A bit of a damp end to a much-anticipated match. South Africa were superb, with bat and ball, and swoop top of the table. New Zealand drop to fourth, two points above Pakistan, and Afghanistan (who have played a game fewer), and are now in the danger zone.
That’s it from me for today, India play Sri Lanka tomorrow in Mumbai, Netherlands v Afghanistan on Friday, and then super Saturday: Pakistan v New Zealand in Bangalore, and England v Australia in Ahmedabad. Thanks for all your messages – bye!
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Time for the captains:
New Zealand’s Tom Latham, “Not our best performance, at the half way mark it was a big score but a decent surface. We weren’t able to build partnerships, disappointing.” Says he would have made the same decision at the toss if he could chose again, “they put some pressure on us, but it was a small ground, decent surface. 330-340 would have been chaseable, but we weren’t able to build partnerships with the bat.
“I guess it is important we reflect on this one quickly, we don’t become a bad team overnight.”
South Africa’s Temba Bavuma, “I think Quinnie and I tried to assess the wicket, I was able to get a couple away, Quinnie tried to get a couple away, but hung in there and cashed in at the end….in terms of the bowlers, look to be clinical, dominate the power play, the middle order, we knew they would come at us and be ready for opportunities. I think it is important we acknowledge that we have made the semi-finals* and move on.”
I don’t think South Africa have actually sealed a semi-final spot mathematically, but realistically they are there.
The once sitting pretty New Zealand have now lost three in three, which leaves them in unexpected deep water with two games to go. They play Pakistan on Saturday – now a huge game – before Sri Lanka a week on Thursday. Pakistan and Afghanistan both now in with a shot. Afghanistan line up against the Netherlands at Lucknow on Friday.
The player of the match is Rassie van der Dussen. Who is handed the microphone as he adopts the power stance we are told to do in the toilet before an interview.
“If you hold a good length there is something in it for the bowlers, he says, “and we communicated that back to our bowlers. They did well to keep a lid on us for much of the innings but we knew if we could keep it deep we could keep momentum on our side. Miller and guys at the back did brilliantly, it wasn’t easy.”
WICKET! Phillips c Rabada b Coetzee 60 (New Zealand 167 all out) South Africa win by 190 runs
A hit too far! Phillips, who has just smashed Coetzee for another six, goes again, but this time straight to mid on. King , Queen, Jack.
Fifty for Glenn Phillips!
35th over: New Zealand 161-9 (Phillips 54, Henry 0) Phillips, after taking a look at Henry limp up the pitch, decides to get stuck in. He fillets Maharaj through the covers for four, pick-up-sticks him up for six next ball into the crowd, and four more, over extra cover – for his fifty off just 46 balls. The crowd roar in appreciation as Henry survives the last two balls.
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34th over: New Zealand 146-9 (Phillips 39, Henry 0) Coetzee returns. Phillips picks up his four with a muscled pull. Gets his single off the last ball, Henry “running” like a man in paper trousers.
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33rd over: New Zealand 140-9 (Phillips 34, Henry 0) Phillips is after boundaries, not running for singles. And that’s his baby, sweeping Maharaj 73 metres into the stands. Henry survives his one ball from Maharaj – who has the look of a youthful Rahul Dravid.
32nd over: New Zealand 134-9 (Phillips 27, Henry 0) Henry not enjoying this – out there so NZ can eke the most out of their NRR.
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31st over: New Zealand 133-9 (Phillips 26, Henry 0) Henry, he of the newly dodgy right hamstring, comes in. He manages to defend Maharaj’s remaining four balls away. New Zealand, as well as about to lose today, as well as about to lose three games on the trot – now have injury worries to Henry, Southee, Williamson, Chapman and Ferguson
WICKET! Boult c Miller b Maharaj 9 (New Zealand 133-9)
Boult goes for broke, hitting high – but not long enough, and Miller doesn’t drop those. A fourth for the super Maharaj.
30th over: New Zealand 132-8 (Phillips 25, Boult 9) A free hit! Jansen is not impressed. I’ve seen that expression before, when I suggest that people should load the dishwasher before going out. It’s a wide yorker that Boult can only dribble away.
28th over: New Zealand 128-8 (Phillips 23, Boult 8) Phillips and Boult taking a leaf out of the Mark Wood handbook. Phillips tonks Maharaj for six. Boult produces the leave of a tournament, squatting down gracefully with a grin.
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27th over: New Zealand 119-8 (Phillips 15, Boult 7) I take that back, Henry is now visible in the dugout, helmeted and ready to go. Boult dinks Jansen into the rope, and replays it with a little twist of the wrist.
“Tanya,” John Starbuck. “You must have had an ignoble childhood to remember someone (an adult?) mean enough to use an Opal Fruit as a pass the parcel prize. Which cricket team would do that?” No, no, the Opal Fruit is in between each layer of paper – a sop to the dear little children who don’t win the main prize (packet of felt tip pens etc).
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27th over: New Zealand 112-8 (Phillips 14, Boult 0) A bad day at the office for New Zealand.
WICKET! Neesham b Maharaj 0 (New Zealand 111-8)
Ball of the World Cup? Maharaj fizzes one, with a twist of the wrist, into the pitch where it does a double twisting Yurchenko into Neesham’s leg stump The injured Matt Henry won’t bat, so South Africa need only one more wicket.
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26th over: New Zealand 109-7 (Phillips 12, Neesham 0) Jansen on a hat-trick – now the World Cup’s joint leading wicket taker with Adam Zampa. Neesham survives the hat-trick and an lbw review. A truculent Jansen sends one past his nose in his disappointment. Wicket maiden.
