Cricket: South Africans cruise to win

By Richard Boock

CHRISTCHURCH - They might have earned a diploma in escapism during the past few months, but the New Zealand cricketers will be looking forward to the day when they don't need it.

The side, who defied the odds to win the opening game of the Bank of New Zealand series against South Africa on Sunday, last night dug themselves into one hole too many and lost by seven wickets.

Led by a handsome innings from Gary Kirsten and some fine top-order batting from Jacques Kallis and Hansie Cronje, South Africa were able to comfortably overhaul New Zealand's total of 220 with seven overs to spare and tie the six-match series 1-1.

After winning the toss and cramming the line-up full of bowlers, captain Dion Nash then made the slightly illogical decision to bat first on a pitch which promised to ease as the night wore on.

The Kiwis opted to omit batsman Matthew Bell from their eleven, leaving them with six front-line bowlers as well as a handful of part-timers. But as it happened in this match, the extra batsman might have come in handy.

During their chase South Africa showed that a target closer to 250 might have been needed to extend their batsmen fully as first Kirsten and Kallis and then Kirsten and Cronje led their side back into the series.

Opener Kirsten repaid the faith shown in him by the selectors while making an unbeaten 81 off 109 balls. Kallis followed up his first-game century with 53 off 66 balls, and Cronje slammed the lid shut on any chance of a Kiwi counterattack when he blasted 74 off 69 balls, including six fours and three sixes.

The South Africans were able to finish the match in much the same way as they started it when they took three New Zealand wickets inside the first seven overs.

The Black Caps were in all sorts of trouble against Shaun Pollock in particular, before Roger Twose and Adam Parore set about consolidating the innings.

Arriving at the start of the third over, Twose brought up his sixth ODI 50 off 72 balls (including seven fours) and grafted his way through to 78 off 123 balls before chipping Lance Klusener to wide mid-on in the 45th over.

His was an innings dripping with application and undoubtedly proved the cornerstone of the Kiwi total, but he was somewhat tied down near the end of his knock, spending 27 balls in the 70s.

Parore was understandably tentative at the start, but benefited from the extra time at his disposal and gradually found his timing and confidence.

With Twose, Parore helped to add 102 for the fourth wicket, a record against South Africa, and ended up collecting 47 valuable runs off 78 balls, including two fours and two sixes, one off left-arm spinner Nicky Boje and the other off offspinner Pat Symcox.

New Zealand were still precariously placed when he left in the 31st over, but Chris Harris ensured the total would at least be respectable with another one of his late cameos.

His unbeaten 45 was his fourth consecutive not out in ODIs, following his stretch of eight not outs last season, and although he too was slow out of the blocks, he ended up scoring his runs off just 46 balls.

The teams now travel to Auckland to prepare for the third Bank of New Zealand series match at Eden Park on Saturday.