Brendon McCullum got the Black Caps' innings off to a great start yesterday. Photo / Jason Oxenham
New Zealand's rollicking World Cup adventure has a final, thrilling episode to run.
They are into their first World Cup final after an unbelievably tight semifinal win over South Africa at Eden Park.
Grant Elliott, the surprise pick in the cup squad, slammed South African quick Dale Steyn for six into the crowd at long on, with five needed off the penultimate ball.
Chasing 298 to win in a Duckworth Lewis scenario, after South Africa made 281 for five in a rain-reduced 43 overs, New Zealand got there with nothing to spare.
The crowd, riding the emotions of the night, erupted as Elliott, who made 84 not out, and Dan Vettori (7 not out) flung their arms in the air. What a night.
South Africa's quest to make a first cup final has another four years to wait. But New Zealand have an opportunity to achieve their finest moment in the 50-over game in Melbourne against either India or Australia next Sunday.
Brendon McCullum once more gave his team the perfect start to what was a substantial chase, belting 59 in just 26 balls, hooking, slapping and driving to, and over, the fence.
McCullum talks of respect for his opponents, but with bat in hand has none for reputations. See ball, hit ball. Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, South Africa's pace royalty, all felt the heat. The effect of his scintillating innings was that New Zealand were quickly well ahead of the asking rate.
Kane Williamson didn't last and Martin Guptill, looking solid enough and most certainly in form after his double century last weekend against the West Indies, was horribly run out in a stop-start botch-up with Ross Taylor.
But once Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott settled in, it effectively became a T20 chase - 143 off 20 overs, but starting at the equivalent of none for four.
This is Anderson's territory, and Elliott is no slouch, in his own way, at this. They worked away with different methods and steadily got the target within range. They got 35 in the four-over power play, but importantly were not parted.
They went to their half centuries in the 36th over and 55 were needed in the last seven overs. Their 100 stand came off 92 balls. Never can a fifth wicket century partnership have mattered so much for New Zealand.
The countdown was on; 47 off 36 balls, 46 off 30, a fine over from Morkel and Anderson gone to a skier; 36 off 24, nails being chewed down.
Image 1 of 10: Hashim Amla is bowled by Trent Boult leaving South Africa 21 for 1. Photo / Jason Oxenham
New Zealand needed 23 off the last two overs from Morkel and Steyn and got there. Just.
New Zealand got the start they craved. Trent Boult carried on where he began the tournament, swinging the ball beautifully and getting early rewards.
New Zealand had favoured the left arm spin of Vettori to put a clamp on the opposition. No need this time as Boult, Tim Southee and new man Matt Henry squeezed, particularly, Faf du Plessis.
He also earned that rarest and most specific of honours, having the near full house chanting his name.
AB de Villiers took charge in the 27th over. Just as McCullum is a delight to watch in a high-wire walker way - McCullum would probably jog the wire - so de Villiers showed why he's regarded as the best in the ODI business. He ran hard, worked the ball into spaces as New Zealand rang the changes, at one point five different bowlers bowled an over apiece in succession from the southern end. With de Villiers flying, and du Plessis emboldened, NZ dodged a bullet when the rain arrived at 38 overs.
Then South Africa unveiled their left hand cavalier, David Miller, whose brilliant cameo, 49 off 18 balls, helped rattle on 65 from the five overs left after the recalculation.
1.
Trent Boult's two wickets lift his World Cup tally to 21, at a fine average of 15.76 each. He eclipses Geoff Allott's 20 wickets in the 1999 event as the best performance by a New Zealander in a World Cup.
2.
With his unbeaten 65 last night, AB de Villiers took his average in ODIs against New Zealand, in New Zealand, to a stunning 370 from seven matches.
3.
Brendon McCullum's strike rate in the Cup leapt to 191.81 with his blazing 61 off 26 balls - the highest strike rate in the tournament.
The White Ferns have remarkably reached the final.
