but it’s been a real slog.
Speaking of slogs, du Plessis appears liberated by his milestone and the presence of de Villiers and hammers Henry for a 90-metre six straight down the ground. Well that’s destroyed Henry’s figures then. Referring back to Brendan Jones’ stats theories, we’re now an over away from doubling the score to get South Africa’s final total.
30th over - South Africa 129-3 (du Plessis 48, de Villiers 8)
AB de Villiers hasn’t started with his customary barrage of boundaries but he’s haring around between the wickets and trying to make things happen. He drives Vettori straight for a ‘crowd catch’ but no run as he continues to find his feet. Four singles is the only damage as the veteran spinner varies his trajectory and paces.
29th over - South Africa 125-3 (du Plessis 46, de Villiers 6)
Boult is back. Of course. The Kiwis know that if they get de Villiers early the Proteas are on toast. Am I underrating JP Duminy there? Maybe. Boult comes around the wicket to du Plessis in order to change the angle but he’s lost a little of the shape-shifting brilliance he managed in his first spell. No shame there.
28th over - South Africa 122-3 (du Plessis 44, de Villiers 5)
Yoda/Vettori gets his first look at de Villiers and he’s immediately busying himself with two and then a single. Somewhat rubbishing Ian Healy’s pre-game theory that Vettori hasn’t spun one for five years, he rips a huge off break past the outside edge of du Plessis. The batsman laughs but also disapprovingly stares at the pitch as though it’s a beloved pet dog who has just torn the sofa apart.
De Villiers at a strike rate of less than 100. What devilry is this? #CWC15
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) March 24, 2015
27th over - South Africa 116-3 (du Plessis 42, de Villiers 1)
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. It’s AB de Villiers time now. What will he produce here? With 23 overs left after this one - by my calculations - he still has time to make a triple century. At a pinch. He’s off the mark with a forehand smash to the leg side. 15-0 to de Villiers.
WICKET! Rossouw c Guptill b Anderson 39 (South Africa 114-3)
What a catch! Martin Guptill is the man with the Midas touch at the moment and now he’s reeled in a cracking catch at point to remove Rilee Rossouw. Corey Anderson had just been introduced to the attack and strikes gold immediately from a ball that was not exactly a pearl.
It’s a little short outside off stump and Rossouw half cuts/half chops it uppishly to the right of Guptill at point. What a nothing shot. The fielder briefly considers adhering to the ‘two hands for beginners’ rule before realising he’s a cricketing superstar and leaps into the air like a salmon and pulls it in with his right hand. Brilliant stuff.
26th over - South Africa 113-2 (du Plessis 42, Rossouw 39)
It’s a bit like having Yoda as your spinner, being able to pick Daniel Vettori. He may look like a Pitchfork music blogger but he’s a master of limited over spin bowling at this point. Even the ascendant Rossouw is watchful of him. Five come from another canny over.
Dominic Wilson has informed me of the uni class he’s skived from. “Missing architectural technology, nothing important (it’s probably a token course anyway, I’ll just hire engineers to make my buildings stand up).” I believe that was a similar design philosophy to that adopted by Le Corbusier and Mies ven der Rohe.
25th over - South Africa 108-2 (du Plessis 40, Rossouw 36)
AB de Villiers is limbering up and preparing himself to bat. Is that a sign that this pair has been told to get a move on? They have a chance to do so now because Grant Elliott - not always a miser with his part-time seamers - is on for a bowl. Rossouw seizes the chance he’s been looking for and unleashes as I’d expected an over earlier, battering Elliott down the ground for six to a straightish long on. An odd bowling change, I reckon.
Corey Anderson with a S/R under 16 in the tournament, but Williamson and now Elliott bowl ahead of him #nzvsa #cwc15
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) March 24, 2015
24th over - South Africa 99-2 (du Plessis 39, Rossouw 28)
Having learned from his error earlier, Luke Ronchi does better at reeling in another Vettori wide down the leg side, diving in exaggerated fashion to safely glove the ball. Rossouw does better at nudging singles from the spinner but I can’t help feeling he’s due a big swipe soon. It’s in his nature to dominate and right as I say that, he drives uppishly just beyond the reach of Guptill at short extra cover.
