Cricket: Pitch undid us, says Fleming

BENONI - New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming admitted his team were caught out by the pitch and unwittingly played into South Africa's hands yesterday.

The home side took a 1-0 lead in the six-match one-day series when they finished off New Zealand by six wickets with 20 balls to spare in Benoni.

Chasing New Zealand's modest 194, South Africa were always on track thanks to a stand of 111 between Gary Kirsten and man of the match Nicky Boje, who top-scored with 64.

Fleming had good reason to bat first on winning the toss. The pitch looked likely to get worse, his side had a battery of slower bowlers and the team batting first at Benoni had won five of the last six one-dayers there.

But South Africa's fast bowlers Shaun Pollock, Roger Telemachus and Allan Donald soon exploited all the vagaries of the pitch to leave New Zealand struggling to get in the game.

"It was a wicket that was going to deteriorate, but we didn't think it was going to deteriorate after the second ball," Fleming said. "In hindsight, the quicker bowlers were harder to get away. They bowled a great length and let the wicket do the rest."

New Zealand never got above four runs an over, with Nathan Astle grinding out 58 off 105 balls and adding 53 with Chris Cairns, the highest stand of the innings.

The match was history after 30 overs with South Africa 129 for one and cruising.

New Zealand pulled it back slightly near the end but were always 20 to 30 runs short of being competitive.

Pollock admitted his side had the advantage of watching how the pitch behaved when New Zealand batted.

He was more than happy for Fleming to make the decision at the toss.

"We would have batted, so it was a nice one to lose," Pollock said.

"We didn't know how it was going to play, but to get the best of the conditions we thought we would bat first."

New Zealand gambled on spin duo Paul Wiseman and debutant Brooke Walker, who made a useful start with none for 30 off eight overs.

Scott Styris, charged with the new ball, did an admirable job to take one for 24 off 10 while the ever-reliable Chris Harris claimed the late wickets of Boje and Daryll Cullinan to end with two for 39.

But the damage was done early on, with Craig McMillan and Astle punished inside the first 15 overs.

"In hindsight, we were a seamer short, looking at what the seamers for South Africa did," Fleming said.

Geoff Allott was rested to have him ready for Thursday's third game, in Pretoria, while Shayne O'Connor made way for a second spinner.

Fleming maintained there was little between the sides at this early stage of the series and could see things turning in the day-nighter on Thursday.

- NZPA