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LAHORE, Feb 10 (APP):Commanding knocks from Kane Willaimson and Davon Conway with 187-run partnership helped New Zealand ease past South Africa as they scored 308-4 in the second match of the tri-nation series at Gaddafi stadium and made to the final on February 14.
Williamson’s 133 (113) trumped world-record debut innings of 150 by Breetzke and the Proteas could not defend 304-6 total on a Gaddafi stadium pitch which became placid as the match progressed. Player of the Match Kane Williamson reached 7,000 ODI runs in the match.
Williamson and Conway got together when Will Young 19 (31) got out in the 10th over with the team total at 50. Both the batters played contrasting innings as Williamson played a quickfire knock and reached his century in 72 balls while Conway could not reach the three-figure mark and lost his wicket to an excellent catch by Muthusamy at point.
Kane Williamson played the sheet anchor to carry the Black Caps home after they lost three wickets in quick succession with the fall of Conway 97 (107) in the 36th over off Dala and Daryl Mitchell 10 (10) and Tom Latham 0 (1) scalps were claimed by Muthusamy.
An unbroken partnership pf 57 (61) between Glenn Phillips and Kane Williamson ensured that there were no more hiccups and New Zealand stay undefeated in the tri-series so far.
Senuran Muthusamy was pick of the bowlers for South Africa who claimed two wickets for 50 runs in 8.4 over. Eathan Bosch and Junior Dala picked a wicket each as they bowled eight and seven overs each for 47 and 33 runs respectively. Tabraiz Shamsi remained wicketless in nine over sand conceded 62 runs.
Earlier, Matthew Breetzke’ world record ODI debut score of 150 helped South Africa post a total of 304 – 6 against New Zealand. In the only day match of the tri-series, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected put South Africa to bat first on a fresh pitch which encouraged pace-bowlers in the early part of the innings.
Breetzke played a mature knock and became the fourth South African cricketer to hit a century on debut after Colin Ingram, T Bavuma and Reeza Hendericks. He is the first cricketer in the world to score 150 runs on ODI debut. West Indian Desmond Haynes had scored 148 runs on debut in 1978.
Breetzke innings was a combination of caution and aggression as he stitched his century in 128 balls including six 4s and two 6s but he took only 19 balls to reach 150 run mark. He clubbed three 6s and five 4s in the fifty runs.
Breetzke and Jason Smith 41 (51) build a partnership of 93 runs for the second wicket after skipper Temba Bavuma 20 (23) departed early in the eighth over the South African innings. Wicket-keeper batter, who was promoted to bat at No. 4 (in the absence of some of the South African main batters who stayed back home due to SAT20 or ILT20 in the UAE) fell early
Pace-bowling all rounder Wiaan Mulder hit 64 off off 60 balls to and partnered in a partnership of 132 with debutant Breetzke to take South Africa to a respectable beyond 300. Mulder’s innings included five boundaries and one 6.
New Zealand bowlers made good use of the juicy Gaddafi stadium pitch in the first power-play. Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke tested South African openers with swing and bounce. Bavuma fell to a bouncer from O’Rourke. In his first spell, Sears conceded mere 16 runs but he was punished by Breetzke and Mulder in the latter half of the innings as he conceded 65 runs off his 10 overs and returned wicketless. Henry and O’Rourke grabbed a brace in their quota of 10 overs and conceded 59 and 72 runs respectively.
Captain Mitchell Santner was not as effective as against Pakistan and remained wicketless in his 10 overs and gave away 62 runs. Michale Bracewell was miserly and conceded only 43 runs and claimed one wicket in the match.
If tri-nation series served as a platform to test teams before the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, New Zealand made the most of it and they look a side to reckon with. Glenn Phillips and Kane Williamson hit centuries while Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Williamson hit fifities and their bowlers got good feel of the pitches in the Gadadfi stadium Lahore. New Zealand have no more matches in Lahore while they may hope to feature in the second semi-final of the CT 25 at Gaddafi stadium.
The action now moves to Karachi where the final of the tri-nation will be played on February 14 and the fixture between Pakisatn and South Africa on February 12 (Wenesday) will decide the other finalist of the tri-series.