Vettori is top of my list of 'stars who look like beach cricketers trundling to their kids'. #NZvSA
— Tony Wilson (@byTonyWilson) March 24, 2015
23rd over - South Africa 93-2 (du Plessis 37, Rossouw 25)
Well, this is interesting. It’s Kane Williamson on now to bowl just his second over of the tournament. He produces a beauty to du Plessis too, thinking he’s trapped him in front. That’s a little ambitious when you’re an off-spinner coming around the wicket, though Hawkeye reveals it would have been out if they’d reviewed it! Geez...
With that lucky escape, du Plessis is now 37 from 66 and probably wary of the need to put his foot on the gas a little to the part-timer.
22nd over - South Africa 88-2 (du Plessis 35, Rossouw 22)
Faf du Plessis is hustling singles wherever he can at the moment but the problem is that in doing it to early in Vettori he runs the risk of his partner being tied up at the other end. Rossouw gets one himself and du Plessis calls him in for a brief conference.
Reader Dominic Wilson is meant to be at a university lecture but instead he’s sending me photos from Eden Park. What class are you missing, Dominic? Either way I think you’ve made the correct life choice.
21st over - South Africa 85-2 (du Plessis 34, Rossouw 21)
Where Rossouw struggles, du Plessis succeeds. Faf seems to think the time is right to hit out so dances down the track to Southee and lofts four over long off. There’s two dots either side of that but to the final delivery, du Plessis moves around to disrupt the bowler’s length and then cracks the resultant full toss in the same direction as his last boundary to pick up four more.
Statto Brendan Jones thinks the Proteas should be feeling comfortable right now. “Apropos my earlier email on doubling the score, South Africa’s slowest effort so far in this WC was against the UAE (of all teams), moving from 171/3 at 31.1 overs to 341/6. Against Ireland, they went from 206/1 at 33.4 overs to 411/4. The remaining two efforts were as described earlier. All four matches resulted in comprehensive wins to South Africa. Far be it from me to suggest we “look at the data”, but I think South Africa are very pleased they won the toss, and if South Africa is 4 wickets or less down at the 32-33 over mark, look out New Zealand!”
20th over - South Africa 77-2 (du Plessis 26, Rossouw 20)
The best ODI spinners rush batsmen through the over and deny them boundary balls, which is exactly what Vettori is doing here to Rilee Rossouw. This over costs just one and by the end of it, you sense some panic from Rossouw. ‘AB is in the sheds, I better get moving’ is probably what he’s thinking. Or not. I concede that I can’t actually read Rilee Rossouw’s mind.
2015 Semi-Final, NZ v SA: SA 76-2 after 19 overs. 2011 Quarter-Final, NZ v SA: NZ 75-2 after 19 overs.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 24, 2015
19th over - South Africa 76-2 (du Plessis 25, Rossouw 20)
Another by-product of this tightening of the screws by the Kiwis is that the South African pair have been forced to take singles that aren’t quite there. Faf du Plessis nearly perishes again that way, but at least he’s seen off Matt Henry. Has Henry been taken off too early though?
Maybe not. Tim Southee is back into the attack an immediately draws an inside-edge that almost flies back onto Rossouw’s stumps, instead rolling away to the fine leg boundary. Unlucky.
“Do they blow horns to mark his arrival when he walks out to bat?” asks Rohit Singh of AB de Villiers. “They should.” I know I do, Rohit.
18th over - South Africa 71-2 (du Plessis 24, Rossouw 16)
Vettori and Ronchi start this over with a combined howler; Vettori an arm ball down the leg side and Ronchi an inability to lay glove on said ball. It flies away for five wides. Vettori’s bowling flat with a defensive field, not a terrible idea against a batsman like Rossouw, who seems to model himself on Bamm-Bamm Rubble.
David Griffith has been driven to verse as well. “In the spirit of the earlier Wordsworth quote,” he says, “allow me to adapt TS Eliot’s Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock:
“In the park the Proteas come and go, Talking still of Rilee Roussow. Amla should have been a pair of ragged claws, Scuttling across the floors of silent seas. de Kock was not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be. AB de V has seen his head (grown slightly bald)brought in upon a platter, He has seen the moment of his greatness flicker, And he has seen the eternal Footman hold his bat and snicker, And in short, he was afraid. They have heard the MCG singing, each to each:” I do not think they will sing to me.” They have lingered in the chambers of the ground, By stewards wreathed with blazers red and brown, Till Kiwi bowlers wake them and they drown.”
