James Franklin’s last-ditch effort earned New Zealand an unlikely one-wicket win against South Africa in the opening ODI at the Boland Park on Saturday.
Set 209 runs to win after South Africa crumbled to Kane Williamson’s four-wicket haul, New Zealand were soon falling out of sight of the target as they were reduced to eight for 140. Franklin (47 not out) joined hands with Kyle Mills (26) for the ninth wicket and added 47 runs before the Kiwis lost Mills to Ryan McLaren (4/46) with 22 runs to win.
With little hope left, Franklin lashed out and to everyone’s surprise, carried the Kiwis through with 26 balls to spare.
Score board
South Africa
Amla lbw Mills 13
Smith lbw McClenaghan 7
Ingram c N McCullum b W’mson 29
De Villiers lbw McClenaghan 7
Du Plessis c Nicol b Williamson 57
De Kock c N M’llum b Franklin 18
McLaren c B M’llum b W’mson 33
Peterson lbw McClenaghan 0
Kleinveldt c Mills b Williamson 26
Steyn b McClenaghan 0
Tsotsobe (not out) 0
Extras (B-4, LB-3, NB-1, W-10) 18
Total (all out, 46.2 overs) 208
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-27, 3-37, 4-83, 5-119, 6-178, 7-179, 8-182, 9-183.
Bowling: Mills 8-1-55-1, McClenaghan 10-2-20-4, N McCullum 6-0-34-0, Franklin 10-1-44-1, Williamson 7.2-0-22-4, Neesham 4-0-22-0, Elliott 1-0-4-0.
NEW ZEALAND
Nicol c Smith b Tsotsobe 4
Guptill (run out) 0
Watling b McLaren 45
W’mson c du Plessis b Tsotsobe 5
B McCullum lbw Kleinveldt 26
Elliott c Smith b Kleinveldt 1
Franklin (not out) 47
Neesham lbw McLaren 0
N McCullum lbw McLaren 24
Mills b McLaren 26
McClenaghan (not out) 0
Extras (LB-13, W-15, NB-3) 31
Total (for 9 wkts, 45.4 overs) 209
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-4, 3-21, 4-73, 5-81, 6-105, 7-105, 8-140, 9-187. Bowling: Steyn 10-3-33-0, Tsotsobe 9-2-47-2, Kleinveldt 9-0-37-2, McLaren 8.4-0-46-4, Peterson 9-0-33-0.
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