”I’ve just walked in from work and checked the score,” writes Jeremy Boyce. “Saffas as per in their innings, but what has happened to the Kiwi batters ? Did they suddenly “naturalise” as Englishmen in some kind of strange reverse ferret ?” Colonialism never stops giving.
WICKET! Southee lbw Jansen 7 (New Zealand 109-7)
Very full, very straight. Southee tries to whip it away, misses and is hit on the left ankle. He reviews – why not at this stage – but the technology sends him on his way.
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25th over: New Zealand 109-6 (Phillips 12, Southee 7) Southee survives a slog-sweep into the night. At this stage South Africa were 121-1 – so not much in it runs wise, the wickets column proving the more pressing concern.
24th over: New Zealand 106-6 (Phillips 11, Southee 5) Small prizes for New Zealand at this stage, like an opal fruit in a layer of pass the parcel. Southee picks up four from a swipe off Ngidi through midwicket, fumbled on the rope.
23rd over: New Zealand 100-6 (Phillips 10, Southee 0) Crumbling Black Caps. Santner had made room the ball before to drive Maharaj for four, but done by the turn this time. And Southee is the next man in – not Neesham.
WICKET! Santner b Maharaj 7 (New Zealand 100-6)
Maharaj, of Lancashire and Yorkshire, bangs his chest as Santner makes room and loses his stumps.
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22nd over: New Zealand 95-5 (Phillips 9, Santner 3) Accuracy from Ngidi, golden forearm guards, lime green boots. Only five runs from the last four overs as New Zealand relay the foundations.
21st over: New Zealand 93-5 (Phillips 8, Santner 2) Maharaj whistles through his over, just one from it.
20th over: New Zealand 91-5 (Phillips 7, Santner 1) A maiden from the almost immaculate Rabada.
19th over: New Zealand 91-5 (Phillips 7, Santner 1) Mitchell only gives himself a couple of balls before attempting to tuck into Maharaj’s loopy tempter – will New Zealand now play the net run rate game?
Hmmm, the general OBO’s attitude to Matt Hancock can be summed up Marcus Abdullahi. “ I’d quite like to see Hancock facing Marshall, Thomson, Patterson and Roberts - ideally on the 1998 Jamaica test pitch and ideally wearing dodgy protective equipment provided by one of his cronies’ dodgy firms.”
WICKET! Mitchell c Miller b Maharaj 24(New Zealand 90-5)
Immediate reward for Maharaj, as Mitchell quick steps down the pitch, hits him high, high, and into the hands of Miller who catches on the leap with both hands above his head.
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18th over: New Zealand 90-4 (Mitchell 24, Phillips 7) Phillips covers drives for four, then superb by Rabada, probe after probe. South Africa review a slip catch at the very last minute – but no bat involved.
17th over: New Zealand 84-4 (Mitchell 24, Phillips 1) A curiously profligate over from Coetzee – who bowls four wides which de Kock stands and watches as it soars wide and high to the rope. Two stand and deliver fours from Mitchell. Fifteen from the over.
A brutal summing up by Krishnamoorthy V:
“South Africa tends to choke regularly in crucial moments. New Zealand is known to be unlucky. India will bottle up that one important match and cry like babies. That leaves Australia the favorites to win this edition.”
16th over: New Zealand 69-4 (Mitchell 14, Phillips 1) Hope Mitchell came prepared to change water into wine. South Africa’s bowlers utterly dominant.
WICKET! Latham c Maharaj b Rabada 4 (New Zealand 67-4)
Oh dear, all looking a bit sticky for New Zealand now, as Latham pushes hopefully and can only loop the ball to a gracious cover.
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15th over: New Zealand 67-3 (Mitchell 13, Latham 4) Coetzee, headband, bustles/muscles in. Runs still hard to come by. Kane Williamson, sidelined by that thumb injury, picks up his bag and prepares to leave the dugout. The noises are that he will probably be fit for what, if New Zealand lose today, looks like being a humdinger of a game against Pakistan.
14th over: New Zealand 64-3 (Mitchell 12, Latham 1) A sensational stat from the television: captains winning the toss in this tournament have won just 9 out of 31 games – Jos Buttler you are in good company. Tom Latham’s decision to field first today looks like making this stat even more stark. Just two from Rabada’s over.
13th over: New Zealand 62-3 (Mitchell 11, Latham 1) A Mitchellesque shot. brings a Mitchellesque reward – a pull from a short one – bang to the rope. Otherwise only a single from Coetzee’s over.
12th over: New Zealand 57-3 (Mitchell 6, Latham 1) A precious, skilful, maiden from Rabada . On the rope we see Coetzee dry himself with a burgundy towel straight from the guest room, I’m afraid I can’t tell you why he doesn’t have an official green and gold one.
An email wings in from Cressida Evans. Hello!
“Typing to you from sunny Salvador, pretending to work and following both the match (yay) and the Covid inquiry (boo). Have just seen this unexpected crossover:
“In her evidence to the inquiry Helen MacNamara said that at one point Matt Hancock, the health secretary, posed as a batsman while discussing Covid. “They bowl them at me, I knock them away,” Hancock said. [insert ‘eyes rolling out my head’ emoji here]
“Just wondering if the OBO hive mind could let me know exactly where they think Mr Hancock would fit into England’s current WC team?”
11th over: New Zealand 57-3 (Mitchell 6, Latham 1)Tricky. tricky: New Zealand must rebuild alongside the pulsing rhythm of a creeping run-rate. Young falls, the ball after pulling Coetzee to the rope with vigour.
WICKET! Young c de Kock b Coetzee 33 (New Zealand 56-3)
Young squeezes his eyes tightly shut in disappointment, after edging a sweet ball from Coetzee into the gloves.
