A record-equalling five catches by Mark Boucher, playing in his 200th one-day international, and a career-best spell of bowling by Andrew Hall helped South Africa to pin New Zealand down, and restrict their total to 215 all out with three balls to spare in the fifth and final Standard Bank match at Supersport Park on
Sunday.
Graeme Smith won the toss and sent New Zealand in to bat on an overcast day.
His decision was vindicated in the first over when Shaun Pollock had Stephen Fleming caught behind by Mark Boucher without a run on the board.
Lou Vincent and Nathan Astle took the attack to the bowlers, putting on 75 runs off just 80 balls for the second wicket. Their partnership was interrupted by rain, which kept the players off the field for about 50 minutes.
Charl Langeveldt broke the partnership in his third over, when Astle skied the ball, only to be caught by Hall for 37. Langeveldt struck again to dismiss Hamish Marshall, who was caught by Boucher for three.
Hall took his first wicket in his second over when he had Scott Styris caught by Boucher for 19. In his next over, he claimed the scalp of danger man Vincent, who was brilliantly caught at extra cover by AB De Villiers for 66. Vincent’s sixth ODI half century came off just 52 balls, including eight fours and two sixes. Daniel Vettori faced just one ball before he was run out by Mark Boucher.
The ball bobbled about, but Vettori responded to a call from his partner Brendon Mccullum, only to be run out by a direct throw at the wicket at the non-striker’s end.
James Franklin and McCullum put on 33 runs before Franklin was caught by Boucher off Andre Nel for 12, leaving New Zealand reeling on 185 for eight.
Hall was brought back into the attack, and McCullum was caught by Boucher off his second ball for 27, to give Hall his fourth wicket and Boucher his fifth catch of the match. It was the fifth time he had taken five catches in an ODI. David Richardson achieved this feat twice.
Kyle Mills and Shane Bond came together in the 44th over, with the score on 187 for nine, and put on 18 runs before Mills, striving for a six, was caught on the boundary by Ashwell Prince off Makhyaya Ntini for 19.
Hall was the pick of the bowlers, ending with figures of four for 23 off his 10 overs. Langeveldt took two for 36, and Pollock, Ntini, and Nel took a wicket each. – Sapa