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New Zealand vs South Africa – 2nd ODI – Match Recap

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New Zealand vs South Africa – 2nd ODI – Match Recap 
Stunning performances from Morne Morkel and Hashim Amla lead South Africa to a comprehensive win over New Zealand in the 2nd ODI of the 3-match ODI series, played at Napier on Feb 29, 2012.
South Africa, who elected to field first after winning the toss, outclassed the hosts in all areas of the game, and deservedly sealed the series by a 2-0 margin.
Chasing a mediocre 231, the right-handed pairs, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, opened the innings for the tourist. However, they faced an early disappointment when Kyle Mills picked up the wicket of Kallis, who departed after scoring a solitary boundary.
Faf du Plessis consolidated to begin with, following the quick demise of the opener. He, along with Amla soon blossomed with aggressive stroke play and provided a 69-run partnership, which took the total to 80 in just 11.3 overs.
The no.3 batter was somewhat unlucky after his brisk innings of 34 ended when he was caught expertly by Martin Guptill, who looped the ball up as he crossed the square leg boundary before coming back onto the field to complete the catch.
However, Duminy and Amla kept the scorecard ticking with some sensible batting. Maintaining the early tempo, both stood tall in a game changing 87-run stand. The partnership was broken when Duminy played a shot into the firm hands of the spinner, Tarun Nethula.
The left-hander hit six boundaries in his innings of 43.
AB de Villiers then joined the right-handed opener, and continued to accumulate runs with considerable ease. Both added 25 runs to the total before the mighty beard edged the ball behind the stumps, with Brendon McCullum making no mistake.
Amla, however, had put his team in a healthy position, leaving Justin Ontong and the Proteas skipper to do the easy work as the target was reached with 70 balls to spare. De Villiers remained unbeaten on 31, accompanied by his middle-order partner on 17.
The entire bowling side of the Black Cap’s performed below-par with Nethula, the only bowler to offer some resistance with his two wickets.
Earlier, it was a disappointing outing from the New Zealand batters, who fell flat against the likes of Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Morne Morkel. The former made the early inroad after he got rid of Rob Nicol in the 7th over of the game.
The dismissal however, followed a lengthy partnership between Guptill and McCullum, where both completed respective half-centuries in their aggressive partnership of 107.
However, their dismissals instigated a astonishing collapse, which saw the remaining batsmen drop like nine pins. Morkel dismantled the lower order as the hosts capitulated on a modest 230 – failing to play out their full quota of overs.
The right-arm pacer, for his destructive bowling spell (5-38), was deservedly declared as the Player of the Match.
With the series win being wrapped up, the touring party will now be hoping to clean sweep the home team when they meet again in the final game at Auckland on March 03.