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10th over: New Zealand 51-2 (Young 28, Mitchell 4), Mitchell 4) A bowling change, with Rabada replacing Ngidi. Mitchell gives himself one ball to get his eye in before playing an exquisite straight drive, head immaculately in position, down past Rabada for four.
9th over: New Zealand 45-2 (Young 28) RR on his toes, meerkat like, through the covers with a smile – his first boundary. But that, my friends, is that for young pretender. Jansen the power play destroyer.
“Hi Tanya,” Alistair Connor, in Lyon, hello!
“I note that NZ’s two defeats have been quite close. I expect them to get within a long shot again this time.
“My ambition is to see them get through to the final again -- as in the rugby (a clear moral victory, as the All Blacks scored the only try), and as in 2019.
I’m a big fan of moral victories. It’s like when the other guy gets the girl, but you know you’re the better person. “
Fully on board with this.
WICKET! Ravindra c Coetzee b Jansen 9 (New Zealand 45 -2)
Jansen’s extra bounce does it again. Ravindra goes for gold, pulling, the top edge soars, but drops, into the hands of Coetzee on the rope.
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8th over: New Zealand 38-1 (Young 27, Ravindra 4) Young flicks four off his legs to Ngidi’s first ball, four more off the next, a pie, which is dispatched high and away over slip. Win predictor currently gives New Zealand just a 14 per cent chance of victory. Some interesting commentary on the radio, that Rassie VDD isn’t on the field – something a few South African batters have done during the tournament.
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7th over: New Zealand 28-1 (Young 17, Ravindara 4) No easy runs for New Zealand as Jansen continues to probe and poke.
‘Afternoon,” Hello, John Starbuck! “For the first time, I feel that this match is the most crucial so far. The end is, however distant, just in sight, so we can begin a countdown.” I know what you mean, I can’t believe this tournament has been playing so long for only Bangladesh to be eliminated. It would feel wrong for either of these teams not to make the semis – but the jeopardy starts here.
6th over: New Zealand 25-1 (Young 15, Ravindara 3) Young wriggles what looks a certain four through midwicket, brilliant fielding on the rope from Hendricks saves a run. I should have mentioned the crowd’s enthusiasm for Ravindra when he came in – a real star in the making.
5th over: New Zealand 20-1 (Young 12, Ravindara 2) New Zealand say thanks very much for the four byes that jackknife Ravindra and whizz past de Kock.
4th over: New Zealand 14-0 (Young 11, Ravindara 1) More parsimonious bowling from Ngidi – though Young does pick up four through the loose fingers of Maharaj at cover.
“I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday’s limited overs game between Dominic Cummings and Hugo Keith at the Baroness Hallett Stadium. Hugo was serving up bouncers and doosrahs and yorkers and beamers. Dom was fending them off with all parts of his body and his full repertoire of reverse sweeps and ramps and top edged hooks. And the sledging, oh the sledging, top ****ing class.” Yes, obvious seriousness of the matter aside, the Covid inquiry is an incredible breeding ground for big dick swinging bristling machismo.
3rd over: New Zealand 8-1 (Young 6, Ravindara 0) A work of art from Jansen first ball which leaves Conway foolishly bat dangling as it squeezes as close as possible without edging. But he’s picked up his man by the end of the over with another pearler. Very difficult work for the Kiwis to face Ngidi and Jansen first thing, with a run rate of more than seven ticking away in their heads.
WICKET! Conway c Markram b Jansen 2 (New Zealand 8-1)
Glorious! Jansen swings the ball away, with vigourous bounce, and Conway is stuck for room, edging the ball to a flying Jansen at slip.
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2nd over: New Zealand 6-0 (Conway 1, Young 5) Ngidi starts with a cracking maiden, no freebies left from the trick or treat box.
1st over: New Zealand 6-0 (Conway 1, Young 5) Jansen floats in, Conway drives uppishly, recklessly, and the ball top edges down to the fielder on the rope. Young plays and misses at the second but picks up a boundary next , turning the ball off his boots and down to the fine leg boundary.
My email, btw, is tanya.aldred.freelance@guardian.co.uk – will try and fix it above too.
New Zealand need 358 to win
Here come the players. Marco Jansen, towers over the umpire, and collects the ball.
Do send me your messages on this blowy/hot/humid/wet November afternoon. Unofficial joint winner alongside January as the most miserable months of the year.*
on a small island, 53 degrees north of the equator.
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Pitch report: Simon Doull peers at the surface. He says it looks the same as when the game started apart from the bowlers’ footmarks. He ponders the now mystical dew, says it starts to form around 25 overs so South Africa will try to use Maharaj before then.
Thanks Rob! What an innings, those South Africans just can’t put a foot wrong at the minute – drawing a small net curtain over the aberration against the Dutch. Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen were superb, David Miller’s 53 off 30 deserves a hat tip and to Aiden Markram faced one ball and hit it for six. The Kiwis must chase an intimidating 358, at more than seven an over – though they made 383 in the near miss against Australia. Brazenly hoping for a win for my 11 year old nephew who retreated to his room after the All Blacks lost last weekend. Not sure he’s come out yet.
That’s it from me. Tanya Aldred will be with you for the New Zealand runchase – you can get in touch with her by clicking this thing. Bye!
“Thank heavens one Lance Klusener isn’t in this team,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “This SA team with LK in it would get 400+ every time.”
That’s a scarily good point. I was looking at his record at the death in the 1999 World Cup recently and it was astonishing – something like an average of 230 and a strike rate of 140.
Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen made superb centuries, with van der Dussen accelerating spectacularly at the death. But never mind all that because de Kock is speaking to Harsha Bhogle.
