New Zealand gave South Africa a serious spanking in their final World Cup warmup at Hagley Oval today.
Having won the toss, New Zealand rattled up 331 for eight in their 50 overs then rolled South Africa for 197 to win the unofficial game by 134 runs.
At one point South Africa were 31 for four from which there was no comeback. The departure of captain AB de Villiers and Wayne Parnell in Dan Vettori's second over reduced them to 62 for six and the innings ended in the 45th over.
The South African chase was undermined from the start, chiefly through left armer Trent Boult, who whizzed through Rilee Rossouw, Faf du Plessis and David Miller inside his first four overs, his opening spell producing three for 27 off six overs. Boult finished with five for 51.
The only bright spot for South Africa was 80 from JP Duminy, who put on 121 with Vernon Philander for the seventh wicket.
New Zealand looked sharper in the field and with the ball than South Africa, who clearly treated the game as a middle wicket practice.
Kane Williamson top scored in the New Zealand innings with an impressive 66 in 53 balls.
Openers Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill put on a brisk 57, captain McCullum making 59 off 45 balls.
McCullum and Williamson added a bracing 70 in 8.4 overs, Williamson at one point taking top class seamer Vernon Philander for boundaries in three successive balls.
Every New Zealand batsman reached double figures, apart from Tim Southee, who came in during the final over.
Seamers Kyle Abbott, Philander and Parnell took two wickets apiece.
Unlike some of the warmups played in Australia this week, the match was played before a healthy sprinkling of fans, some waving South African flags.
Some of the South African fielding lacked the usual sharpness to be expected from one of the game's best fielding outfits.
All South Africa's bowlers had a spell, apart from their top-ranked bowler, Dale Steyn.
New Zealand open the cup against Sri Lanka on the same ground on Saturday while South Africa head to Hamilton tomorrow where they will open their campaign against neighbours Zimbabwe on Sunday.
Zimbabwe pulled off a surprise at Lincoln today beating Sri Lanka by seven wickets.
- by David Leggat of the NZ Herald
