South Africa Beat New Zealand by 13 Runs

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Albie Morkel’s strong batting in the closing overs powered South Africa to a total of 170-4 Thursday which proved good enough for a comfortable 13-run victory over New Zealand in the World Twenty20 Super Eights.

Morkel hit five sixes in scoring 40 off 18 balls as South Africa scored 73 from their last 6.3 overs after captain Graeme Smith chose to bat on winning the toss.

Morkel, elder of the two brothers in the team, joined AB de Villiers with the innings at the crossroads after Herschelle Gibbs was out midway through the 14th over at 97-3.

He wasted no time taking the New Zealand bowling apart on a true pitch in bright, sunny weather.

While De Villiers ticked over the scoring, mainly in well-judged singles, Morkel kept hitting the ball over the boundary.

He was run out in the final over by alert wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins after dominating a partnership of 72 off 6.2 overs with De Villiers, who ended unbeaten on 47 from 39 balls with two sixes and a four his main scoring shots.

Jacques Kallis hit two sixes and a four in 31 off 26 balls and Gibbs had the same boundary count in 30 off 24 balls. But both did not extend their innings, Kallis falling to Tim Southee’s spectacular diving boundary catch at third man.

New Zealand were immediately set back when they batted as Brendan McCullum was brilliantly caught by Gibbs at extra-cover off Charl Langeveldt off the fifth ball of the innings.

After that, the Black Caps could not find the momentum needed to keep up with the required run rate against the pace-based South African bowling.

The big left-hander Jesse Ryder hit two sixes and two fours in 33 off 28 balls but no other batsman passed 20 until No. 8 Nathan McCullum finished unbeaten 26 off 14 balls with a six and three fours.

Langeveldt took 2-39, Albie Morkel’s brother Morne 2-27 and off-spinner Johan Botha 2-23.

In the day’s first match between the other teams in Group E, England defeated Pakistan by fours wickets with three balls in hand. On Friday, Australia plays India and West Indies meets Sri Lanka.