They bowled really well up front, especially Boulty, and I felt quite scratchy. I felt like I couldn’t find my rhythm. I got a couple of messages from the guys on the bench to just bat through. I’m trying not to give it away; I just wanna keep batting. My career’s coming to a finish so I want to bat as much as I can.
I hope 357 will be good enough. If the wicket stays the same I think it will be, but looking at the previous games the wicket does get better under lights. We’re playing against a really good side so let’s see what happens.
Neesham’s last over cost 19, which means his figures are a grisly 5.3-0-69-1. South Africa did it again at the death, smacking 119 from the last 10 overs and 163 from the last 15. All that after Tom Latham became the fourth captain at this World Cup to put them into bat.
New Zealand need 358 to win!
50th over: South Africa 357-4 (Klaasen 15, Markram 6) Aiden Markram ends the innings in style, just like Viv Richards in 1979, except this was the first ball he faced. He picked a slower short ball and hooked it over fine leg for six!
WICKET! South Africa 351-4 (Miller c Mitchell b Neesham 53)
Daryl Mitchell takes a terrific boundary catch to dismiss David Miller, who was looking for his second successive six. He took the catch, threw the ball up before he stepped over the boundary sponge, then jumped back into play to take the catch for real.
Miller goes for a savage 30-ball 53, which included 40 off the last 16. One ball remaining.
Godspeed Jimmy Neesham, for you shall bowl the last over.
49th over: South Africa 339-3 (Miller 46, Klaasen 10) This is fascinatingly poised, which is another way of saying nobody really knows who is on top.
Boult misses his yorker by a couple of inches, if that, and is blootered to wide long-off for four by Miller. It’s still a terrific over from Boult – until Klaasen cleaves his last delivery over mid-off for six. Boult ends an extremely good spell with slightly unjust figures of 10-1-49-1.
South Africa have scored 144 from the last 14 overs.
48th over: South Africa 325-3 (Miller 40, Klaasen 2) David Miller came in at the end of the 40th over. Yet he still had the nerve to play himself in: 13 from the first 14 balls, then 28 from the next 10 – including a huge six over midwicket off Southee a moment ago.
“Did England really hit ‘only’ 76 sixes in 2019?” weeps Matt Dony. “I realise that’s a big ol’ number, but it felt like Morgan hit that on his own. I’m genuinely surprised.”
Yup. I’d have to double check to be sure but it was something like Morgan 22, Roy 12, Bairstow and Stokes 11, Buttler 8, Moeen 5, Woakes 3, Root 2, Plunkett and Rashid 1.
WICKET! South Africa 316-3 (van der Dussen b Southee 133)
Lovely bowling from Tim Southee, who bowls Rassie van der Dussen with a slower off-cutter. Van der Dussen heaved across the line, missed and was bowled via the pad. He goes for a punishing 133 from 118 balls, including 65 from the last 35 deliveries.
47th over: South Africa 316-2 (van der Dussen 133, Miller 33) Barring an unforseeable fiasco, Boult will bowl the last two overs at this end. New Zealand aren’t out of this game – they scored 383 batting second against Australia at the weekend – but it’s been a bruising afternoon in the field.
Miller glances past short fine leg for four, though that’s the only bad ball in another admirable over from Boult. There are four singles and a dot ball when Van der Dussen offers no stroke to a wide (but not wide) yorker.
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46th over: South Africa 308-2 (van der Dussen 131, Miller 27) Tom Latham, who is walking a mile in Jos Buttler’s shoes, takes a gamble by bringing back Glenn Phillips.
Miller pumps him almost absent-mindedly over extra cover for six, which sets a new World Cup record for South Africa. Phillips pulls his length back too far and is belaboured into the crowd at midwicket. This is now the eighth game in a row that South Africa have hit 300 when batting first. Bizarrely, in seven of those they were put into bat.
45th over: South Africa 290-2 (van der Dussen 129, Miller 13) Van der Dussen’s hundred is South Africa’s eighth of this tournament, which equals the record set by Sri Lanka in 2015. He monsters another six off Southee, his fifth and South Africa’s 76th of the tournament. That equals another World Cup record, this one set by England in 2019. It’s van der Dussen rather than Miller who is doing the heavy lifting at the moment.
44th over: South Africa 278-2 (van der Dussen 121, Miller 9) Van der Dussen dumps Neesham’s first ball to cow corner for four, the start of a huge over for South Africa. Trent Boult drops van der Dussen for six at long-off, then van der Dussen belts a huge six over midwicket.
Twenty from the over, and van der Dussen is playing Heinrich Klaasen. He’s scored 53 off his last 26 balls.
43rd over: South Africa 258-2 (van der Dussen 104, Miller 6) Very good from Santner, who restricts South Africa to five singles and a wide. The last ball of his spell was a beauty – the even slower one that Miller, who had violencein mind, could only push gently to mid-off.
Santner ends with figures of 10-0-58-0. A sackable offence once upon a time; an admirable effort in 2023.
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Rassie van der Dussen hits a 101-ball century!
42nd over: South Africa 252-2 (van der Dussen 101, Miller 5) A cracking stat has just appeared on the TV coverage. In this tournament South Africa are scoring at 10.92 runs per over in the last 10. The next best is Australia with 8.64.
Neesham replaces Southee, who like Boult has two overs remaining. I know it would be cruel but there’s a case for retiring van der Dussen once he reaches his hundred – which he has just done with a clever pull past short fine leg for four. Actually, I’m not sure that is fair. Van der Dussen laboured a bit in the middle overs but he’s hit 47 from his last 30 balls.
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40th over: South Africa 242-2 (van der Dussen 93, Miller 2) New Zealand think Miller has been caught behind first ball when he pushes outside off at Santner. They take matters outside, on the slabs upstairs but there’s nothing on UltraEdge.
