Brilliant Morkel seals an important win for South Africa by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Kensington Oval, Bridgetown
Scorecard:	New Zealand v South Africa
Player:	JA Morkel, JA Morkel, AB de Villiers
Event:	ICC World Twenty20 2010

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DateLine: 7th May 2010

 

South Africa snatched an important 13-run win over New Zealand in a World Cup T20 Super Eight match here on Thursday

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AB de Villiers (47 not out) and Albie Morkel (40) added a quick 72 runs for the fourth wickets off just 38 balls to give impetus to the innings. It was Albie Morkel’s cameo which took the game away from New Zealand. The left-hander launched into Tim Southee and struck him for three consecutive sixes to steal 21 runs off the penultimate over. Morkel started off with a slogged six off Vettori and his aggression rubbed on to de Villiers who became more adventurous and the duo flayed the attack.

 

Till then New Zealand bowlers had kept the South African batsmen in check. Both Vettori and McCullum were niggardly and Oram was steady. Smith courted another failure and Kallis couldn’t cash on to his good start and South Africans could only manage 66 runs in the first 10 overs.

 

However, it was Gibbs who started the revival. Gibbs slammed Oram for a flat six and repeated the stroke against McCullum before throwing his wickets away. But the stage was set for Morkel’s pyrotechnics and the left-hander left a lasting impression on the match with his aggressive batting. The left-handers’ innings was acknowledged as the turning point in the match by both the captains. The last 10 overs of the South African innings fetched a staggering 104 runs.

 

Langeveldt derailed New Zealand’s chase in the first over. Brendon McCullum"> after crashing a four through covers tried to repeat the stroke and Gibbs brought off a spectacular catch to end his stay. But Jesse Ryder and Guptill gave Proteas a few uncomfortable moments. Langeveldt was muscled over midwicket for a six by Ryder and Guptill pulled him for a four and New Zealand were back in the hunt. In the next over Guptill struck Steyn for consecutive boundaries and 50 came up in the seventh over. Smith introduced Botha in desperation and the run-rate dropped. Botha prised out both Ryder and Guptill to push back the New Zealanders back. Taylor and Styris struck a few lusty blows but both of them couldn’t cash on to their starts as New Zealand slipped further. The black caps needed 62 from the last five overs and they needed someone to play a cameo knock.

 

Steyn trapped the big hitting Oram leg before for naught to virtually end New Zealand’s hopes. Nathan McCullum and Vettori capitilsied on sloppy bowling by South Africans at the death to add 34 runs for the eighth wicket but that wasn’t enough.