17th over - South Africa 64-2 (du Plessis 23, Rossouw 15)
Henry returns after the drinks break and with his confidence growing with every ball (is it the approval of turncoats like me? Perhaps.) he fizzes down a bouncer that has Du Plessis ducking and the heartless umpire stretching out both arms. Henry has an ODI average of 15.81, by the way. Reasonably handy. This over costs only the wide and a single to each batsman. They don’t quite know what to make of him, it appears.
Readers are following this game in the most unlikely places. Cheri Brown from California arrives with this: “This American girl is new to cricket. My boyfriend is a kiwi and a member of a social team here in California. Out of curiosity while he was out with the guys Watching the February 28th NZ game, I decided to find something online and watch/read it so I could share in the excitement. Let me just say that when I found you on the guardian, I looked no further. I’m now hooked (slowly catching on) and really enjoy your commentary. I now have my boyfriend reading your site as well.”
Thanks Cheri. Are you barracking for the Proteas to wind him up a bit? I think you should.
16th over - South Africa 61-2 (du Plessis 22, Rossouw 14)
Spin time. Dan Vettori has been a real star of this Kiwi campaign and he’s on here for his first trundle of the day. His radar is bang on target from ball one, meaning that du Plessis and Rossouw can manage only watchful singles.
“I am up at an unearthly hour just to catch this classic of an encounter,” says Krishnan Patel. “Du Plessis, for me, has the look of the batsman-you-ignore-till-he-makes-the-match-all-about-him look about him. More than De Villiers in the dressing room, the Kiwis would be well advised to get Du Plessis quickly.” But then... but then de Villiers is in!
That’s drinks, by the way.
15th over - South Africa 58-2 (du Plessis 20, Rossouw 13)
Forget all of my negativity about Matt Henry. He’s a bowling genius and that has always been my honest opinion. He’s also got the element of surprise, which seems to have thrown the Proteas batsmen because they’re really struggling to get him away for runs. They’ve been seeing him off and attacking Boult, for Pete’s sake.
This is another quality over from him; only 3 from it and his analysis is now 0-6 off 4. It was never in doubt, I don’t care what any of you say.
14th over - South Africa 55-2 (du Plessis 18, Rossouw 12)
I realise that Boult has bowled as many as 10 on the trot in this tournament but I’m surprised and a little dismayed on behalf of Kiwis that he’s been given another here. He looks like he needs a spell to freshen up. Instead he’s milked for a pair of threes and then a crisp drive to the long-on boundary by Rilee Rossouw when he over-pitches.
Boult’s too short in this over and with the possibility of swing eliminated, not playing to his strengths. He changes around the wicket but the horse has bolted. Or Boulted? Twelve come from the over and if that doesn’t convince McCullum to give him a rest, nothing will. Boult’s got 2-38 from 7.
13th over - South Africa 43-2 (du Plessis 14, Rossouw 4)
“He’s almost doing the hard work for Quinton de Kock,” says Graeme Smith of du Plessis. That seems a loaded statement, don’t you think? Anyway, it’s true that du Plessis needs to build an innings because both the Proteas openers are gone and Rilee Rossouw looks a little shaky.
The opposite of shaky is Matt Henry, who produces a splendid maiden here - each delivery loaded with the possibility of South African disaster because he’s getting slightly uneven bounce and causing du Plessis to hop about. Great stuff.
12th over - South Africa 43-2 (du Plessis 14, Rossouw 4)
Boult gets another over and starting to Rossouw, he’s given the ‘whatever you want’ field from his skipper; five in the cordon and Elliott at short point, where he almost takes a catch from the fourth delivery. There’s an in-swining yorker next up. Somehow Rossouw digs it out and gets three down the ground, but he nearly runs himself out from the third. Time to wrap Boult in cotton wool, I reckon.
11th over - South Africa 39-2 (du Plessis 13, Rossouw 1)
I don’t want to judge him too soon, but Henry looked like stock bowler to me in that first over. Perhaps McCullum was foxing when he waxed lyrical about his pace and aggression. Faf du Plessis is fooled; he sort of squares himself up from the first delivery of the over, throwing his head back awkwardly as the ball hits the splice of the bat despite not actually popping up as much as the shot suggested.