No wicket for Santner but he does keep South Africa to four singles. South Africa are capable of scoring 150 in the last 10 overs – but New Zealand should tell themselves it won’t happen every time. If they can somehow keep the target to around 320, they’ll fancy their chances.
40th over: South Africa 238-2 (van der Dussen 91, Miller 0) That was the last ball of the over, and a clever bit of bowling from Southee. He’s needed all his experience today.
The new batter is David Miller; left-hander for left-hander I guess.
WICKET! South Africa 238-2 (de Kock c Phillips b Southee 114)
I still can’t believe South Africa, the best target-setters in the world, have been asked to bat eight times in the last two months.
Van der Dussen slaps Southee past backward point for four to move into the nineties. A single brings up the 200 partnership from 192 balls – but that’s where it ends. Quinton de Kock steers a very wide delivery from Southee to backward point to end another high-class innings: 114 from 116 balls with 10 fours and three sixes.
39th over: South Africa 230-1 (de Kock 112, van der Dussen 85) There’s another third-umpire check when Boult, back in the atack, takes a return catch off de Kock. It was indeed a bump ball. “I wonder if the umpires are losing a bit of confidence,” muses Ian Smith on commentary.
After a fine start to the over from Boult, de Kock makes room to slice a boundary over point. He’s already in the top 10 of runscorers at a single World Cup, and he could have another four and a bit innings.
Despite the boundary that’s another very good over from Boult, whose figures are 8-1-27-1. He’s going at 3.37 per over; the rest have a combined economy rate of 6.42.
38th over: South Africa 223-1 (de Kock 107, van der Dussen 84) A slower ball from Southee is mangled down the ground for four by de Kock. Of all the games in which to return after six weeks out with a busted thumb. He hasn’t bowled badly at all but he has still gone for 48 from seven overs. And the last three won’t be maidens, I’ll tell you that for nowt.
“A few years ago, you described Quinton de Kock as a genius,” says Gary Naylor. “He hasn’t quite reached that level, but where would you put him as a keeper-batter? I’m tempted to say a rung off the highest level, but, in the rapidly changing game tipped further towards white ball and franchise cricket, I think this World Cup advances up a step.”
Lord, I overuse the word ‘genius’ so much. I’d agree with you that he’s a rung below the greatest – but if SA finally win a World Cup off his bat, he’d be in the conversation for the wicketkeeper’s role in an all-time ODI XI. A lovely conversation it would be, too, before we all agreed on MS Dhoni.
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37th over: South Africa 214-1 (de Kock 102, van der Dussen 80) I can’t keep up with this. Santner’s latest over produces five singles and a boundary for van der Dussen, who is starting to motor himslf: he’s scored 26 off his last 17 balls.
ANOTHER HUNDRED FOR QUINTON DE KOCK!
36th over: South Africa 205-1 (de Kock 100, van der Dussen 73) Nessham is okay to continue; in an hour’s time, he might wish his finger had been broken. Van der Dussen hacks a boundary to cow corner, then Trent Boult – usually so reliable in the outfield – misses his second chance in as many games. Van der Dussen mistimed a slap down the ground, but Boult misjudged the flight of the ball at long-off and didn’t get a hand on the ball as he jumped backwards. He was a fair way in from the boundary so had plenty of room to work with.
Never mind all that because Quinton de Kock has just reached his fourth hundred of the tournament! He got there in style, hooking Neesham into the crowd. This has been a measured effort, from 103 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Only Rohit Sharma, who scored five hundreds in 2019, has made more centuries at a men’s World Cup. Kumar Sangakkara also got four, I think in 2015.
Meanwhile, here’s Tim on David Willey’s retirement. Most right-thinking people will have a lot of sympathy for Willey, and I’m sure in hindsight Rob Key regrets the timing of the announcement. That said, it’s a very long tournament and had to do it at some stage. I’m not sure there was a perfect soluton.
Rob Key, who has worked wonders in Tests, got it badly wrong with #DavidWilley. You simply can't hand contracts to your whole squad bar one. You can drop him later, as with Liam Plunkett in 2019. But it might not have been wise: since that low blow, Willey has been England's MVP
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) November 1, 2023
35.1 overs: South Africa 194-1 (de Kock 94, van der Dussen 68) New Zealand may have another injury problem. Neesham can’t hold a very sharp return chance offered by van der Dussen; the ball deflects to Santner, who misses a run-out chance with de Kock out of his crease at the non-striker’s end.
The physio comes on to treat Neesham. I think the problem is with the little finger on his right hand.
35th over: South Africa 194-1 (de Kock 94, van der Dussen 68) New Zealand are scoring off almost every delivery now, so even the boundaryless overs – like this one from Santner – are yielding six or seven runs.
“Having lived in Pune for seven years, I can tell you that it is usually hot during the day (true for all venues other than Dharamsala) but it does get cold by sunset,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “By cold I mean an equivalent of a European spring. With a bit of dew too.”
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34th over: South Africa 188-1 (de Kock 91, van der Dussen 64) New Zealand have confirmed that Matt Henry has a tight hamstring. I didn’t realise Mark Chapman is injured as well, so they are down to their last 11 players. Ish Sodhi is on the field as a substitute.
Sorry, I’m a bit behind here but de Kock has raced into the nineties now. Looks like South Africa knew what they were doing all along.
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33rd over: South Africa 179-1 (de Kock 84, van der Dussen 63) Santner returns, with five overs still to bowl. De Kock reverse sweeps his quicker ball for four, and some purposeful scampering makes it 10 from the over.
De Kock is 16 away from his fourth hundred in just seven innings at this World Cup. And all things being equal, you’d fancy South Africa to get at least 350 from here.
