Key events
I very much enjoy that, in South African English, when speaking in the plural it’s not series and innings, but serieses and inningses. Rightly so.
Tell you what, I’d not be enjoying this tournament if the presenters weren’t all clad in identical baby blue blazers. Thank goodness for that.
Incidentally, the older I get, the more often I wonder if Bringing It All Back Home is the best Bob album. Now that you ask.
Rachin Ravindra, though, what a boy. I might be suggesting this out of envy – I very much regret spending my teenage years straightening my jewfro – but his is surely the best barnet in cricket. Feel free to suggest his competitors.
Thanks Daniel and good morning everyone. I’d be extremely surprised if NZ don’t have way more than enough; my sense is that chasing big totals, teams either get close or nowhere near, and I’m reasoning that the pressure of having to score so many will lead to early wickets.
This week’s Spin column
While you wait for the change of innings, get stuck into this week’s Spin.
It’s a lovely yarn from Simon Burnton as he shines a light on a groundsman who’s hanging up the lawn mower chord (that works, right?) after four decades in the game.
New Zealand post 361-6
Is that enough? I think so, although 350 wasn’t enough for England against Australia on this ground. But I think the Kiwis will learn from the Saffas and take pace off the ball and bowl cutters into the deck.
That’s what Ngidi did in this last over. One was fortuitously nicked for four by Phillips. Another was spanked down the ground by Bracewell who knew it was coming.
Phillips ends unbeaten on 49 from just 27 balls. Mitch Santner bunted two off the one ball he faced.
Brilliant batting from New Zealand, especially from Ravindra and Williamson who put on 160 for the second wicket and reached personal hundreds. Can the Proteas get there? Daniel Harris will be with you to the close.
WICKET! Bracewell c Rickelton b Ngidi 16 (New Zealand 360-6)
He’s smoked that to cover but has to go! Ngidi gets a wicket with the penultimate ball of the over. Job done by Bracewell who hit two fours and faced only 12 deliveries.
49th over: New Zealand 349-5 (Phillips 42, Bracewell 12) Jansen closes out with 0-79 from his 10. (I forgot the mention that Rabada signed out with 2-70 after the last over). Jansen’s over was all over the place, but the Kiwis couldn’t find a boundary thanks to some sharp fielding from Miller in the deep and Maharaj at short fine leg. Six off it, all run. One to go. I reckon they’ve already got more than enough.
48th over: New Zealand 343-5 (Phillips 40, Bracewell 8) Phillips starts the over by crunching Rabada back over his head for six. A wide and then a two off his pads comes before some width that Phillips swats through the covers for four more. After a mini fightback from the Saffas it’s New Zealand on the charge again. A single off a bumper that hits Phillips’ helmet brings Bracewell on strike. He tries to pull ta short ball and gets a lucky bounce off his pads that shoots away for four leg byes. A single off the last ball means it’s 19 off the over. 70 runs off the last five overs.
47th over: New Zealand 324-5 (Phillips 27, Bracewell 7) Ngidi’s cutter gets the wicket and his only fast ball of the over, a poor spray on Bracewell’s pads, is clipped for four. Two wides down the leg side will annoy the bowler and captain alike. Bracewell ends the set with a cut into the deep that counts for two.
WICKET! Mitchell c Rabada b Ngidi 49 (New Zealand 314-5)
Mitchell holes out to deep midwicket! He’s one short of a milestone but that won’t bother him. Just 37 balls with four fours and a six. Rabada charging in from the rope catches it clean. Another slower forces the mistake as Mitchell had to reach for it. Was also a touch wider and it met the toe end of the swinging bat as he dragged it towards the leg side.
46th over: New Zealand 314-4 (Mitchell 49, Phillips 26) The last 30 balls have cost 57 runs. Phillips ends this Jansen over with four consecutive fours – a tuck round the corner, a swiped down long leg, a drive down the ground and a swat past midwicket. 18 off the over, the most expensive of the match.
45th over: New Zealand 296-4 (Mitchell 48, Phillips 9) The slower cutters have worked a treat for South Africa but Mitchell is ready and waiting for this one from Ngidi. He stands still and thwacks one over square leg. Ngidi goes again and Mitchell skies it to Mulder who drops it having lost it in the setting sun! Just didn’t get close to it and had to watch it trickle to the boundary. There’s four more with a scything cut shot. 6-4-4 in three consecutive balls. Three singles either side of the carnage. New Zealand back on track with that lucrative over.
44th over: New Zealand 279-4 (Mitchell 33, Phillips 7) A good set from Rabada, just five singles off that one. He’s showing the way for the Kiwi bowlers. Pace off is the way to go. South Africa have done brilliantly to get back into this. The last 24 balls have cost just 27 runs and only two boundaries.
What’s the target from here?
“New Zealand need 360,” says the X account Radio Cricket (formerly AltCricket). “The conditions will change dramatically.”
