Cricket: The three that got away

The Black Caps are 3-0 down in the five-match series with South Africa. What went wrong?


1st ODI, Bloemfontein

New Zealand are 172 for four in the 38th over and preparing to launch a final blitzkrieg when Jacob Oram - having painfully bled 35 runs out of 60 deliveries - calls for a suicide single and is run out by South African skipper Graeme Smith. New Zealand scramble to 249 for eight.

In reply, South Africa start to lose their way after the dismissal of Herschelle Gibbs in the 29th over (117 for five) and seem poised for another setback when Justin Kemp presents Nathan Astle with a regulation caught and bowled on eight. Astle grasses the chance, of course; Kemp smashes 22 from his next over, and ultimately a match-winning 73 off 64 balls. South Africa win with three deliveries to spare.

2nd ODI, Cape Town

A change of fortune appears likely after New Zealand restrict South Africa to 201 at Newlands, but normal service quickly returns when first Astle and then Stephen Fleming depart within the first six overs of the chase, both to catches behind the wicket off Makhaya Ntini. The scoreboard reads 16 for two.

Lou Vincent and Scott Styris repair much of the damage and add 64 for the third wicket to have New Zealand handily placed at 80 for two at the end of the 14th over. The equation is 122 runs needed off 36 overs; that is, 3.38 an over with eight wickets in hand. Needless to say, Styris attempts an ambitious pull-shot off Andre Nel when set on 27, and New Zealand never recover - despite 90 from Vincent. The last wicket falls at 182, with 2.1 overs remaining.

3rd ODI, Port Elizabeth

Inserted, New Zealand are travelling reasonably well at 108 for three after the customary top-order collapse and subsequent salvage operation. Fleming has invested heavily in a 90-ball innings worth 54 when Styris unleashes a straight drive of such velocity that it strikes the bowler (Kemp) on the knee and cannons into the non-striker's stumps. Fleming is marooned.

The tourists continue to battle but lose ground when Craig McMillan is caught loafing between the wickets and is beaten by Shaun Pollock's direct hit. Not only does McMillan fail to appreciate the urgency of the situation, but when he does he forgets to run down the line of the stumps, allowing Pollock a clear view of his target. New Zealand's eventual score of 243 for nine is overhauled with four balls left.