Cricket: Out-batted, out-bowled, out-fielded, outclassed

By Richard Boock

at the World Cup

BIRMINGHAM - If the plan was to lull India into a false sense of security by losing horribly to South Africa yesterday morning, then everything is going swimmingly well for the New Zealand cricket team.

So brilliantly was the scheme executed at Edgbaston yesterday that New Zealand managed to hoodwink most of the international cricket community as well, and can now approach tonight's sudden-death showdown at Trent Bridge confident in the knowledge that nobody expects them to win.

Out-batted, out-bowled, out-fielded and outclassed, New Zealand produced one of their more feeble efforts while losing by 74 runs, and if Clive Dunne wasn't running around outside their dressing-room afterwards shouting "don't panic, don't panic," neither could they be feeling entirely comfortable about their prospects.

Not only were their weaknesses exploited, so were their strengths.

The most encouraging aspect of New Zealand's game lately has been their form with the ball and in the field. The major worry has been the batting.

There was a suggestion that this would surely improve against South Africa, if only on the law of averages. Instead it worked out the other way round. The batting remained a worry, but was joined by the bowling and the fielding.

South Africa, the first team to qualify for the semifinals, first plundered their way to 287 for five after a 176-run opening partnership between Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten, and then restricted New Zealand's reply to 213 for eight, although the run-chase was effectively over by the end of the 35th over.

Kirsten and Gibbs' stand was the second-highest South African opening partnership in World Cup history and set their side up for a massive total, but New Zealand managed to counter with four wickets in eight overs and slow down the tempo, albeit briefly.

There was time for Geoff Allott to write his name into the World Cup history books by bowling Gibbs nine short of his century and claiming his 19th wicket of the tournament - the most in history - before Jacques Kallis and Hansie Cronje sounded the bugle, hammering 54 in five overs, including 24 off Chris Cairns in the 49th.

The Kiwi bowlers have earned a reputation for containment at this tournament, but as it happened yesterday, Edgbaston itself could not contain them, with the R.V. Ryder Stand, the Leslie Deakins Stand, and the William Ansell Stand all suffering direct hits. The 49th over was compulsory viewing for everyone, if only in the name of self-preservation.

Instead of proving difficult to hit, the bowlers found a length that the South African batsmen were able to get under, and the result included seven sixes and 16 fours.

On top of that, the fielding was not at all that pretty for a side who pride themselves on their defence, with the glove-work loose, the out-throwing scattergun and the groundwork only average, in marked contrast to some of their previous efforts in the tournament.

It should be reported that Craig McMillan, a good catcher of anything in his vicinity, nonetheless turns around a shade slower than the Queen Mary, and, like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Damien Fleming and Anil Kumble, appears to have the steering lock of a steam-powered tram. If these players were vehicles they would never get a WOF.

The batting was no worse than it has been, which unfortunately is no great endorsement in terms of this tournament.

Matthew Horne and Nathan Astle had no answer (not to mention footwork) to some searching seam bowling, and McMillan achieved the rare feat of looking more awkward the longer he was out there. Only Stephen Fleming and Roger Twose showed much composure.

Cairns and Parore could be forgiven for their desperate actions (a slog and a suicidal second run respectively) because by the time they arrived in the middle the asking-rate was above nine an over, but not many in the Kiwi camp will take anything positive out of this effort.