(From Dhananjaya Senaratne in Dubai)
South Africa, who usually choke themselves in the knockout stages of major ICC tournaments, have been eliminated from the Champions Trophy, within sight of the final. New Zealand defeated South Africa by 50 runs in the second semi-final today at Lahore and qualified for the final to be played on Sunday.
Batting first, New Zealand scored 362 for six in their 50 overs. In reply, South Africa managed to 312 for nine in the same number of overs. The last three overs fetched 48 runs for Africans and David Miller reached the three figure mark, just to reduce the losing margin for them.
This unfortunate fate of South Africa began in the 1992 World Cup. The Duckworth-Lewis theory was born when South Africa lost the semi-final to England in 1992 due to rain. However, South Africa became the first team to win the Wills Cup in 1998, the inaugural edition of the Champions Trophy and that was their only success in ICC tournaments for more than three decades.
After winning the toss, Mitchell Santner elected to bat first, hoping that the dew would not be a factor on the night.
Lungi Ngidi quickly dismissed Will Young, but Rachin Ravindra got New Zealand off to a flying start. Ravindra scored his 5th ODI century. Ravindra and former captain Kane Williamson added 164 runs for the second wicket in 154 balls. Rachin Ravindra, still 25, has five ODI centuries to his name and all those centuries have come in ICC tournaments.
South Africa missed two opportunities to dismiss both Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. Wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen, who failed to grab a thick edge from Ravindra when he was on 83, missed the stumping off the same ball. Kane Williamson too was also dropped by Klaasen when batter was on 56. The wicket keeper flung himself to his right but managed only to touch the ball speeding to the boundary, before adding another 04 runs to New Zealand’s total.
The duo together treated the South African bowlers in disdain and included 23 fours and 3 sixes to the innings. Williamson, as usual, scored a classy century in his own style. It was Williamson’s third consecutive ODI century against the South Africans.
It was like a fireworks display during the last 10 overs.
By the end of the 40th over, New Zealand was on 252 for seven. Daryl Mitchell (49), Glenn Phillips (49 not out) and Michael Bracewell took South Africa to 110 off 60 balls. Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell, who had scored 17 in the 45th over, gathered another 18 in the next over.
Lungi Ngidi (72/3) and Kagiso Rabada (70/2) shared five of the six wickets that fell, but the South African bowlers were generally under heavy attack.
The final of the Champions Trophy will be played between New Zealand and India in Dubai on Sunday (9th).
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