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In a twist of fate, South Africa was blasted out of the World Cup by Johannesburg-born Kiwi Grant Elliott, whose unbeaten 84 saw him named man of the match.
Elliott migrated to New Zealand in 2001 to improve his cricket, made his Test debut in a black cap against England at Napier in 2008, and his ODI debut against Pakistan at Wellington in 2009.
But nothing matched last night’s heroics.
South Africa, having won the toss and batted first at Eden Park, set the Black Caps 298 to win in 43 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis method, after losing 90 minutes to rain.
Faf du Plessis top scored, with 82 off 107 featuring 7 boundaries and a six. Skipper AB de Villiers smacked 65 off 45 with 8 fours and a six, Rilee Rossouw’s 39 off 53 was handy until left-handed David Miller set Eden Park alight with a champagne dig of 49 off just 19, with 6 fours and 3 huge sixes.
Magnificent batting. Miller rose to the occasion after the rain break, treating the Kiwi attack with disdain.
Trent Boult went to the top of the tournament’s wicket takers with his 2-53 off nine, while left-armer Corey Anderson’s 3-72 off six were expensive, but he had to contend with the on-fire Miller.
With the run chase still a big ask under the conditions, the Kiwis had the raucous support of a full house.
Skipper Brendon McCullum gave his side a rollicking start by getting stuck into Dale Steyne and Vernon Philander on his way to 59 off just 26 with 8 fours and 4 sixes. Had McCullum stayed around for another half-a-dozen overs, the chase would have been severely dented.
But when Kane Williamson (6) went early and Ross Taylor stupidly ran out Martin Guptill (34), and then lost his own wicket for 30, the Kiwis were well behind the eight ball at 4-149, with their four best batsmen in the shed.
Then Elliott and Corey Anderson stepped up to the plate in a breezy 103-run partnership off 16.2 overs that got the Black Caps in with a rough chance.
Both were superb, cut to size by constantly brilliant South African fielding. But Elliott and Anderson were made of stern stuff.
Anderson was first to go on 58 off 57 with 6 fours and 2 sixes, and when keeper-batsman Luke Ronchi (8) didn’t last long, it was the ageless Daniel Vettori’s turn.
When they came together, Elliott and Vettori needed 29 off 22 balls to qualify for the final. South Africa just needed dot balls.
Elliott and Vettori took six off the 41st over from Steyn – 23 off 12 needed. They took 11 off Morne Morkel’s over – leaving 12 needed off the final over from a limping Steyn.
They took a bye off the first, Elliott a single off the second, Vettori a back-cut four off the third, and a bye off the fourth.
With two balls left in the game, and the Kiwis needing five runs, Elliott’s career-high moment of glory struck with a vengeance when he deposited Steyn deep over the mid-on fence.
So the Kiwis were into their first World Cup final, as AB de Villiers, Morne Morkel, Faf du Plessis, and Dale Steyn were in a flood of tears – and understandably so.
Not once did they choke, as had been their wont in the past, but they were so close, yet so far in a cracker of a game that will be talked about for years.
Tomorrow at the SCG, Australia take on India for the right to do battle with the over-the-moon Black Caps in Sunday’s decider at the MCG.
Bring it on.