South Africa vs New Zealand, 15th Match at Johannesburg, Feb 16 2003, ICC World Cup

RESULT
15th Match, Johannesburg, February 16, 2003, ICC World Cup
(36.5/39 ov, T:226) 229/1

New Zealand won by 9 wickets (with 13 balls remaining) (D/L method)

Player Of The Match
134* (132)
stephen-fleming
Match centre 
Scorecard summary
South Africa 306/6(50 overs)
2/52 (8)
1/44 (10)
New Zealand 229/1(36.5 overs)
134* (132)
1/52 (5.5)
54* (57)
0/33 (8)

The entire New Zealand team come all the way down from their enclosure on to the field to celebrate and congratulate the heroes Fleming and Astle, particularly the captain, talk about leading from the front, a brilliant knock. unquestionably the greatest he has ever played in an ODI, perhaps in his entire international career spanning the best part of a decade

A lot of the crowd remain, just standing there, looking, silently, stunned, in awe, wondering if what they just witnessed really happened

South Africa suddenly sit in a very dangerous position on the table with just 1 win from 3 matches, and that was over lowly Kenya, and with Pool B being incredibly tight, this loss and the thrilling opening loss to the West Indies may come back to haunt

The New Zealand players circle around the ground, saluting the crowd, there are some claps, but it's mostly rather quiet, there is a solid little contingent of Kiwi fans though, and they got more than their money's worth today

Fleming gritted down early in his knock, saw through the trickly early overs from world class duo Pollock and Ntini, a fearsome combination in recent times, and typically in such improbably chases needing more than run-a-ball from the start of the chase

New Zealand have often lost a clutch of wickets going for a lot of big money strokes, but today it was intelligent cricket at its finest, Fleming pacing himself, picking off bad balls, occasionally improvising to break up line and length bowlers' rhythm, and slowly but steadily Pollock's game plan fell apart as to how to deal with it - every new bowler got collared early on, making it impossible for them to settle, forcing more bowling changes, and the constant right/left-hand batting combination at the rotating the strike frequently at the crease just added to the torment, and just as impressively, despite two lengthy interruptions for rain/technical problems, the batsmen settled back into their duties as if there was no stoppages at all

Boucher will want to forget this game in a hurry, after dropping Fleming when on 53 with New Zealand 88/0 in the 14th over at that stage, and though McMillan nicked one to him in the next over, it was the wicket of Fleming which was the key today

New Zealand's World Cup may now be transformed from disaster to potential power position in the space of one game (well, really two games, after the must-win affair against the West Indies prior too)

Their likely forfeiture to Kenya means they're not in a position of safety just yet, but will keenly await the outcome of other matches yet to be played, and wouldn't mind seeing South Africa beating Sri Lanka in a critical forthcoming game amazingly, just a few days ago New Zealand had failed to win a game on South African soil in 13 attempts, now they've won two on the trot, and for the first time they've beaten South Africa on their home turf for the first time in 9 attempts and just their second win over South Africa in their last 19 ODIs (3 no results included in that however)

Stephen Fleming has been announced as Man of the Match to nobody's surprise, he'll remember that knock for many, many years to come that concludes CricInfo's coverage of this remarkable encounter at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, please join us for continuing coverage of the World Cup, ball by ball to the very conclusion on March 23

Until then it's goodbye from us - any comments about our coverage today can be sent to comms@cricinfo.com - all feedback is greatly appreciated

36.5
4
Donald to Fleming, FOUR runs

and that's the match! full toss outside off stump, smashed away through backward point, crashes into the boundary hoardings and New Zealand complete a famous 9-wicket win on the Duckworth/Lewis method

36.4
2
Donald to Fleming, 2 runs

oh boy! fullish, slower ball outside off stump, looks to loft it back down the ground, skies it as he doesn't read the pace, lofting it high in the air, Pollock charges back from mid on, attempting a miraculous diving catch but it's just out of his reach, that typifies South Africa's afternoon, it just hasn't gone right, they take two and the scores are now level

36.3
Donald to Fleming, no run

very full outside off stump, jams it into the ground, played up towards mid off

36.2
Donald to Fleming, no run

fullish ball on off stump, leans forward, easing it into the off side, looking for a quick single but it's not on

36.1
4
Donald to Fleming, FOUR runs

shot! fullish ball outside off stump, pounded away over extra cover, cracking shot to bring New Zealand to within just 3 runs of victory, the crowd barely make a murmur of noise, they are shocked and stunned

