Cricket: Now for the Basin - and, hopefully, the cigars

By RICHARD BOOCK

Stephen Fleming will leave the stretch limousine and the cigars until he has seen New Zealand turn their 1-0 lead over South Africa into a historic series win.

The jubilant New Zealand captain might have just led his team to one of their most compelling test wins, but he was in no mood for over-stating the position last night, as attention to moved to the series finale in Wellington.

Already in the back of his mind was the memory of the giant banana skin in 1994-95, when New Zealand became the first team since the turn of the century to lose a three-test series after winning the opening rubber.

That was on the drugs, sex and rock'n roll tour, when Ken Rutherford's side won the first test at Johannesburg before dropping the next two at Durban and Cape Town.

"The mood's pretty sombre, actually based on the fact that we've been here before and famously," Fleming chuckled.

"We're not going to let it slip without a fight. Minds are firmly focused on what needs to happen at Wellington."

New Zealand could have hardly been more impressive over the past five days, twice clawing back from positions of vulnerability to claim the initiative, and finding heroes at every turn.

Chris Martin, as much the man from nowhere as the man of the match, stunned the South Africans (and maybe even himself) with match figures of 11 for 180, after finishing yesterday with five for 104.

Craig McMillan featured in a critical fourth-wicket partnership and later reinforced his partnership-breaking reputation with the key wicket of Jacques Kallis; Jacob Oram was the glue, Chris Cairns was the enforcer, and Scott Styris' 170 was possibly the most important contribution of the lot.

Fleming said he had not seen a better innings than the knock from Styris, who entered the fray with New Zealand listing at 12 for two, and carried his team to safety with an audacious hand.

"It was chanceless, aggressive and it set the game up for us. Within the space of three sessions we went from a defensive position to being in the box seat, so that was the calibre of the innings."

The nine-wicket win was probably New Zealand's most dramatic since their shock 1980 triumph over the West Indies at Carisbrook, when the most powerful side in the world were beaten by one wicket.

However, Fleming was reluctant to rank the milestone, saying he preferred to group the happy memory along with all the other top moments of his career.

"It's pretty big. I'm not sure where it fits in and I'm not sure I want to rank it," he said. "Each time we do something special it has it's own characteristics.

"England was great, but the nature of this beast is that we haven't done it before, and I guess that's testament to the quality of the team we've been playing."

Martin, who returned the eighth-best match analysis by a New Zealander, and is now squeezed between Dion Nash and Sir Richard Hadlee on the list of top bowling performances, said his comeback game could not have been better.

"It was an absolute dream," he said. "I reaped the rewards from being a part of a pretty good bowling unit, but on that pitch - 11 wickets have just blown me away.

"After two years on the outer it was very surreal moment, especially when I was standing there in the first session.

"But as the game developed my confidence came back and I started to enjoy the experience."

South African skipper Graeme Smith said the loss was his most disappointing as captain, but that it was hardly surprising after the side suffered two damaging batting collapses in the first and second innings.

"It's the worst beating since I've been captain, definitely," he said. "But we deserved it. We were outplayed in a lot of facets and areas of the game, so we've got to re-group and pick ourselves up."

Smith said he did not envisage any problem with "last-game-itis", given his side were desperate to salvage the series at Wellington.

"The fact that we've got to come back should keep us on our toes. We simply have to lift."

TOP NZ BOWLING PERFORMANCES

15-123: Richard Hadlee v Australia, Brisbane, 1985-86.

12-149: Daniel Vettori v Australia, Auckland, 1999-2000.

11-58: Richard Hadlee v India, Wellington, 1975-76.

11-102: Richard Hadlee v West Indies, Dunedin, 1979-80.

11-152: Chris Pringle v Pakistan, Faisalabad, 1990-91.

11-155: Richard Hadlee v Australia, Perth, 1985-86.

11-169: Dion Nash v England, Lord's, 1994.

11-180: Chris Martin v South Africa, Auckland, 2003-04.

10-88: Richard Hadlee v India, Bombay, 1988-89.

10-100: Richard Hadlee v England, Wellington, 1977-78.

10-100: Chris Cairns v West Indies, Hamilton, 1999-2000