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New Zealand overcomes South Africa by two runs

New Zealand batsman Chris Harris bats against South Africa during a one-day match in Auckland, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

New Zealand gained its first series win over South Africa when it won the fifth of six one-day cricket internationals yesterday by two runs at Eden Park.

Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher battered 34 from the last two overs to carry South Africa within a whisker of a win which would have kept the series alive ahead of its finale in Napier tomorrow.

Kallis thrashed 58 runs from 60 balls and Boucher 48 from 30, including two of three sixes in the last over, to keep the match in the balance until the final ball.

The match was almost a replay of the third encounter in Wellington which New Zealand won by five runs after South Africa took 21 runs off the last six balls.

Kyle Mills, who was hit for three sixes by Shaun Pollock in the last over at Wellington, relived that agony Sunday when Boucher and Kallis hit him for three sixes, a four and two singles in a thrilling last over.

New Zealand scored 193-8 batting first in a match slashed from 50 to 33 overs per side by rain. South Africa was set a revised target of 177 when its inning was cut to 29 overs by a further shower.

South Africa's scoring rate dawdled when it was reduced to 86-5 in the 19th over and it was left needing 37 runs from the last 12 balls, finally 28 off the last over.

That target seemed unattainable but Kallis and Boucher took nine runs, scoring off every ball in the 28th over, then shook New Zealand with an all-out attack over the last six balls.
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