New Zealand v Sth Africa - 2nd Test

[Donny]

There is still a good chance for a N.Z. win but the Test is looking drawish as things stand.

S.A. is still 62 behind but are looking very solid at 2/237 with Rudolph on 106 n.o. and Kallis, 67 n.o. The partnership is 133 as Kallis moves almost inevitably to his century.

[Donny]

Well, things CAN happen quickly in a cricket match !!

3 quick wickets - 3/1 in 9 balls - and N.Z. roar into favourites to win.

S.A. just lost Kallis (71), Kirsten (1) and McKenzie for a first ball duck. They have slumped to 5/250 and still 49 behind.

McMillan got Kallis and Martin (3/65) now has 9 wickets for the Test.

[Donny]

Martin takes his 10th. and S.A are in strife. 6 down and still 22 runs behind.

Rudolph soldiers on. He's 121 n.o.

[Donny]

Rudolph battles on (141 n.o.) but the end is near.

It's 8/327, a lead of only 28 runs.

Chris Martin is certainly enjoying his return to the New Zealand Test team. He has 5/104 to go with his 6/76 from the first innings.

[Donny]

9/337 as Cairns gets his second.

Man of the Match will be interesting here. Martin has 11 wickets, Cairns has a great 158 (with 7 sixes) and 3 wickets and Styris scored 170 and 3 wickets.

[JLC]

Fleming made 31* off 11 balls

thats insane

jlc

[Donny]

Fleming seals historic win

From correspondents in Auckland - Fox

A TOWERING six by captain Stephen Fleming ended 72 years of waiting for New Zealand cricket as they pulled off their first home Test victory against South Africa.

They achieved their historic nine-wicket win in comprehensive fashion against the second-ranked team in the world.

After compiling a 299-run lead on the first innings, New Zealand dismissed the Proteas for 349 in their second innings and were left with a mere 51-run target to win.

They achieved that with the loss of only Mark Richardson's wicket, which brought Fleming to the crease and he was in no mood to delay the inevitable, blasting 31 runs from 11 balls.

Everything fell into place for New Zealand on the final day, as recalled fast bowler Chris Martin picked up his fifth wicket of the innings to have 11 for the match and Chris Cairns joined the elite club of cricketers to achieve 3000 Test runs and 200 Test wickets.

His dismissal of Nicky Boje gave him entry as the sixth player to achieve the double, following Gary Sobers, Kapil Dev, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee.

South Africa had started the Test boldly on the first day, reaching 177 before the first wicket fell, but the turning point came on the second morning as Martin exploited the cloud cover to move the ball and the tourists were all out for 296.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith was in no doubt that was where the game was lost.

"It's very disappointing, it all went wrong for us on the second morning. Chris Martin bowled superbly and we never really recovered," he said.

Martin was New Zealand's star, taking five for 104 in the second innings for a match haul of 11 for 180, the eighth-best match analysis and just the 19th 10-wicket haul by a New Zealand bowler.

South African No 3 Jacques Rudolph was the only batsman to show any resistance on the final day and was left unbeaten on 154 as Martin and Cairns mopped up the tail.

Fleming said the win was more satisfying, given the strength of the opposition.

"It's against a team that we respect so much. They're a quality side," he said.

"To play well here and get our first win at home is very exciting for the team."

The win was Fleming's 20th from 57 tests as captain, and gave New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the series.

New Zealand have now beaten South Africa four times in 29 Tests, with the effort here the first at home in 12 matches since 1931-32.

The next hurdle for New Zealand is a first series win when the third and final Test begins in Wellington on Friday. The first Test in Hamilton was drawn.

[Donny]

"His (Cairns) dismissal of Nicky Boje gave him entry as the sixth player to achieve the double, following Gary Sobers, Kapil Dev, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee"

OK. Who is the 6th. player ? Or, is there really only five ?

[London Dave]

Wasim Akram?

[labrooy]

[London Dave]

Nope. just looked it up, the 6th man was Imran, Wasim 'only' scored about 2900 runs

[foxy]

if anyone gets a chance to watch cairns's century again, relish it. utterly, utterly incredible stuff. he played one uppish cover/off drive which was probably the hardest-hit shot i've ever seen.

[JLC]

I agree Foxy and the commentators predicted his big score fairly on in his innings. The funniest was when Smith moved a man to short cover to try and stop Cairns driving or get him caught. However Cairns hits the ball that hard that the fielders had no chance.

It is also worth noting that he was spanking the likes of Pollock, Ntini and Kallis who are no slouches with the ball.

jlc

[Donny]

Cairns joins exclusive club

Wisden Cricinfo staff


For Chris Cairns, New Zealand's defeat of South Africa at Auckland was a double triumph. Not only was it New Zealand's first win over South Africa at home since they first met in 1931-32 - and only their fourth in 29 Tests overall - but he became only the sixth man to achieve an allrounder's double of 200 wickets and 3000 runs.


"It's starting to sink in," Cairns admitted. "When people start talking to you about people such as Sobers, Imran, Hadlee, Kapil Dev and - my favourite - Botham, it can all get quite surreal really, but it just feels fantastic." Cairns reached both milestones at Auckland, with a career-best 158 and four wickets in the match.


"Dad [the former NZ allrounder Lance] left a message on my phone on Sunday night. He's pretty stoked," Cairns said. "As much as he's a proud father, he's also a proud New Zealand cricket supporter and it's great to have his support. He's been the greatest influence on my career."


Sir Richard Hadlee, the first New Zealander to reach the landmark, said that he was delighted for Cairns. "I got a real kick out of Chris achieving that mark, absolutely. To see two New Zealanders in the top six, something no other country has been able to achieve, is just quite extraordinary."


Shaun Pollock could reach the milestone himself in the final Test. He has already taken 334 wickets and now needs 102 runs to reach 3000.