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Masterful Williamson takes New Zealand to victory

football10 February 2025 13:35| © MWP
By:Patrick Compton
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A masterful unbeaten 133 from Black Caps’ legend Kane Williamson took his team to a comfortable six-wicket victory with eight balls to spare over South Africa in their Allied Bank tri-nations match in Lahore on Monday.

The win ensured that New Zealand, who have defeated Pakistan and South Africa, will now go forward to the final in Karachi on Friday. South Africa and Pakistan face each other in Karachi on Wednesday in what is effectively a knockout match to qualify as their opponents.

SA skipper Temba Bavuma praised Breetzke for his “amazing” innings, describing him as one of his players waiting in the wings. But he also issued a warning to his players: “We’ll have to be a lot better with our batting and bowling, and it won’t get easier because it’s such a short turnaround.”

Player of the match Kane Williamson commented: “I think the conditions today were a bit different and we did an amazing job. Breetzke scored an outstanding 100 and we had to work hard to chase it down.”

Chasing South Africa’s total of 304 for six, New Zealand were indebted to a second-wicket partnership of 187 in 155 balls by Williamson and Devon Conway (97). It was the highest partnership for any wicket by New Zealand against South Africa. It was also the first time that New Zealand had chased a victory target in excess of 300 against the Proteas.

South Africa’s total on an excellent pitch for batting was largely due to a magnificent 150 in 148 balls from ODI debutant Matthew Breetzke, one of four debutants in something of a scratch team because of the completion of the SA20 on Saturday.

If the batting was decent, with useful contributions from Jason Smith (41) – batting at three – and Wiaan Mulder (64), the young, inexperienced bowling attack was shown up by Williamson and Conway in a stand where both batters were able to play normal cricket as they were offered plenty of boundary balls.

Conway began beautifully, striking two cover drives and a clip off his legs that were all grace and timing. Thereafter the South African-born left-hander was forced to grind it out to some extent, despite sprinkling his innings with some fine shots.

But Williamson, after his somewhat laboured half-century against Pakistan at the weekend, was in sublime form, striking 13 fours and two sixes in his 113-ball innings. He scored all round the ground, playing characteristically late and timing the ball impeccably.

It seemed that nothing would stop the pair from winning the match on their own, but Conway, just three short of his century, was well caught by Senuran Muthusamy at point, diving to his left to grab a square cut off the bowling of Junior Dala. Conway, who only played because of an injury to first-choice opener Rachin Ravindra, struck nine fours and a six in his 107-ball innings.

Thereafter, South Africa were able to apply some pressure, with Muthusamy removing Daryll Mitchell and Tom Latham with consecutive deliveries, the first to a brilliant catch on the long-on boundary by Mulder. But New Zealand, well ahead of the rate, were never really troubled and Williamson, as solid as a rock, and Glenn Phillips, were able to take the Black Caps to a comfortable win in the end.

The young South African attack came under pressure, but Mulder was impressive with the ball, particularly early on, though he didn’t get a wicket, while Muthusamy (2/50 in 8.4 overs) and Tabraiz Shamsi (0/62 in nine overs) looked dangerous in their second spells.

Earlier, Breetzke became the fourth South African to score 100 on his ODI debut, and the only player in the world to score 150 on debut. The 26-year-old from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) partnered Bavuma at the top of the order and he was given a tough baptism in the early overs on a moist pitch by the New Zealand pace bowlers.

Bavuma began well but was out in the eighth over with the total on 37 when he edged a hook off a sharply rising delivery from Will O’Rourke to wicketkeeper Tom Latham.

Breetzke shared a second-wicket partnership of 93 in 105 balls with Jason Smith (41) as the Proteas began with care. Smith had just begun to take a more aggressive approach when he was brilliantly run out by Mitchell Santner, whose pick-up and throw at cover to wicketkeeper Latham beat Smith’s dive as he vainly tried to regain his ground after he had assumed his shot had beaten the fielder. 

Santner’s fielding reflected a great New Zealand performance in the outfield as their fielders repeatedly dived to save vital runs. In this category they were generally superior to the South Africans who missed a couple of catches and run-out chances.

After Smith’s dismissal, Kyle Verreynne came and went, bowled by offspinner Michael Bracewell playing a speculative reverse-sweep too early in his innings.

Mulder and Breetzke were under early pressure in their partnership – at one stage New Zealand took 2/8 in four overs – as they began rebuilding the innings to establish a platform for a late assault. And that is how it turned out as the pair added 131 in 114 balls for the fourth wicket.

Breetzke was particularly effective square of the wicket on the off side although he scored all around the wicket. Altogether he struck 11 fours and five sixes in his innings before he flat-batted pace bowler Matt Henry to mid-off where Bracewell took a good low catch diving forward.

Mulder, who had played second fiddle to Breetzke, then assumed the dominant role to such effect that he struck his second ODI half-century (64 in 60 balls) before he fell to a catch on the cover boundary. Some cheap wickets fell at the death but South Africa did well to score 108 in the last 10 overs.

For New Zealand, Bracewell was the most successful bowler in terms of economy, taking 1/43 in his 10 overs, while pacemen Henry and O’Rourke claimed a brace of wickets each, albeit at a higher cost, conceding 59 runs and 72 runs respectively.

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