Henry is cranking it up around the 140kmph mark, if you were wondering. No slouch, but not express. He’s driven straight at one point but Grant Elliott dives beautifully at mid on to stop it and almost pull off a cheeky run out of Rossouw. Henry’s final delivery goes past du Plessis’ outside edge and the Kiwi cordon purr with satisfaction. It’s a maiden and a very good one.
10th over - South Africa 39-2 (du Plessis 13, Rossouw 1)
Southee’s been given a rest but McCullum decides that Boult will have at least one more to try and prize out another top-order wicket. Maybe he’s run out of steam a little because with only two slips in place he fires one well wide outside off stump and allows du Plessis to glide it down to third man for a boundary. Or was it an edge? No, he meant that. There’s two short extra covers in place for du Plessis, by the way. It’s not like he can launch it through there.
“The guy never looked like it,” says reader Joshua Hines of de Kock’s dismissal. He’s right, sadly. It’s been the story of the poor bloke’s tournament. It was just too late for the Proteas to turn back.
9th over - South Africa 34-2 (du Plessis 8, Rossouw 1)
Who the hell is Matt Henry? That’s the question everyone is asking right now and we get something close to an answer; he’s a right-arm paceman who hits the deck hard and swings it away. Now he’s bowling in a World Cup semi final.
Perhaps Faf du Plessis is a little thrown by Henry’s appearance as well because he bunts to leg and almost runs himself out, diving desperatly to make his ground and complete a kamikaze single. Rossouw fancies biffing Henry about here, I think. Watch this space.
8th over - South Africa 31-2 (du Plessis 6, Rossouw 0)
With a remarkable five slips in place, Boult finishes the over by sending a screamer straight past the thrusted blade of Rilee Rossouw. This is exhillerating bowling from Boult. He’s a gem.
WICKET! Q de Kock c Southee b Boult 14 (South Africa 31-2)
Now de Kock de Parts. Boult gets him too, after another over of stifling pressure leads the young Protea to believe that he needs to take the game on and seize upon boundary chances that aren’t there. Boult is short outside off stump and de Kock slashes wildly, spraying a lofted hack straight into the hands of Southee at third man. Poor de Kock hangs his head in shame. Like a child who doesn’t want to leave a birthday party, he looks on the verge of tears.
Updated
7th over: South Africa 30-1 (de Kock 14, du Plessis 5)
Southee has held it together well, so far. I always felt there was a risk that as in the Australia game, he might get taken apart early and thrown off his rhythm. He tries to set de Kock up with a yorker here but misfires, sending a wide down the leg side. A bouncer two balls later sits up a little more than de Kock expected but he does well to control his hook shot and keep it along the ground for one. The Proteas are being forced to consolidate a little here and they’re finding it far harder to pick up boundaries than in the first 3 overs.
Meanwhile, I highly recommend you check out this week’s Guardian World Cup podcast, which features Andy Zaltzman, Mel Farrell and Patrick Effeney.
6th over: South Africa 27-1 (de Kock 13, du Plessis 4)
Sorry folks, we had a few technical difficulties there for a minute. In the intervening time, Tim Southee produced another probing over, from which Quinny de Kock scored a single and new man du Plessis started to get his eye in.
In this one, Boult continues to swerve the ball around every which way. He comes around the wicket to du Plessis to end it and the ball is carrying through to Ronchi at a brisk pace. You feel as though he’s ‘on’ again, Boult. It’s a magnificent sight.
WICKET! Amla b Boult 10 (South Africa 21-1
Amla departs! Boult strikes! This one is wide of off stump and the Proteas champ launches into a cover drive but the ball jagged in a little more than his stroke allowed for, so the inside edge crashes back into his stumps. What a start for the Kiwis.
Updated
3rd over: South Africa 20-0 (Amla 10, de Kock 10)
Another chance goes begging! Southee steams in to Amla and draws a loose hook from a short one. The ball flies in the air out towards Boult at fine leg but he can’t make the ground, diving in ungainly fashion and missing the chance. Should his skates have been on earlier? He was probably trying to recover his breath, to be fair.
Southee is pumped up but he strays full and wide to leg, allowing Amla to glance a boundary down to fine leg and then clip another through mid wicket. The Kiwis look like taking a wicket every second ball at the moment, but they’re also bleeding runs. It’s a terrific contest between bat and ball to start this game.
Ronchi drops de Kock!