Kallis, like Pollock and Ntini now, has bowled out his 8 overs maximum, so it's Donald to return to the bowling crease from the Corlett Drive End

end of over 365 runs
NZ: 219/1CRR: 6.08 RRR: 6.28
Stephen Fleming124 (127b 19x4)
Nathan Astle54 (57b 4x4)
Shaun Pollock 8-0-36-0
Jacques Kallis 8-0-47-0
35.6
1
Pollock to Fleming, 1 run

full outside off stump, driven straight out to deep cover point to retain the strike, 7 needed off 3 overs to win

35.5
1
Pollock to Astle, 1 run

full and straight on the toes, driven nicely towards wide mid on, good sliding save made there by Klusener as the single is taken, 8 off 19 needed

35.4
Pollock to Astle, no run

excellent yorker length ball angling back in on the stumps, digs it out from the toes back to the bowler, 9 off 20 needed

Pollock brings more of the field in belatedly, but it's surely too late now

35.3
1
Pollock to Fleming, 1 run

very full and straight, digs it off the toes towards midwicket, picking off another easy single, 9 off 21 needed

There are a lot of shaken, stirred and worried faces in the crowd, not quite believing that the home nation, the second best ODI team in the world at present, is on the verge of going into sudden death mode so early in this World Cup

35.2
1
Pollock to Astle, 1 run

very full and straight, driven off the toes straight down to Klusener at long on, down to 10 needed off 22 balls

35.1
1
Pollock to Fleming, 1 run

full and straight, driven straight down to Ntini at long on

12 needed from 24 balls, South Africa look completely disheartened, this pair have come out and controlled things as they did before the rain break

Pollock brings himself back on, for one last miraculously throw of the dice

end of over 356 runs
NZ: 214/1CRR: 6.11 RRR: 6.20
Nathan Astle52 (54b 4x4)
Stephen Fleming121 (124b 19x4)
Jacques Kallis 8-0-47-0
Lance Klusener 5-0-37-0
34.6
Kallis to Astle, no run

very full outside off stump, forces it straight to Pollock at extra cover

34.5
1
Kallis to Fleming, 1 run

Kallis digs in a short rising ball, Fleming tries to pull, mistimes it somewhat, lobbing it away safely towards vacant mid on for an easy single

34.4
2
Kallis to Fleming, 2 runs

high full toss on the legs, scooped away over square leg, Boje around from deep backward square to field

34.3
1
Kallis to Astle, 1 run

full outside off stump, strongly driven down to widish long off, more fine work in the deep by Donald, keeps them to just the single

Astle brings up his 50 in 52 balls, just 4x4, almost an anonymous knock played in Fleming's shadow today

34.2
2
Kallis to Astle, 2 runs

shot! and fielding! fullish, straight ball, powerfully chips it straight back over the bowler's head, Donald shows great commitment in the field, diving around from long off, pulling it back inside the rope, and long on comes across to throw it back in

34.1
Kallis to Astle, no run

excellent yorker length ball, swinging back in on off stump, Astle can only but dig it out back to the bowler

Just 18 needed from 5 overs to win now, New Zealand on course for a famous victory now

end of over 3414 runs
NZ: 208/1CRR: 6.11 RRR: 6.18
Stephen Fleming118 (122b 19x4)
Nathan Astle49 (50b 4x4)
Lance Klusener 5-0-37-0
Jacques Kallis 7-0-41-0
33.6
4
Klusener to Fleming, FOUR runs

great shot, very intelligent stuff from Fleming, playing the knock of his life, and reaches his highest score in ODIs with this one, low full toss outside off stump, scooped up over extra cover, finds the gap perfectly

33.5
1
Klusener to Astle, 1 run

oooh! very full and straight, driven strongly straight back down the pitch, Klusener desperately thrusts out a boot, changes its course from straight to down towards long on

33.4
4
Klusener to Astle, FOUR runs

shot! poor ball, full and straying on to his legs, clipped away through backward square leg, wonderfully well timed and beats a despairing slide around the boundary, brings up the New Zealand 200

Match details
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
TossSouth Africa, elected to bat first
Series
Season2002/03
Player Of The Match
Match numberODI no. 1955
Match daysday (50-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpire
Match Referee
PointsNew Zealand 4, South Africa 0
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ICC World Cup

Super Sixes
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS550241.854
IND541200.886
KENYA532140.354
SL52311.5-0.844
NZ5148-0.896
ZIM5053.5-1.254
Pool A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS660242.045
IND651201.108
ZIM632140.504
ENG633120.821
PAK623100.227
NED6154-1.454
NAM6060-2.955
Pool B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SL641181.204
KENYA64216-0.691
NZ642160.990
WI632141.103
SA632141.730
CAN6154-1.989
BAN6052-2.046