Kemp, Morkel power SA win
Thursday, 20 September 2007
A sensational four-wicket burst from Mornè Morkel and a devastating display of power-hitting from Justin Kemp took South Africa to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand, a result that saw England eliminated from the tournament. Both South Africa and New Zealand will take their places in the last four if India lose to England later on Wednesday, reports Cricinfo.
Kemp thumped six sixes and half a dozen fours in as brutal a display of shotmaking as you could hope to see, and his partnership of 65 with Mark Boucher transformed the game after New Zealand had grabbed three early wickets in defence of 153.
In truth though, South Africa's victory was set up by their bowlers, who fought back ferociously after Brendan McCullum and Lou Vincent had given New Zealand the perfect start.
South Africa were in real strife early on with the bat, as Graeme Smith edged Shane Bond behind, and AB de Villiers followed suit with a lazy waft at Mark Gillespie. Herschelle Gibbs played a couple of handsome strokes but when Jeetan Patel took a tidy catch in the deep off Chris Martin's bowling, the scoreboard showed 45 for 3.
As is his wont, Kemp took his time to find his range, but once he did, he was unstoppable.
Jacob Oram was the first to feel the heat, lofted for a huge six over long-on and then flicked through midwicket for four. There was finesse too, a cut for four off Daniel Vettori, but he was at his most intimidating when muscling the ball straight or over midwicket for sixes.
Martin went for two, and even Boucher's exit, caught behind, didn't stem the momentum.
After getting to 50 in 42 balls, Kemp struck massive sixes off Oram and Vettori, before finishing the match with a mighty swing over long-on. Shaun Pollock played his part with a brisk 16, as South Africa sauntered home with five balls remaining.
They should have been chasing far more than 154 though.
McCullum had exploded into life in Pollock's second over, lofting one over extra-cover for four and then sending another soaring on to the roof of the stand at midwicket.
Pollock's punishment didn't end there, with his next over featuring another slog over midwicket and two thumps past mid-on.
Andrè Nel, who replaced Makhaya Ntini, was much more economical, but with Vincent working the ball around cleverly and clubbing the odd four himself, New Zealand had the perfect start.
South Africa 158 for 4 (Kemp 89*) beat New Zealand 153 for 8 (McMillan 48*, McCullum 38, Morkel 4-17)
Kemp thumped six sixes and half a dozen fours in as brutal a display of shotmaking as you could hope to see, and his partnership of 65 with Mark Boucher transformed the game after New Zealand had grabbed three early wickets in defence of 153.
In truth though, South Africa's victory was set up by their bowlers, who fought back ferociously after Brendan McCullum and Lou Vincent had given New Zealand the perfect start.
South Africa were in real strife early on with the bat, as Graeme Smith edged Shane Bond behind, and AB de Villiers followed suit with a lazy waft at Mark Gillespie. Herschelle Gibbs played a couple of handsome strokes but when Jeetan Patel took a tidy catch in the deep off Chris Martin's bowling, the scoreboard showed 45 for 3.
As is his wont, Kemp took his time to find his range, but once he did, he was unstoppable.
Jacob Oram was the first to feel the heat, lofted for a huge six over long-on and then flicked through midwicket for four. There was finesse too, a cut for four off Daniel Vettori, but he was at his most intimidating when muscling the ball straight or over midwicket for sixes.
Martin went for two, and even Boucher's exit, caught behind, didn't stem the momentum.
After getting to 50 in 42 balls, Kemp struck massive sixes off Oram and Vettori, before finishing the match with a mighty swing over long-on. Shaun Pollock played his part with a brisk 16, as South Africa sauntered home with five balls remaining.
They should have been chasing far more than 154 though.
McCullum had exploded into life in Pollock's second over, lofting one over extra-cover for four and then sending another soaring on to the roof of the stand at midwicket.
Pollock's punishment didn't end there, with his next over featuring another slog over midwicket and two thumps past mid-on.
Andrè Nel, who replaced Makhaya Ntini, was much more economical, but with Vincent working the ball around cleverly and clubbing the odd four himself, New Zealand had the perfect start.
South Africa 158 for 4 (Kemp 89*) beat New Zealand 153 for 8 (McMillan 48*, McCullum 38, Morkel 4-17)