2nd over: South Africa 10-0 (Amla 0, de Kock 10)
Quinton de Kock finally got some runs under his belt during the quarter final but you’d think he’s still nervous today. He has a fascinating start here when Trent Boult - lethal in this tournament so far - loses grip on his first delivery as he hits the crease and has to start again. The next is a jaffa. It swerves away from the left-hander at a vicious rate and then he edges a follow-up a foot past the outsretched hand of Martin Guptill at third slip. It’s four but a streaky start.
Boult is on song again here but de Kock gets two through point when he overpitches slightly. Then there’s a chance! Boult angles in towards off stump and takes the outside edge but wrong-footed keeper Luke Ronchi can’t hold a diving catch to his left and watches on as the ball races to the boundary. De Kock is living dangerously here.
1st over: South Africa 0-0 (Amla 0, de Kock 0)
Game time is finally here! Southee steams in to Amla with three slips in place and the whole of New Zealand behind him. The first one shapes away and Amla is back and across to bunt it down towards cover. Southee will be glad to have that one out of the way.
The vocal crowd is clapping him in every ball to start this game, though at first glance there’s plenty of unattended seats in the stadium. Southee’s over is a beauty, a maiden full of late swing away from the right-hander. Amla shows some due deference, leaving and defending as need be.
Meanwhile, James Crane has an interesting update for fans of bizarre sportsperson appearances in films. “As a fan of all the great Sandler/Barrymore comedy vehicles, I excitedly sat down this evening to watch (the latest offering) ‘Blended’ - which, lo and behold, features a cameo from none other than Dale Steyn. I couldn’t work out whether this was a sign to pile all my money on the Saffers, or, based on just how bad Dale’s performance was, whether to get behind the Kiwis.”
As the anthems sound out gloriously across Auckland...
Matt Harris has a few thoughts on ODI trends. ““How quickly our expectations adjust” indeed, although I’m still having trouble knowing how to feel at the end of innings in this new era. When I was a kid watching Michael Bevan out there in the last 10 overs of a chase, it seemed like the most exciting bit was watching the ‘runs required’ and ‘balls remaining’ ticking down, and trying to work out whether we (it was definitely we, not they) could do it. 35 from 28, will we get there? Now it’s 22 from 18, it’s on a knife-edge!”
“Nowadays I see a team needing 80 from the last 5 overs and I honestly have no idea whether that’s easy, impossible, or perfectly set up for an exciting finish. I guess what I’m saying is that ODI cricket, like literally everything else in the world, peaked when I was about 15 years old.”
Quite.
Updated
A stats-based update
And it’s a very welcome email from Brendan Jones, who is doing my job for me today. Over to you, Brendan.
“The oft-stated rule of thumb in ODIs is that a team doubles its 30th over score if they bat out their overs. But we’ve seen such late-innings onslaughts in this World Cup, I analysed the stats. Of the 30 games so far where the team batting first completed their 50 overs, on average scores were doubled after 32 overs and 2 balls. The most insane onslaughts were in the South Africa v Zimbabwe and West Indies v Zimbabwe matches, where scores were doubled after 37.2 and 37.3 overs respectively.”
“On 9 occasions, the second half of the team’s runs were scored at more than 10 runs per over, and on 7 of those occasions, the score was doubled in 16 or fewer overs. The fastest run rate was by South Africa against the West Indies, where South Africa scored the second half of their runs at 15.1 runs per over, 2.7 times the run rate of their first half.” [Russell’s note: that one was jaw-dropping. If you didn’t think ODI cricket had changed by that point, you needed your head checked]
“The other interesting thing (but in another way, obvious) is that in 90% of these completed first innings, the team batting had lost 4 or fewer wickets at the half-way score – giving them the mental freedom to go nuts.”
Imagine, Brendan, if we’d been told during the 90s that teams would be doubling their score after 37 overs. Crazy. There’s now a perverse thrill to watching replays of late-80s ODIs, in particular, because you just cannot believe how slowly teams bat in the last ten overs. How quickly our expectations adjust.
A weather update
There is plenty of it about, as they say. Perhaps some early rain. Are the Proteas bricking it as a result? Some of them aren’t even old enough to remember ‘92.
World Cup. Semi-final. Rain. South Africa. #AllGood #CWC15
— Tony Tea (@AfterGrogBlog) March 24, 2015
Wordsworth on New Zealand...
Aucklander (is that the right term?) David Parker has arrived with our first email of the day, and it’s a poetic one.
