Cricket: NZ win by 9 wickets

2.25pm

New Zealand ended a 72-year wait for their first cricket test win over South Africa at home when they won the second test by nine wickets at Eden Park here today.

New Zealand had played South Africa 12 previous times at home since 1931-32 but never tasted a win, with today's effort becoming just their fourth win from 29 tests overall against the Proteas.

It took 10.2 overs for New Zealand to polish off their target of 51, 40 minutes after lunch on the fifth day, after they dismissed South Africa for 349 in their second innings.

Captain Stephen Fleming led home the win, taking 17 off a Makhaya Ntini over and finishing with a six off Nicky Boje to be unbeaten on 31 after Mark Richardson fell to Ntini for 10.

The win was Fleming's 20th from 57 tests as captain, and gave New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the series going into Friday's third and final test in Wellington.

Paceman Chris Martin was New Zealand's star, taking five for 104 in the second innings for a match haul of 11 for 180, the eighth-best match analysis and just the 19th 10-wicket haul by a New Zealand bowler.

Allrounder Chris Cairns took three for 63 today to became the second New Zealander to take 200 test wickets, and join the exclusive world allrounder's club.

Cairns' 200th wicket in his 58th test saw him join West Indian Sir Garfield Sobers, England's Ian Botham, Pakistan's Imran Khan, India's Kapil Dev and compatriot Sir Richard Hadlee in the 3000-run, 200-wicket club.

He reached 3000 runs on Saturday with his innings of 158.

South African No 3 Jacques Rudolph was the only batsman to show any resistance today and was unbeaten on 154 as Cairns removed No 11 David Terbrugge 15 minutes before lunch.

Fleming said the win was more satisfying, given the strength of the opposition.

"It's against a team that we respect so much. They're a quality side," Fleming said.

"To play well here and get our first win at home is very exciting for the team."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith was in no doubt where the match was won.

"It's very disappointing, it all went wrong for us on the second morning. Chris Martin bowled superbly and we never really recovered," he said.

Scoreboard from the second cricket test between New Zealand and South Africa at Eden Park in Auckland today:

South Africa

First innings 296

Second innings (277-6 overnight)

G Smith b Martin 0

H Gibbs lbw b Oram 61

J Rudolph not out 154

J Kallis lbw b McMillan 71

G Kirsten lbw b Martin 1

N McKenzie c Papps b Martin 0

M Boucher c Fleming b Martin 10

S Pollock c Fleming b Martin 10

N Boje c McCullum b Cairns 24

M Ntini c McMillan b Cairns 6

D Terbrugge c sub (Marshall) b Cairns 2

Extras (6b, 1lb, 3nb) 10

Total (108.3 overs) 349

Fall: 0 (Smith), 103 (Gibbs), 249 (Kallis), 250 (Kirsten), 250 (McKenzie), 272 (Boucher), 290 (Pollock), 327 (Boje), 337 (Ntini), 349 (Terbrugge).

Bowling: C Martin 23-5-104-5 (1nb), J Oram 27-13-47-1, D Tuffey 4-1-13-0, C Cairns 13.3-1-63-3 (2nb), D Vettori 24-4-73-0, S Styris 13-5-39-0, C McMillan 4-1-3-1.

New Zealand

First innings 595

Second innings

M Papps not out 8

M Richardson c Boje b Ntini 10

S Fleming not out 31

Extras (4nb) 4

Total (for 1 wkt, 10.2 overs) 53

Fall: 20 (Richardson).

Bowling: S Pollock 5-1-16-0 (4nb), M Ntini 5-0-31-1, N Boje 0.2-0-6-0.

Result: New Zealand won by nine wickets, lead three-match series 1-0.

- NZPA