KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's chances of a semifinal berth at the Twenty20 cricket World Cup now depend on South Africa beating India in the Super Eights on Thursday night (NZT) after they lost today.
South Africa beat the Black Caps by six wickets in yet another match the New Zealanders had failed to put up a challenging total.
Sent in to bat, New Zealand scored 153 with Craig McMillan leading the way again, as he did in Tuesday's win over England, with 48 off 47 balls after Brendon McCullum (38) and Lou Vincent (32) had given them a fine start with a 68 first-wicket partnership.
But wickets went cheaply around them and a sensational four-wicket burst from Morne Morkel and later the power-hitting of Justin Kemp finished off New Zealand's chances.
New Zealand needed India to lose one of their remaining two games - against England and South Africa - but India beat England in a later match early today and will meet South Africa on Thursday night (NZT).
"We lost too many wickets and were under pressure from there," Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori said.
"But I thought South Africa bowled particularly well. We haven't come up against Morne before. He did a wonderful job for South Africa."
Vettori said his team obviously left themselves short with the bat.
They scored a modest 164 against England in their previous game but managed to win with a fine spell of bowling and fielding.
"We made a few costly mistakes and I think maybe one or two things went against us as well and that's always the difference between winning and losing a Twenty20 game."
South Africa went in and scored 158 for four in 19.1 overs in reply to New Zealand's total of 153 for eight.
India beat England by 18 runs in a later match and must still beat South Africa tonight to force a three-way tie in the group (E) and prevent New Zealand and the home team from taking the two semifinal spots.
New Zealand's poor form with the bat generally were underscored by six single digit scores from such batsmen as Ross Taylor (1) and Scott Styris (6).
Morne Morkel had put South Africa in a dominant position with four for 17, taking the wickets of McCullum, Taylor, Jacob Oram (15) and Shane Bond (0).
McMillan came in and lofted a huge six over cover off Vernon Philander, but with Morkel's brother Albie Morkel showcasing his ability to bowl accurately as well, New Zealand were being reined back in. Reward for Albie Morkel's accuracy came in the form of Styris's wicket, caught in the deep by AB de Villiers.
McMillan, whose quick 57 was influential in the win over England, batted beautifully for 48. He hinted at a furious late onslaught, taking 24 in Albie Morkel's third over, including a massive six over midwicket, but when Morne Morkel came back to bowl the dangerous Oram, New Zealand ran out of momentum.
Justin Kemp hit six sixes in his unbeaten 89.
South Africa's chase had started badly, with Graeme Smith departing for two and AB de Villiers for one.
But those dismissals brought in Kemp, who put on 28 with Herschelle Gibbs, and 65 with Mark Boucher. Kemp finished off the match with a six, having put on 48 with Shaun Pollock.
Mark Gillespie was the best New Zealand bowler with two for 11.
SCOREBOARD
New Zealand
L Vincent b van der Wath 32
B McCullum c Boucher b M Morkel 38
R Taylor c Boucher b M Morkel 1
S Styris c de Villiers b A Morkel 6
C McMillan not out 48
J Oram b M Morkel 15
N McCullum run out 1
D Vettori c A Morkel b van der Wath 1
S Bond c Boucher b M Morkel 0
M Gillespie not out 3
Extras: (1lb, 5w, 2nb) 8
Total (for 8 wkts, 20 overs) 153
Fall: 1-68 (B McCullum), 2-70 (Taylor), 3-76 (Vincent), 4-90 (Styris), 5-131 (Oram), 6-132 (N McCullum), 7-137 (Vettori), 8-139 (Bond).
Bowling: Pollock 4-0-41-0 (2w), Nel 4-0-23-0, M Morkel 4-0-17-4 (1nb), van der Wath 4-0-31-2 (3w), A Morkel 3-0-30-1(1nb), Philander 1-0-10-0
South Africa
G Smith c B McCullum b Bond 2
H Gibbs c sub (Patel) b Martin 19
A B de Villiers c B McCullum b Gillespie 1
J Kemp not out 89
M Boucher c B McCullum b Gillespie 23
S Pollock not out 16
Extras: (lb1, w4, nb3) 8
Total (for 4 wkts, 19.1 overs) 158
Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Smith), 2-17 (de Villiers), 3-45 (Gibbs), 4-110 (Boucher).
Bowling: Bond 4-0-31-1 (4w), Gillespie 3.1-1-11-2 (1nb), Martin 4-0-40-1 (1nb), Oram 4-0-50-0 (1nb), Vettori 4-0-25-0
Result: South Africa`won by six wickets
- NZPA
