Astle spurs Kiwis to 3-wicket victory

DUNEDIN, FEB 14: Nathan Astle scored 95 to lead New Zealand to a three-wicket win over South Africa in the first match of their six-game ...

DUNEDIN, FEB 14: Nathan Astle scored 95 to lead New Zealand to a three-wicket win over South Africa in the first match of their six-game limited overs series at Carisbrook today.

New Zealand reached 215 for seven with five balls to spare after bowling out the visitors for 211. Jacques Kallis scored 100 for South Africa but its innings floundered with Geoff Allott claiming 4-35.

New Zealand slipped to 74-4 after 17 overs before Astle and Matthew Bell (37) combined for a 90-run stand which put the side back on top.Cairns injured: The win was soured slightly by an injury to key all-rounder Chris Cairns, who tore a calf muscle as he set off for a sharp single.He limped down the pitch and was run out by a direct hit from Dale Benkenstein at cover. Cairns collapsed to the ground and had to be helped on to a cart to be taken off the ground. Cairns’ dismissal came after New Zealand had lost three wickets in the first nine overs of their innings.Astle made a spectacular start. He got off the mark by thumpingPollock for six back down the ground and took a boundary through mid-wicket off Kallis.Two boundaries followed in Pollock’s third over but Astle lived dangerously. On eleven, he cut Kallis hard and low to Jonty Rhodes at backward point and while he got a hand to the ball he couldn’t hold the chance.

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Then with Astle on 27, Rhodes put another very difficult chance down in the same position, again off Kallis.

Scoreboard

South Africa: Gary Kirsten b Allott 10, Herschelle Gibbs b Allott 16, Jacques Kallis c Astle b Allott 100, Hansie Cronje c Horne b Larsen 20, Jonty Rhodes c&b Larsen 22, Dale Benkenstein c Allott b Cairns 0, Shaun Pollock run out 9, Mark Boucher b Vettori 1, Lance Klusener run out 28, Pat Symcox b Allott 0, Allan Donald not out 0; Extras: (2w, 2nb, 1lb) 5. Total: (all out in 49.1 overs) 211

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-38, 3-69, 4-96, 5-107, 6-147, 7-157, 8-210, 9-210, 10-211

Bowling: Allott 9-1-35-4 (1w), Nash 10-0-36-0 (1nb, 1w), Larsen 10-0-39-2, Cairns 7.1-0-46-1, Harris 7-0-33-0(1nb), Vettori 6-0-21-1

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New Zealand: Matt Horne c Pollock b Kallis 5, Nathan Astle b Klusener 95, Craig McMillan c Kallis b Donald 8, Adam Parore c Boucher b Donald 0, Chris Cairns run out 5, Matthew Bell c Rhodes b Donald 37, Chris Harris not out 34, Dion Nash run out 12, Daniel Vettori not out 6. Extras: (3b, 2lb, 3nb, 5w) 13. Total: (for seven wickets in 49.1 overs) 215

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-41, 3-45, 4-56, 5-146, 6-171, 7-202

Bowling: Pollock 8-0-40-0 (1w), Kallis 9.1-0-36-1 (1w), Donald 10-0-42-3 (3nb), Klusener 8-0-35-1 (2w), Cronje 4-0-19-0, Symcox 10-0-38-0 (1w).