That seems like more than enough to me. I feel that 330 would be hard to chase down. Unless of course Miller and Klaasen get hold of a few.
43rd over: New Zealand 274-4 (Mitchell 31, Phillips 4) Mitchell muscles a straight drive down the ground for four. Jansen’s cutter was a touch too full there and the big hitting Mitchell has his first boundary. He gets his second with a deft dab to a short and wide one that was just begging to be put away. An expensive over from the lanky lefty; 13 off it.
42nd over: New Zealand 261-4 (Mitchell 20, Phillips 3) Great stuff from Rabada. The wicket of Latham and only four runs from that over. He got away with a couple of slower balls down the leg side and can thank Jansen for sharp work out in the deep at backward point for keeping a Mitchell cut shot to just two. South Africa, maybe for the first time in this innings, have a semblance of control.
WICKET! Latham b Rabada 4 (New Zealand 257-4)
The South Africans are fighting back! Latham crouches down as he attempts to scoop it over fine leg, but misses it before hearing the death rattle of ball on stumps behind him.
41st over: New Zealand 257-3 (Mitchell 19, Latham 4) Jansen returns and he does well. The batters are tipping and running, but Bavuma won’t mind New Zealand dealing in singles. Five of them before a tasty slower ball has the beating of Mitchell’s attempted pull to the over with a dot.
40th over: New Zealand 252-3 (Mitchell 17, Latham 1) Both centurions are back in the shed and it’s over to the power hitters now. Mulder gets a wicket with some brave bowling as he went for the wide yorker against Williamson who was moving around his crease. Latham is the new man (I was expecting Philips). He takes a single off his first ball, a quickly taken one to the man at mid-off.
WICKET! Williamson c Ngidi b Mulder 102 (New Zealand 251-3)
Hundred and out! He moves across his crease to give himself room for the scoop, but Mulder follows and cramps him. The ball shoots off his bat and spoons its way towards short fine leg where Ngidi catches it above his head. Job done though from the former skipper who walks off having produced the goods yet again for his country. 94 balls for his 102.
Another hundred for Williamson!
Three hundreds in as many matches against the Proteas! He’s a modern great, an all-time great, and he’s got yet another ton to his name. This one comes off just 91 balls. Two sixes and 10 fours, the latest a scoop off Mulder over the keeper’s head. He was 50 off 61 balls. He’s timed this to perfection!
39th over: 245-2 (Williamson 97, Mitchell 16) A rare tidy over as far as the South Africans are concerned, worth only two singles. And that’ll be that for Maharaj who signs off with 0-65 from his 10.
38th over: New Zealand 243-2 (Williamson 96, Mitchell 15) Mulder has shaken off his niggle and is back into the attack. Same old story though as Williamson continues to collect boundaries at will. A perfect steer behind point takes him to within a hit of three figures. His ability to pick gaps is almost otherworldly. He reached 50 off 61 balls. He’s now 96 off 87. He’s a master of his craft. At the other end Mitchell is doing his bit, rotating the strike as he gathers for the coming assault.
37th over: New Zealand 234-2 (Williamson 89, Mitchell 13) 10 off this Maharaj over that was going well for the spinner, until the last ball when Williamson got down low to slog sweep a four to cow corner. Some hard running from the five previous balls added six to the score.
36th over: New Zealand 224-2 (Williamson 82, Mitchell 10) Mitchell swings hard at Rabada’s first ball. He doesn’t time it but does find the big gap at cow corner and they come back for two. He gets two more with a clip off his hips and a single down to deep extra cover. Williamson collects a single of his own before Mitchell adds two more with a flick to deep backward square. Eight off the over, all run.
35th over: New Zealand 216-2 (Williamson 81, Mitchell 3) Just three singles from that Maharaj set. New Zealand taking stock before going again. Shouldn’t be long before Mitchell starts exploding.
34th over: New Zealand 213 -2 (Williamson 80, Mitchell 1) Rabada with the breakthrough to end the 164-run stand. Two cutters and then another one to find the edge. Mitchell’s first ball was a yorker and his second was a generous lifter on his hips that he tucked for a single.
WICKET! Ravindra c Klaasen b Rabada 108 (New Zealand 212-2)
Finally! One of the best innings you’ll see comes to an end. A cutter with some width from Rabada brings out a big drive from Ravindra but this time he doesn’t middle it. A fat edge goes straight to Klaasen to catches it clean. Muted celebrations from the South Africans but they’ll be inwardly delighted. That was a truly outstanding knock off just 101 balls. 13 fours and two sixes in the mix as well.
33rd over: New Zealand 212-1 (Ravindra 108, Williamson 80) The Blacks Caps have this game in the palm of their hands. Five singles off Maharaj before Williamson gets down on one knee and launches a huge six over midwicket. They’ll be targeting 400. Sounds crazy but why not? Carry on like this with the firepower to come and they could do it.