32nd over: South Africa 169-1 (de Kock 78, van der Dussen 59) Van der Dussen smiles sheepishly after dragging Boult past leg stump for a much needed boundary. Boult has been extremely good – but that was his Boult’s seventh over, so there is plenty of scope for South Africa to tuck in at the death.
31st over: South Africa 163-1 (de Kock 77, van der Dussen 54) De Kock walks inside the line to hook Southee very fine for four. His strike rate is going up but van der Dussen, like DI Sam Tyler, remains stuck in the seventies. There might be a case for a T20-style ‘retired out’ here.
30th over: South Africa 155-1 (de Kock 72, van der Dussen 51) Trent Boult returns to the attack. He starts with four dot balls to van der Dussen, then has a big appeal for a leg-side catch turned down. It clipped pad rather than bat and New Zealand were right to not review.
Just one from the over. Boult’s figures are superb: 6-1-13-1.
29th over: South Africa 154-1 (de Kock 72, van der Dussen 50) Van der Dussen waves the returning Southee for a single to reach an impassive fifty from 61 deliveries. Once again South Africa get a boundary off the last ball, this time when de Kock drags a loose ball round the corner. That takes him to 500 runs for the tournament – the first time a South African has achieved the feat. He has plenty of time to break the overall record: Sachin Tendulkar’s 673 in 2003.
There’s a chance New Zealand have read the pitch perfectly: sluggish by day, zingy by night. Nobody in the commentary box is sure what a good score might be. My instinct is that South Africa are slightly ahead, but I’m 4637.29 miles away from Pune so it’s hardly the most informed judgement.
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28th over: South Africa 147-1 (de Kock 67, van der Dussen 48) Another reasonable over from Phillips is tarnished by a last-ball boundary. This time it’s from de Kock, who walks down the pitch to chip gracefully over midwicket for four.
The commentators think the pitch might be deceptively slow, hence South Africa’s relatively sluggish scoring rate. Mind you, they are only 31 runs behind where they were at this stage against England – and they were three down on that occasion.
In other news, here’s more on the strange injury that has ruled Glenn Maxwell out of Australia’s victory over England on Saturday.
27th over: South Africa 138-1 (de Kock 60, van der Dussen 47) New Zealand’s injury woes continue: Matt Henry is leaving the field after three balls of his sixth over. It looks like a hamstring strain, so he’s right not to risk any further damage.
If it’s just a twinge he might be able to bowl in the knockout stages, should New Zealand get there. But they are now without Henry, Ferguson and Kane Williamson through injury and Tim Southee is playing his first game in six weeks. They do at least have a fair bit of bowling depth, with three fifth bowlers in Phillips, Neesham and Ravindra.
It’s Neesham who completes the over, and it’s a good one for New Zealand – both bowlers conceded a single from their three deliveries.
26th over: South Africa 136-1 (de Kock 59, van der Dussen 46) Finally, somebody does get after Phillips. Six runs from the first five balls – and then six more from the last when van der Dussen nails a flat straight six. The real quiz is yet to come but South Africa are ever so impressive.
“I assume we’re all rooting for New Zealand to win this thing now?” says Max Williams. “India are unbearably hubristic (and by all accounts terrible hosts); Australia are Australia; South Africa would be a lovely story but they have just won the rugby. Wouldn’t mind Pakistan. But it’s gotta be NZ, right? I still think of 2019 as a draw anyway...”
Part of me still thinks of it as a defeat - for England. I’d like South Africa to win today, simply because it would increase Pakistan and Afghanistan’s chances of making the last four and I’m desperate for some drama, any drama. I’m also a sucker for the old cornered tigers narrative. And yet, paradoxically, if I could choose a winner of the tournament it would be New Zealand, ideally with Jimmy Neesham hitting the last ball for six in the final.
That said, it’ll be a great story whoever wins.
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25th over: South Africa 124-1 (de Kock 57, van der Dussen 36) Matt Henry replaces Ravindra, whose two overs went for 17. South Africa continue to carefully build a platform for their death-hitters, though de Kock is hit on the arm by a slower bouncer.
Both batters have a strike rate of 76, which is slightly lower than they would like, but I still think they’re in a good position.
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24th over: South Africa 117-1 (de Kock 55, van der Dussen 34) Another near miss for Phillips, with de Kock mistiming a drive just short of long-off.
New Zealand think have him later in the over when a reverse sweep ends in the hands of backward point, but replays confirm it’s another bump ball.
Again, just three runs from the over. Phillips is doing a terrific job: 4-0-14-0.
23rd over: South Africa 114-1 (de Kock 53, van der Dussen 33) Ravindra continues and is forced past backward point for four by van der Dussen. He has a lovely action and should become a good bowler, but in this tournament he has looked hittable. With Phillips and Neesham also in the team, along with four frontline bowlers, New Zealand don’t need to overbowl him.
22nd over: South Africa 109-1 (de Kock 52, van der Dussen 29) De Kock reverse sweeps Phillips on the bounce to backward point. For a split-second everyone thought he was out, but he clearly hit the ball into the ground.
Another cheap over from Phillips though; he’s going at just 4.56 in this tournament. For a part-timer at a runfest, that’s exceptional.
21st over: South Africa 106-1 (de Kock 50, van der Dussen 28) Ouch. Rachin Ravindra starts his spell with a full toss that is smeared for six by van der Dussen. That brings up the South African hundred.
South Africa might target Ravindra, who has gone at more than a run a ball in this tournament. De Kock reverse sweeps for four and works a single to bring up a patient, assured half-century from 62 balls. Nobody at this World Cup is playing better.
“The Maxwell news may prompt England to declare golf the national game!” says Krishnamoorthy V. “On the other hand you may not need a Maxwell to put this English misery to sleep.”
