17/02Result
1st T20I (N), South Africa tour of New Zealand at Wellington, Feb 17 2012
New Zealand won by 6 wkts (4b rem)
Player of the Match
Martin Guptill
Martin GuptillNew Zealand
17/02Result
1st T20I (N), South Africa tour of New Zealand at Wellington, Feb 17 2012
New Zealand won by 6 wkts (4b rem)
Player of the Match
Martin Guptill
Martin GuptillNew Zealand

That wraps up our coverage tonight, Firdose will be providing you news hounds with the final report soon as well as a host of other pieces. Thanks for all the mails as always. New Zealand take a 1-0 lead into the second match at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday. Until then, this is Avi Singh signing off on behalf of scorer Sanjay Murari and Firdose Moonda. Enjoy the weekend!

Martin Guptill is Man of the Match for the umpteenth time in this New Zealand summer: "Batting really well at the moment, opening with Rob is quite good at the moment. I only had one net yesterday and one this morning, but I feel in really good touch in the games."

Brendon McCullum: "Full credit to the bowlers and to Martin who's in great form at the moment. Really pleased for Nathan, who stepped up today after not getting as many opportunities as he would have liked in the Zimbabwe series. Pitch had something for both fast and slow bowlers, so it was decent. We drive ourselves pretty hard with fielding, can't fault our effort throughout the summer there so far, helps the bowlers to know they've got a good unit backing them up."

AB de Villiers: "Not a great start, I take responsibility for that. We were expecting them to open up with a spinner, not surprised at all. Overs 4 to 9 cost us, we didn't cash in at all, but we fought back and in the end we got quite close. We played well in patches, but we want to get it all together in the next game."

I had said during the innings break that South Africa were about 15 or so short, and so it proved as New Zealand were in control throughout the run chase, thanks mainly to the expert steering by Martin Guptill, who is in irresistable form at the moment as he notched up his sixth consecutive international half-century. South Africa were a little off the boil tonight, as Duminy and Ontong bailed out their top order to give them something to bowl at, but their bowling was unable to apply enough pressure.

19.2
4
Botha to Franklin, FOUR, New Zealand wrap it up in comprehensive fashion! Franklin drills a full ball outside off through the covers and it rolls over the rope as the home side take out the 1st Twenty20 International by 6 wickets
19.1
2
Botha to Franklin, 2 runs, full on middle and driven down the ground by Franklin, well placed and they get back for a couple

Botha entrusted with the final over

END OF OVER:
19 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | NZ: 142/4 (6 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.47, RRR: 6.00)

  • Martin Guptill78 (55b)
  • James Franklin2 (2b)
  • Morne Morkel4-1-26-1
  • Rusty Theron4-0-27-1
18.6
2
M Morkel to Guptill, 2 runs, drives a full ball down to long-on and Guptill is as fast as a hare and they push through for a couple, run-a-ball needed from the final over
18.5
1
M Morkel to Franklin, 1 run, tries to bang it in short on middle but it sits up and Franklin opens the face and guides it to third man
18.4
1
M Morkel to Guptill, 1 run, backs away and mistimes the slice down the ground to long-off on the bounce
18.3
1
M Morkel to Franklin, 1 run, dabs into the off side to get off the mark
18.2
1
M Morkel to Guptill, 1 run, smacks a full ball down the ground to long-off
18.1
W
M Morkel to de Grandhomme, OUT, de Grandhomme tries to finish it early with a six over midwicket, but skies the pull high into the deep where Levi, described by David Leggat in the New Zealand Herald as having the 'build of a prop', takes the catch safely and gives the fans some words

C de Grandhomme c Levi b M Morkel 2 (8m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

END OF OVER:
18 | 9 Runs | NZ: 136/3 (12 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.55, RRR: 6.00)

  • Martin Guptill74 (52b)
  • Colin de Grandhomme2 (2b)
  • Rusty Theron4-0-27-1
  • Morne Morkel3-1-20-0
17.6
4
Theron to Guptill, FOUR, and follows up with a flat batted smack down the ground over the boundary at mid-off
17.5
0
Theron to Guptill, no run, a sharp bouncer on off at 139kph which smashes into the helmet of Guptill. He goes down quickly but is back up soon and reassures everyone he is ok, second player hit in the head tonight after Levi
17.4
2
Theron to Guptill, 2 runs, full on middle and Guptill plays with an incredibly straight backlift and followthrough as he gets it just past the stumps down the ground into the deep
17.3
1
Theron to de Grandhomme, 1 run, de Grandhomme goes for a swing to leg and the ball gets tangled up in his pads and dribbles down the wicket as they rush through
17.2
1
Theron to Guptill, 1 run, full on off and smeared across the line into the midwicket region
17.1
1
Theron to de Grandhomme, 1 run, fired in full on leg, beats the poke and hits the pad on leg, possibly going down as the umpire turns down a loud appeal, meanwhile they sneak a run

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | NZ: 127/3 (21 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.47, RRR: 7.00)

  • Martin Guptill67 (48b)
  • Morne Morkel3-1-20-0
  • Rusty Theron3-0-18-1

The story of the Adrian Kuiper six at Newlands is an urban legend according to Firdose

16.6
W
M Morkel to Williamson, OUT, poor call by Kane there, flicked straight to short midwicket and he sets off, Albie Morkel charges in and picks up before swivelling and throwing down the stumps at the bowler's end with Kane having already given up

KS Williamson run out 24 (22m 21b 3x4 0x6) SR: 114.28

16.5
4
M Morkel to Williamson, FOUR, backs away and uppercuts a short ball outside off over the ring to the backward point boundary
16.4
1
M Morkel to Guptill, 1 run,
16.4
1w
M Morkel to Guptill, 1 wide, fired in way down leg and he doesn't need to play at that
16.3
1lb
M Morkel to Williamson, 1 leg bye, misses the pull and hits the protective equipment, drops on the pitch and Guptill runs through and puts in a full-length dive to get home
16.2
2
M Morkel to Williamson, 2 runs, skied high in the air beyond the edge of the circle at mid-off and Tsotsobe running back can't get a hand to it

Match Coverage

All Match News

New Zealand 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st49RJ NicolMJ Guptill
2nd41BB McCullumMJ Guptill
3rd37MJ GuptillKS Williamson
4th9C de GrandhommeMJ Guptill
5th12JEC FranklinMJ Guptill