Here’s a wild stat from Wisden’s Yas Rana:
Rachin Ravindra already has as many ODI hundreds as Brendon McCullum.
My word.
32nd over: New Zealand 201-1 (Ravindra 105, Williamson 72) It’s an exhibition from these two. New Zealand’s greatest ever alongside the kid who could eclipse him. Rabada, one of the greats himself, has just haemorrhaged 17 runs in the over. Ravindra’s clipped two brought him three figures before he clipped four down to fine leg. Then Williamson ramped a four with a cute paddle towards fine leg and scythed another four through cover. They’re unstoppable. South Africa need this drinks break to regroup. Oh, Mulder is off injured. This is not going well for the Saffas.
Rachin Ravindra brings up his 100!
He’s got five hundreds and they’ve all come in ICC tournaments. That was not perfect. A superb knock. Off 93 balls with 12 fours and one six. He is the future of New Zealand batting. Plenty to come in this innings. How many more can he get?
31st over: New Zealand 184-1 (Ravindra 98, Williamson 62) That’s a good over from Ngidi. Two cutters beat Ravindra’s angled blade. One was close enough to consider a review that was burned. A two and a single from the left-hander takes him closer to his ton.
They’re reviewing for a caught behind! I think Ravindra has missed this Ngidi cutter, but they’re desperate so worth a look I guess. Nope, flat line on Ultraedge as expected. SA burn a review. Good nut, mind.
30th over: New Zealand 181-1 (Ravindra 95, Williamson 62) Markram has his hands on his head as Williamson slaps a drive that has extra cover diving, but it clears him and races away for four more. It’s all going New Zealand’s way.
29th over: New Zealand 175-1 (Ravindra 94, Williamson 57) Ngidi returns and Klaasen drops Williamson! It was a hard chance as he was diving full length to his right, but the keeper, horizontal with his body, couldn’t get enough of a glove on it. Earlier in the over Ngidi’s cutter beat Ravindra’s outside edge. He’s been by far the most threatening of the Saffa bowlers.
28th over: New Zealand 169-1 (Ravindra 90, Williamson 55) Williamson brings up his second consecutive half-century in this tournament, but his heart would have been in his mouth as he spooned Markram high into the leg side. Van der Dussen, running in from deep midwicket, thought about the dive but opted out so it landed safely as they came back for two. Kane then nails a reverse sweep for four. Four singles across the set. Another productive over worth 10.
27th over: New Zealand 159-1 (Ravindra 88, Williamson 47) A bit of luck brings up the 100-run partnership as Ravindra edges Maharaj for four. No slip in place means its hands on heads for the Saffas. No luck involved three balls later as Williamson comes down the track and deposits a high and handsome six over wide long on.
26th over: New Zealand 147-1 (Ravindra 83, Williamson 43) Kane brings out the reverse sweep but can’t get it away. He’s beaten from the first and picks out short third with the second. Ravindra cuts – uppishly – past Bavuma in the covers who dives but can’t reach it. Van der Dussen mops up as they come back for three.
25th over: New Zealand 143-1 (Ravindra 80, Williamson 39) Ravindra is beaten in the flight as he comes down the track. It’s much shorter than he was anticipating, but he throws his hands at it and smacks it down the ground for four. He’s at the pitch of the next one and nails a big six wide of mid-on. After 24 deliveries without a boundary, Ravindra hammers 10 runs from two balls. Three singles across the set adds up to lucrative over.
24th over: New Zealand 130-1 (Ravindra 69, Williamson 37) Bavuma has recognised that spin gives him a bit more control of things so he introduces Markram’s offies into the attack. He’ll bowl quicker and flatter than Maharaj. Less threatening perhaps but just as tight. The Kiwis are content with just three singles.
23rd over: New Zealand 127-1 (Ravindra 68, Willaimson 35) Nice from Maharaj. Beats Ravindra’s outside edge and pushes another past Williamson’s poke. There’s also a spoon over midwicket that might have fallen to a fielder but instead counts for two. Three singles elsewhere across the over.
22nd over: New Zealand 122-1 (Ravindra 67, Williamson 31) Five singles off that Jansen over. The last ball was banged in hard and Williamson was cramped as he swivelled it away for one. Otherwise total control from the pair who have now put on 76 for the second wicket from 86 balls.
21st over: New Zealand 117-1 (Ravindra 65, Williamson 28) Ravindra picks up another boundary, pressing forward to a flighted ball from Maharaj to caress it through the covers. It’s five dot balls elsewhere but you feel that the Black Caps win another over on points. Ravindra looks like he could keep batting til next week.
20th over: New Zealand 113-1 (Ravindra 61, Williamson 28) Jansen back into the attack and returns with a good one. Just two singles. Better length and a tighter line – that’s the blueprint that the Kiwis will no doubt follow when they get the ball. The lanky lefty is bowling into the pitch, forcing the batters to manipulate the angles.