England haven’t had much luck with golf either.
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20th over: South Africa 94-1 (de Kock 45, van der Dussen 21) Phillips hurries through five successive dot balls to de Kock. He’s a decent foil for Santner: offspinner and left-armer, dartist and craftsman. So far nobody has been able to tag him in this World Cup.
19th over: South Africa 93-1 (de Kock 45, van der Dussen 20) De Kock is starting to motor. He strolls down the track to lift Santner lazily for six, a shot of rare elegance. De Kock’s first 22 runs took 39 balls; the next 22 came off 15.
18th over: South Africa 83-1 (de Kock 37, van der Dussen 18) Glenn Phillips, the man with the golden arm, comnes on after the drinks break. He’s having a fine World Cup, with six wickets at 17, and he almost gets his seventh when de Kock mistimes a drive that plops between deep midwicket and long on. That could easily have gone to hand.
Van der Dussen turns a nothing over into a good one for South Africa by reverse sweeping the last ball for four.
“Watching New Zealand often reminds me of the ‘Even Steven’ episode of Seinfeld – when Jerry realises that whatever tumult is going on, he remains exactly the same,” writes Pete Salmon. “It seems to me any NZ team of the last 40 years could be swapped for each other and nothing would change.
“England are of course George, with brief moments of glory surrounded by endless failure. Bazball is basically the ‘Opposite’ episode, with Brendon McCullum saying to them, ‘If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right’, and Crawley saying, ‘My name is Zak, I am unemployed and live with my parents.’
So who’s Newman?
17th over: South Africa 76-1 (de Kock 35, van der Dussen 13) The previous over means South Africa don’t need to take any risks against the crafty Santner, whose variations must take some getting used to do. Three from the over, and drinks.
Maxwell out of England v Australia
Some strange news from the Australia camp: Glenn Maxwell was concussed after a freak accident during a round of golf, so he will miss the match against England in Ahmedabad on Saturday. When did golf become so flippin’ dangerous?
16th over: South Africa 73-1 (de Kock 33, van der Dussen 12) De Kock releases some of the burgeoning pressure by nailing Southee for 10 from two balls. The first was a bit of a hack through square leg, the second a gorgeous on-drive for six. In the space of those two balls, de Kock’s strike rate increased from 56 to 78.
15th over: South Africa 61-1 (de Kock 22, van der Dussen 12) Another close-fisted over from Santner – two from it, and he has figures of 3-0-10-0. New Zealand are starting to join the dot balls.
“Ian Smith on commentary, having been given the task of carrying out the World Cup trophy, prior to the match, warned Ricky Ponting how heavy it is in case Ponting gets the call later in the tournament,” writes Ben Barnards. “Ponting missed a clear opening to say, ‘Yeah mate, I’ve lifted it three times actually…’”
14th over: South Africa 59-1 (de Kock 21, van der Dussen 11) New Zealand are starting to squeeze South Africa, with two runs from that Southee over and only one boundary in the last six.
In the past that might have led to something rash, but this South African batting line-up seem to have a much healthier brain/brawn ratio.
13th over: South Africa 57-1 (de Kock 20, van der Dussen 10) De Kock, deceived by a slower delivery, checks a stroke that drops tantalisingly short of Santner in his follow through. Lovely bowling from Santner, who has quietly been one of the bowlers of the tournament.
De Kock’s strike rate is an unbecoming 57, though he’ll expect to catch up. It’s an intriguing arm-wrestle and, though I’d rather be in South Africa’s position, you can make a case for either side being on top.
12th over: South Africa 53-1 (de Kock 18, van der Dussen 9) De Kock times a drive off Southee that is well stopped at mid-off. That leads to the second of six singles in the over. South Africa are looking slightly ominous.
11th over: South Africa 47-1 (de Kock 15, van der Dussen 6) Mitchell Santner replaces Boult. Australia went for him straight away on Saturday, bullying 15 from the first over. But South Africa do things differently and a low-key over is milked for four singles.
“Call me Negative Nige,” pleads Ben Bernards, “but putting SA in, and playing a rusty Southee? That dew better be a bloody monsoon, if not I fear 400!”
The dew won’t affected how many South Africa get, just New Zealand’s chances of chasing it. But I agree with you; I did a double take when he said “We’ll have a bowl”.
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10th over: South Africa 43-1 (de Kock 13, van der Dussen 4) Tim Southee, who hasn’t played since fracturing his thumb against England in mid-September. almost strikes second ball when de Kock is dropped by Phillips at backward point.
It was a fiendishly tough chance – one-handed, flying to his right – but the way he is drumming his fingers on his face suggests he’s disappointed not to take it.
Van der Dussen pulls a freebie for four to get off the mark, and that’s your lot for the over.
9th over: South Africa 38-1 (de Kock 12, van der Dussen 0) Good stuff from Boult, whose figures are 5-1-12-1. Latham might be tempted to give him one more, such is the importance of early wickets.
WICKET! South Africa 38-1 (Bavuma c Mitchell b Boult 24)
All that talk of Boult v de Kock and it’s Bavuma who falls. He tried to drive a fullish delivery and edged it low to slip, where Daryl Mitchell took a smart low catch. New Zealand needed that.
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8.1 overs: South Africa 37-0 (de Kock 11, Bavuma 24) Bizarrely, given South Africa’s record, this is the fourth time at this World Cup and the eighth time since September that they have been asked to bat first in an ODI.
Boult, who has bowled pretty well despite the lack of wickets, pins de Kock on the shouldedr with a short ball. There’s a break in play while he receives treatment, though he looks fine.
