By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa gets back to the top of the table after a stunning win against New Zealand by 190 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.
Proteas set the Black Caps a tall order to chase as they made 357-4 thanks to impressive centuries from Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen.
De Kock reached 116 off 144 balls before being caught by Glenn Phillips off the bowling of Tim Southee, while Van der Dussen was bowled by Southee after contributing 133 runs from 118 deliveries.
The pair’s efforts – they shared a stand of 200 for the second wicket – were rewarded as South Africa’s score proved to be far too hefty for New Zealand to hunt down and they were skittled for 167 with only three batters reaching double-figures, Phillips top-scoring with a defiant 60 late on.
Victory returns South Africa to the top of the table while New Zealand drop to fourth after a third straight defeat.
Marco Jansen, who claimed 3-31, and his fellow fast bowlers did the initial damage to reduce New Zealand to 67-4 in reply, before left-arm spinner Maharaj hammered home South Africa’s dominance as the Kiwis collapsed to 110-8.
New Zealand’s only real resistance came through Glenn Phillips’ defiant half-century when the game was already lost.
South Africa’s place in the top four is now all but assured, with the Proteas batting and bowling units both impressing once again.
However, the injury-hit Black Caps find themselves in a battle to progress, just two points ahead of Pakistan and Afghanistan, with crucial matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka to come.
South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock: “I’m feeling really good lately. It’s nice that everything is coming together at an important time for us.
“They bowled really well up front. I felt quite scratchy, I couldn’t find my rhythm. I just want to keep batting, bat for longer. My career is coming down to a finish, I’m trying to bat as much as I can.”
South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen: “We had to work hard, when Quinny got to 50 he said it was a hard-working 50. He played brilliantly, he guided me through my options, we batted together quite nicely.
“As it got later in the innings, it was going to get better, the ball was going to get softer, luckily for us it worked out perfectly.”
New Zealand captain Tom Latham: “If we’d had those partnerships and got through those first 10 overs we’d have had a chance, with those small boundaries and a good surface. I think 330 or 340 would have been chaseable.
“We’re faced with a bit of adversity when it comes to injuries, we’ll wait and see how they come out.
“It’s important we reflect on this one quickly and go into the next game with a positive mind, you don’t become a bad team overnight.”
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wkt), Temba Bavuma (captain), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (captain/wkt), Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.