CENTURION: AB de Villiers scored an unbeaten 70 to steer South Africa to a five-wicket win over New Zealand in Champions Trophy Group B on Thursday.
The hosts, who lost their opening match to Sri Lanka, will now go into their final group game against England on Sunday knowing that victory would almost certainly book them a place in the semi-finals.
New Zealand were sent in to bat and compiled a mediocre 214 all out built around Ross Taylor's 72 off 105 deliveries.
South Africa lost wickets regularly in reply, but De Villiers ensured that they were always ahead of the required run-rate as he breezed to 70 not out off 76 balls, including
nine boundaries.
The home side gave a much-improved bowling display on a pitch that had more of a green tinge than in the loss to Sri Lanka, with Dale Steyn (two for 32) and Jacques Kallis
particularly economical.
Left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe showed that he can both contain and take wickets as he completed figures of two for 35 in 10 excellent overs.
New Zealand opening batsman Brendon McCullum scored 44, before Taylor and South African-born Grant Elliott (39) combined for a fourth-wicket stand of 71.
But the Black Caps suffered a late collapse in which they lost their last five wickets for 11 runs.
Wayne Parnell, expensive in his first two spells, returned to claim three more wickets and finish with career-best figures of five for 57.
Hashim Amla (38) and Kallis (36) put on 52 for the second wicket to keep South Africa on target after the early loss of captain Graeme Smith.
Kallis looked particularly impressive, being quick to get on the front foot as he stroked six fours off 39 deliveries, before edging a leg-cutter from Shane Bond to wicketkeeper McCullum.
The glovework of McCullum was the highlight in the field for New Zealand as he also took fine catches standing up to pace bowlers Daryl Tuffey and Kyle Mills to remove JP Duminy for 11 and Mark Boucher for 28.
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Pakistan draw first blood in Champions Trophy
JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan defeated the West Indies by five wickets in their first Group A match of the ICC Champions Trophy here at the New Wanderers Stadium on Wednesday night.
Chasing a rather easy target of 134, Pakistan completed the task in just 30.3 overs for the loss of five wickets.
Young batsman Umar Akmal top scored with an unbeaten 41 while stand-in captain Shahid Afridi was 17 not out.
Both added 58 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket stand after Pakistan lost their five top order batsmen for 76 runs.
Gavin Tonge bagged four wickets for 25 runs.
Earlier, Pakistan bowlers skittled out West Indies for 133 runs in 34.3 overs after the West Indies captain Floyd Reifer won the toss and elected to bat first but their batsmen could not resist the Pakistani seamers and the West Indies lost their seven wickets for 47.
Later, their late-order batsmen took out the team from disaster and succeeded in taking the score to 133.
Number nine batsman Nikita Miller emerged as top scorer with 51 from 57 balls. He struck six fours and a six.
For Pakistan, seamers Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul claimed three wickets each while spinner Saeed Ajmal got two wickets. Sahhid Afirdi and naved-ul-Hasan took one wicket each.
All-rounder Shahid Afridi led Pakistan in the absence of Younus Khan, who was ruled out of the match due to a finger injury.
West Indies: Floyd Reifer (captain), Darren Sammy, David Bernard, Tino Best, Travis Dowlin, Andre Fletcher, Nikita Miller, Dale Richards, Devon Smith, Gavin Tonge, Chadwick Walton.
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Imran Nazir, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Rana Naved-ul Hasan, Mohammad Yousuf, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir, Saeed Ajmal.
Chasing a rather easy target of 134, Pakistan completed the task in just 30.3 overs for the loss of five wickets.
Young batsman Umar Akmal top scored with an unbeaten 41 while stand-in captain Shahid Afridi was 17 not out.
Both added 58 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket stand after Pakistan lost their five top order batsmen for 76 runs.
Gavin Tonge bagged four wickets for 25 runs.
Earlier, Pakistan bowlers skittled out West Indies for 133 runs in 34.3 overs after the West Indies captain Floyd Reifer won the toss and elected to bat first but their batsmen could not resist the Pakistani seamers and the West Indies lost their seven wickets for 47.
Later, their late-order batsmen took out the team from disaster and succeeded in taking the score to 133.
Number nine batsman Nikita Miller emerged as top scorer with 51 from 57 balls. He struck six fours and a six.
For Pakistan, seamers Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul claimed three wickets each while spinner Saeed Ajmal got two wickets. Sahhid Afirdi and naved-ul-Hasan took one wicket each.
All-rounder Shahid Afridi led Pakistan in the absence of Younus Khan, who was ruled out of the match due to a finger injury.
West Indies: Floyd Reifer (captain), Darren Sammy, David Bernard, Tino Best, Travis Dowlin, Andre Fletcher, Nikita Miller, Dale Richards, Devon Smith, Gavin Tonge, Chadwick Walton.
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Imran Nazir, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Rana Naved-ul Hasan, Mohammad Yousuf, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir, Saeed Ajmal.
ICC Champions Trophy 2009 FIXTURES
Tue Sep 22 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group B - South Africa v Sri Lanka SuperSport Park, Centurion |
Wed Sep 23 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group A - Pakistan v West Indies New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
Thu Sep 24 09:30 local | 07:30 GMT 13:30 PKST | Group B - South Africa v New Zealand SuperSport Park, Centurion |
Fri Sep 25 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group B - England v Sri Lanka New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
Sat Sep 26 09:30 local | 07:30 GMT 13:30 PKST | Group A - Australia v West Indies New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
Sat Sep 26 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group A - India v Pakistan SuperSport Park, Centurion |
Sun Sep 27 09:30 local | 07:30 GMT 13:30 PKST | Group B - New Zealand v Sri Lanka New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
Sun Sep 27 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group B - South Africa v England SuperSport Park, Centurion |
Mon Sep 28 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group A - Australia v India SuperSport Park, Centurion |
Tue Sep 29 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group B - England v New Zealand New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
Wed Sep 30 09:30 local | 07:30 GMT 13:30 PKST | Group A - Australia v Pakistan SuperSport Park, Centurion |
Wed Sep 30 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Group A - India v West Indies New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
Fri Oct 2 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | 1st Semi-Final - TBC v TBC (A1 v B2) SuperSport Park, Centurion |
Sat Oct 3 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | 2nd Semi-Final - TBC v TBC (B1 v A2) New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
Mon Oct 5 14:30 local | 12:30 GMT 18:30 PKST | Final - TBC v TBC SuperSport Park, Centurion |
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