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8th over: South Africa 37-0 (de Kock 11, Bavuma 24) A loose ball from Henry is touched fine for four by Bavuma. New Zealand are showing the first signs of frustration. It would be interesting to hear Tom Latham’s internal monologue right now; the last six captains to put South Africa in have conceded 399, 311, 428, 315, 416 and 338.
Bavuma gets four more later in the over, though I missed it because I was looking up the aforementioned stat.
7th over: South Africa 29-0 (de Kock 11, Bavuma 16) So far, so good for South Africa. De Kock is playing a Test-match innings, waiting for Boult to be taken out of the attack. He squirts a square drive for four, which takes him into double figures. He has 11 from 21 balls, Bavuma 16 from 21.
6th over: South Africa 22-0 (de Kock 5, Bavuma 16) Bavuma, who looks in good touch, drives Henry handsomely over cover for six. It wasn’t a bad ball at all. Bavuma is still looking for his first fifty of the tournament, which is a surprise given his mighty form coming into the tournament.
5th over: South Africa 15-0 (de Kock 4, Bavuma 10) Boult is getting some movement with new ball, but it’s early swing and therefore less dangerous. Even so, he has been on the money and there’s just a leg-bye from his third over.
Fifteen from five overs. It’s the calm before the storm(s).
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4th over: South Africa 14-0 (de Kock 4, Bavuma 10) Excellent cricket from Temba Bavuma, who times two extra-cover drives for four in the space of three balls. Both deliveries from Henry were overpitched, though nowhere near half-volleys.
I could look like a useless f-pig in an hour’s time, but I’m really not sure about New Zealand’s decision to bowl first. Why would you give the monster what it wants for breakfast? Make it eat a beetroot salad, see what it thinks of that.
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3rd over: South Africa 6-0 (de Kock 4, Bavuma 2) A spectacular delivery from Boult beats de Kock on the inside, hits him on the thigh and deflects through to Latham. Boult instinctively goes up for caught behind, but his heart isn’t truly in it.
New Zealand have started well, and South Africa are playing cautiously as a result. Their best ODI innings are a crescendo, so the most important thing is to not lose early wickets.
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2nd over: South Africa 4-0 (de Kock 3, Bavuma 1) Matt Henry had a bad day against Australia, when David Warner and Travis Head inflicted figures of 6.2-0-67-1 upon him.
He starts well here, beating Bavuma with a classic outswinger. An off-drive is well stopped at mid-off, which means New Zealand have already saved 10 runs in the field. Bavuma gets off the mark with a thick edge for a single and de Kock tucks another into the leg side.
1st over: South Africa 2-0 (de Kock 2, Bavuma 0) Trent Boult has a fine head-to-head record against Quinton de Kock, as do a few left-arm seamers. After three outswingers, he slips in a straight one that de Kock defends a little awkwardly. Boult smiles; when doesn’t he?
De Kock times the fifth ball through mid-off for a couple, with Conway doing well to save the boundary, and then forces a back cut that is spectacularly stopped by – yep – Glenn Phillips. Even by modern standards, he’s a truly great fielder.
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Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma walk out to open the batting. This is Bavuma’s 71st white-ball game for South Africa – and his first against New Zealand.
South Africa in ODIs in 2023
Batting first W9 L1
Batting second W4 D4
Tom Latham’s decision to put them in is quite fascinating, especially given what happened to Jos Buttler and England a couple of weeks ago.
This is tremendous. My old table football nemesis Andrew Miller has written literally thousands of top-class pieces in the past 20-odd years. Thousands of pieces, tens of thousands of beautifully crafted words - and his place in history was earned by a single utterance in May 2022.
A very proud day, interviews on request etc (...but who wants to tell Baz the dictionary has misspelt his name in the citation...? 😲) https://t.co/7dYMik5kmA
— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) November 1, 2023
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A bit of England news: David Willey will retire from international cricket after this World Cup. History, I suspect, will be kinder to his England career than most of us were during it.
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Team news
One change apiece. The fit-again Tim Southee replaces the injured Lockie Ferguson for New Zealand; South Africa alter the balance of their attack by bringing in Kagiso Rabada for Tabraiz Shamsi.
New Zealand Conway, Young, Ravindra, Mitchell, Latham (c/wk), Phillips, Neesham, Santner, Henry, Southee, Boult.
South Africa de Kock (wk), Bavuma (c), van der Dussen, Markram, Klaasen, Miller, Jansen, Coetzee, Rabada, Maharaj, Ngidi.
New Zealand win the toss and ... bowl
Crikey, another captain has put South Africa into bat. Tom Latham cites the possibility of dew later as the main reason. Interesting.
Preamble
The World Cup has taken a sudden turn for the better. When South Africa beat Pakistan and New Zealand lost to Australia at the weekend, it felt like confirmation of the most predictable group stage in history. But the manner of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s wins in the last couple of days has reopened the possibility of a late drama that would justify this never-ending league stage.
There are two ways of looking at today’s game between New Zealand and South Africa in the Pune. The first is that the winner is more likely to avoid India in the semi-finals; the second is that the loser, particularly if it’s New Zealand, will be left scrapping just to reach the semi-finals.
The permutations are too boring to detail here, which is to say I don’t fully understand them, but defeat for New Zealand would make their next game – Pakistan in Bengaluru on Saturday – a humdinger.
Even South Africa, formidable though they have been, are not completely safe. Their net run-rate means they could probably afford to lose the last three games and still make the semi-finals. But South Africa know better than anyone that, when it comes to World Cups, it’s safer not to trust the small print.
The smart money is still on a last four of India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. But there’s a soupçon of a suggestion of a hint of a chance of a dramatic twist. Us unexpected neutrals would have taken that 48 hours ago.
The match starts at 8.30am GMT, 2pm in Pune.
