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Monday November 26, 2007
by Jateen Gutta

DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) - Tailender Andre Nel hit nine runs off the last three balls as South Africa snatched a two-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international at Kingsmead on Sunday.

New Zealand seemed set to end their losing streak against South Africa when batsman Jamie How and opening bowler Kyle Mills produced career-best performances.

But dropped catches again proved costly for New Zealand.

"We mucked it up," was the stark reaction of Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori.

Man-of-the-match AB de Villiers, who made 87, was put down by Ross Taylor at backward point off Chris Martin when he had 21.

Mark Boucher, who hit an unbeaten 35, was dropped by Mathew Sinclair at long-on off Martin on five and Nel was missed by Scott Styris at backward point off Mark Gillespie before he had scored in the final over.

"We missed chances in the field again," said Vettori. "We should have finished the game off and should have won it comfortably."

How made 90 as New Zealand made a competitive 248 for six after being sent in. Then Mills took five for 25 as South Africa were left needing 11 to win off the last over, bowled by Gillespie.

Nel could not score off the first ball of the over and was missed by Styris when he miscued the next, with the batsmen running a single.

Boucher could only score one off the third delivery but Nel pounded the next two balls through the covers for fours. He lofted the final delivery over cover for the winning run.

"I've been saying all along that we're probably more comfortable in the one-day form of the game and the way we played today was an indication of that," said Vettori.

"But we're still not winning, so we have to move forward and try to find a way of winning the next one."

How, batting at number three, made a slow start after the early dismissal of Lou Vincent, but batted with increasing confidence, hitting 11 boundaries in a 124-ball innings.

How shared stands of 72 for the second wicket with Brendon McCullum and 75 for the third wicket with Styris. Both his partners made 40.

He looked set for a maiden international century before he tried to work a yorker-length ball from Nel to the leg side and edged it into his stumps.

South Africa also found it difficult to bat against the new ball and were nine for two when Mills struck twice in his opening spell, bowling Morne van Wyk and having Jacques Kallis caught at first slip.

But De Villiers and captain Graeme Smith put on 91 for the third wicket before Smith was caught at deep midwicket.

"It was always going to be tough. We saw how much the new ball moved around for both sides, so it was about getting through the new ball. After that I thought we batted well and had some good partnerships. But we've got some things to work on with the bowling."

De Villiers added 72 with JP Duminy for the fourth wicket before De Villiers was superbly caught off his own bowling by Vettori. De Villiers drove the left-arm spinner and Vettori leaped high to hold a right-handed catch.

Mills took three more wickets in his last two overs and it seemed New Zealand were finally to have something to celebrate after being badly beaten in two Test matches and losing a Twenty20 international.

But Nel, who earlier took three for 46, gave South Africa the lead in the three-match series.

Final scoreboard at Kingsmead:

New Zealand

L Vincent b Ntini 6

B McCullum b Botha 40

J How b Nel 90

S Styris c Botha b Nel 40

R Taylor c Nel b Morkel 20

M Sinclair not out 32

G Hopkins b Nel 0

K Mills not out 9

Extras (lb5, nb1, w5) 11

Total (6 wkts, 50 overs) 248

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Vincent), 2-84 (McCullum), 3-159 (Styris), 4-195 (Taylor), 5-223 (How), 6-223 (Hopkins)

Bowling: Pollock 10-4-21-0, Ntini 9-0-62-1 (1nb, 1w), Nel 10-0-46-3 (3w), Morkel 10-0-54-1 (1w), Botha 9-0-44-1, Duminy 2-0-16-0

Did not bat: D Vettori, M Gillespie, C Martin

South Africa

M van Wyk b Mills 0

G Smith c Martin b Styris 44

J Kallis c Taylor b Mills 1

A de Villiers c and b Vettori 87

J Duminy c sub (Patel) b Martin 46

M Boucher not out 35

S Pollock c Taylor b Mills 6

A Morkel c McCullum b Mills 0

J Botha c Vincent b Mills 6

A Nel not out 10

Extras (lb4, w10) 14

Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 249

Falls: 1-0 (Van Wyk), 2-9 (Kallis), 3-100 (Smith), 4-172 (De Villiers), 5-211 (Duminy), 6-220 (Pollock), 7-222 (Morkel), 8-238 (Botha)

Bowling: Mills 10-2-25-5 (2w), Gillespie 10-3-50-0 (2w), Martin 10-0-65-1 (1w), Vettori 10-0-47-1 (3w), Styris 10-0-58-1 (1w)

Did not bat: M Ntini

Result: South Africa won by 2 wickets.

Umpires: M Benson (ENG), B Jerling (RSA).

TV umpire: M Erasmus (RSA).

Match referee: J Srinath (Ind).

Remaining matches: Nov 30, Port Elizabeth; Dec 2, Durban.