“It appears that William Wordsworth wrote some lines for New Zealanders in this nervous hour”, he says.
“Oh! pleasant exercise of hope and joy!
For mighty were the auxiliars which then stood
Upon our side, we who were strong in love!
Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven!--Oh! times,
In which the meagre, stale, forbidding ways
Of custom, law, and statute, took at once
The attraction of a country in romance!”
Thanks for that David, though it’s worth noting that Wordsworth hadn’t seen Amla and de Villiers bat when he wrote that.
The Toss – AB de Villiers wins it and South Africa will bat.
“It looks a good wicket,” says AB de Villiers. “We rate ourselves against their bowling attack…We’re very excited to get out here.” In selection news, De Villiers says that Vernon Philander has been given the nod over Kyle Abbott.
“We would have batted first as well but with the cloud coming over hopefully it swings for us,” says Brendan McCullum. Matt Henry is the man who replaces Milne, he says. Slight surprise to pick the new guy? Maybe. “We just felt with the extra pace that Matt offers…we’d go with the aggressive option. It’s not going to be handed to us, we’ve gotta go and get it.”
A quick poll on the official World Cup song?
What do you think of it? I hesitate to complain about spending my days watching sport but that piano sting now makes me twitch, I’ve heard it so often.
Not a patch on the 1992 edition...
Preamble
Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. It’s the first World Cup semifinal day. After six weeks of insanely good and insanely bad cricket, we’re down to the chosen ones. Today we have co-hosts New Zealand and everyone’s favourite cursed cricket team, South Africa.
Kiwis. Proteas. One an awkward-looking flightless bird, the other a plant discovered in the 17th century and named after the Greek God Proteus, who could change his form at will. He was an AB de Villiers type, one supposes.
Russell Jackson here, taking you through the first half of this game at Eden Park. During the course of that action you can get me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or via Twitter: @rustyjacko – tell me your hopes, tell me your dreams, tell me about your favourite birds and plants but mostly, have a whinge about the TV commentary.
So far, New Zealand have done a pretty good job of convincing everyone that they’re not the outright favourites in this game but that they are. If you ask me, anyway. In the quarter final just days ago unfashionable Martin Guptill put the West Indies to the sword with an unbeaten 237 of such undiluted quality that I stood for parts of it because on some cosmic level it seemed to be helping him. His side almost nudged the 400-run mark with barely a contribution from Brendan McCullum. That’s pretty good going.
Then you look through the New Zealand bowling; Boult, Southee, Vettori and now with Adam Milne succumbing to injury, a chance for either statistical titan Mitch McClenaghan or dependable veteran Kyle Mills. Or maybe newbie Matt Henry will get the nod. I haven’t even spoken about Ken Williamson, Corey Anderson and Ross Taylor yet. They go okay too. The Kiwis are a serious cricket side and today – on home turf – they play for their nation’s first World Cup final appearance.
South Africa? They only have the two best batsmen in the world plus the slightly-unhinged genius of Dale Steyn. Easy pickings, right? They’ll probably be glad to get out there to be honest. Especially AB de Villiers. Finally he’ll be able to stand out in the middle and take a rest from answering questions about choking. Maybe they’ll bat first. Maybe de Villiers and Amla will put on 350 in the space of 35 overs and cane the Kiwis. Maybe they’ll both fall cheaply and Faf du Plessis will need to pull it out of the fire. Maybe none of that will happen. Maybe de Villiers will bat left-handed from ball one. The rest is toss of the coin stuff.
I’ve played this match in my head on multiple occasions in the last few days. Will South Africa’s bowling weaknesses hurt them? Will it be the Kiwis who choke? Will I pass out before I even get to see what happens?
We shall soon see.
Updated
Russ will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s the opening gambit of Mike Selvey’s preview:
Like a swell rolling on to Auckland’s famous Piha surfing beach, the Black Caps have been gathering momentum and with it the degree of national support has been growing to epidemic proportions. The Sunday papers are packed, front back and middle, with Martin Guptill’s extraordinary double-century demolition of West Indies the previous evening, and on Tuesday 46,000 people, mostly Kiwis and noisy ones at that, will shoehorn themselves into Eden Park for the biggest game of cricket they will have witnessed in this country in the 23 years since Inzamam-ul-Haq smashed their dream of a Melbourne World Cup final.
Read the rest of the article here.
