Mills, Oram wreck SA to fashion NZ's 87-run win

Mumbai, Oct 16 (UNI) New Zealand medium pacers Kylie Mills and Jacob Oram proved too hot to handle for the South Africans as they, chasing 196 for a win, collapsed for 108 in 34.1 overs to give the Black caps a 87-run victory in their Group 'B' encounter in the ICC Champions Trophy played at the Brabourne stadium here today.

Earlier, the New Zealand innings had been propped up by a captain's knock of 89 by Stephen Fleming after they were asked to take strike first by the South Africans as they were all out for 195 in 45.4 overs.

The South Africans were put on the back foot in the very first over when Boeta Dippenear played from the crease not moving his feet and the ball rapped his pad to be caught plumb in front by Mills on the fifth ball of innings for zero.

Eight balls later, Herschelles Gibbs was beaten by sheer pace to see his off stump uprooted by Mills also for a duck to leave South Africans gasping for breath at 3-2.

Jacques Kallis then joined captain Graeme Smith and the two senior pros of the South African side set about repairing the innings. The New Zealand bowlers especially Mills having tasted success wanted more and the two just about survived with a French cut from Kallis just missing his off stump.

Finally, in his fifth over, Mills got his man when he made Kallis play a little too early only to see the ball go straight back to the bowler for Mills to complete a caught-and-bowled. Kallis made 8 and the score was 25 for three.

At the other end, James Franklin kept up the pressure by bowling a good line and length not letting the batsmen break the shackles. Oram, who then replaced Mills, got into the act when he dimsissed the dangerous Mark Boucher being caught behind by McCullum after he chased a wide delivery. Boucher made 8 with South Africa in deeper trouble at 50 for 4.

Soon the situation just got worse for the South Africans when first Oram removed the Proteas captain Graeme Smith for 42 when the left hander tried to pull Oram only to sky the ball into the hands of Daniel Vettori at mid-off with the score on 69 for five. It took no time in becoming 71 for six when Shaun Pollock played an uppish drive straight into the hands of the cover fielder where Jeetan Patel made no mistake to give Oram his third wicket.

Justin Kemp then, in the company of Andrew Hall, tried to repair the damage playing a few powerful drives, but the Kiwi spinners Jeetan Patel and Danel Vettori proved too much for the tail after Hall was dismissed for 13 caught by Lou Vincent at mid-off off Jeetan Patel.

This was enough as Jeetan Patel polished off the tail taking the last two wickets to take New Zealand to a win.

Earlier, it was skipper Stephen Fleming around whom the New Zealanders built their total of 195 with the captain making 89 before being the second last to get out after opening the innings with Lou Vincent.

New Zealand, missing two of their main players for today's match in Scott Styris and Shane Bond with injuries, had their batsmen to blame for their poor score, which in the end proved more than enough as most of them could not give that valuable support to Fleming who in the end was left to fight a lone battle.

New Zealand started off confidently racing to 74 for one with Fleming in ominous form plying shots both on the leg and off side. It looked like a 250-plus total was on the cards. However, Astle after making 14 with two glorious boundaries was castled by Andrew Hall. The South Africans got an opening and Soon New Zealand lost Hamish Marshall for one, chopping a delivery from Nel onto his wickets and then Fulton for four getting an edge trying to hook Kallis for Boucher to complete the catch behind the stumps.

Jacob Oram also perished for just 7 caught in the covers by Boeta Dippenear of left arm spinner Robin Peterson to leave their side gasping for breath at 99 for five.

At the other end, Fleming was all artistry personified as he reached his 50 in just 64 balls with nine hits to the fence.

Brendom McCullum and Daniel Vettori gave a bit of a stand to Fleming but they also got out when it looked like they could manage to take the Kiwis past the 200 mark.

However, both of them fell with the score reading seven for 156 and it looked like only Fleming could take them past the 200 mark.

This was also not to be as finally the New Zealand captain fell for 89 holing out to Shaun Pollock at fine leg off Jacques Kallis. His knock came in a stay of 112 balls and was studded with 11 glorious boundaries.

Earlier with Shane Bond missing from their line-up due to injury, New Zealand opted to include both their specialist spinners, Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel. They also had to leave out Scott Styris, who is suffering from a hamstring niggle and Mark Gillespie. South Africa left out AB de Villiers, Charl Langeveldt and Loots Bosman, which meant a place in the line-up for Robin Peterson, their only specialist spinner.

UNI