A record-setting innings by A.B. de Villiers set South Africa up for a resounding 159-run win in the third one-day international against New Zealand in Wellington yesterday as the visitors went 2-1 up in the series.
It was an emphatic response by the world’s top-ranked ODI side after losing to New Zealand in the second match on Wednesday.
De Villiers’ innings of 85, during which he became the fastest player to 9,000 ODI runs, lifted his side to 271-8 and outstanding bowling efforts by Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehulkwayo ensured New Zealand never threatened.
Photo: AFP
Pretorius took 3-5 off 32 deliveries and Phehulkwayo finished with 2-12 off 30.
South Africa were keen to bat first when they won the toss and while they too had their jitters, De Villiers had support from Quinton de Kock (68) to give their innings some respectability.
New Zealand’s reply started disastrously.
Both openers were gone inside three overs, with the out-of-form Tom Latham dismissed for a duck and Dean Brownlie gone for 2. Kane Williamson, on 4, should have joined them when he spooned a Wayne Parnell delivery directly to first slip, where Hashim Amla failed to grasp a regulation chance.
It was a short-lived reprieve as Williamson struggled to 23 when he was bowled by Phehulkwayo and Ross Taylor (18) went LBW to Pretorius in the following over to have New Zealand 48-4 in the 16th over.
By the 20th over they were 58-6 and South Africa knew they had the game in the bag.
Colin de Grandhomme, who had the best bowling figures for New Zealand, also top scored with the bat.
He was unbeaten on 34 when the innings folded in the 33rd over, while Kane Williamson was the only other batsman to get above 20.
On a wicket that looked full of runs, South Africa opener Amla was unable to settle and went early for 7 to Tim Southee.
De Kock had no problems as he posted his fifth successive half century following innings of 55 and 109 against Sri Lanka and then 69 and 57 in the first two matches of this five-game series.
His 68 in Wellington came off 70 deliveries and included two sixes and six fours.
Faf du Plessis offered some support with 36, but otherwise there was little resistance until De Villiers set up the big finish supported by Wayne Parnell, who added 35.
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