Facing a must-win situation in all their remaining matches to keep their semifinal hopes alive, South Africa managed to post a competitive total of 241/6 against New Zealand at Edgbaston today.
Reduced to a 49-overs per side, the match got off to a late start owing to wet outfield. New Zealand won the toss and put South Africa in to bat.
Opener Hashim Amla (55) and Rassie van der Dussen (67*) managed to hit fifties to take the Proteas to a respectable total. Skipper Faf du Plessis (23), Aiden Markram (38) and David Miller (36) all got starts but failed to convert them into big scores on a slow pitch.
Kiwi pacer Lockie Ferguson was the pick of the bowlers, picking up three wickets for 59 runs in his 10 overs. Fellow medium pacers Matt Henry (0/34) and Colin de Grandhomme (1/33) bowled economical spells to keep the South African batsmen under check.
South Africa, who have had a dismal start to their World Cup campaign, were bolstered by the return of a fully fit Lungi Ngidi. The Proteas are placed eighth in the points table after losing three straight games followed by a washout. They recorded their maiden win in the tournament against bottom-placed Afghanistan.
New Zealand, on the other hand, are comfortably seated in the second place after England took the top spot with a massive win against Afghanistan at Old Trafford on June 18. The Kiwis have won all the games, barring a washout against India.
Squads:
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Tom Blundell.
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (captain), Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, JP Duminy, Dwaine Pretorius, Beuran Hendricks, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi.
