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New Zealand vs South Africa: International cricket, 1st ODI live scores

19th February, 2017
First ball: 12pm (AEDT)
Venue: Seddon Park, Hamilton
TV: Live, Fox Sports (Aus), Sky Sports (NZ)
Betting: South Africa $1.54, New Zealand $2.25
Overall record: Played 14, South Afrcia 10, New Zealand 4

New Zealand (squad)
Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Dean Brownlie, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi (wk), Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor

South Africa (squad)
AB de Villiers (c), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wk), Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi
Say what you will about Imran Tahir, the man knows how to celebrate. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Expert
19th February, 2017
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South Africa got their tour of New Zealand off to a strong start on Friday and will be looking to keep that going when the sides head to Hamilton. Join The Roar for live scores of the first ODI from 12pm – midday (AEDT).

Despite the strength of New Zealand when playing at home in the shorter formats of the game, the T20 was anything but a solid start for them.

Imran Tahir was the chief destroyer for the Proteas as they rolled through New Zealand for a convincing victory that they can now look to build on for the rest of this tour.

There is no doubting the importance of these matches for the Kiwis, so to get off to a start like that, being outplayed on both sides of the scoreboard – it’s certainly a little worrying.

While T20 matches are always hard to read, New Zealand made the error of sending South Africa into bat and then bowled poorly with South Africa making 185.

Hashim Amla led the way with 62 at a fair clip before possibly the strongest middle order in world cricket – Faf Du Plessis, AB De Villiers and JP Duminy all put the hammer down for the Proteas to end up with a big score.

With the exception of Trent Boult, who took 2 for 8 from four overs, none of the Kiwi bowlers were impressive, with even Tim Southee going for 47 runs without taking a wicket.

It’s something the New Zealand attack must improve on for the one-day series. If they can’t find a way to put the brakes on the South African middle order then it’s going to be a very long series.

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The long questioned Kiwi batting order was more of a worry though, with Kane Williamson failing and no one else – and not for the first time – standing up to do the job.

Tom Bruce, who isn’t even in the one-day squad top scored for New Zealand as they crumbled to the bowling of Tahir, crashing all out for 107 inside 15 overs.

Tim Southee made up for his woeful bowling performance by scoring 20, with the only others in double figures being Colin de Grandhomme and Kane Williamson.

New Zealand were comprehensively outplayed and their batting, which has been an issue all summer and flared up at different points must improve, because even if their bowlers do, defending low totals against this Proteas middle order is bordering on impossible

Prediction
South Africa made a strong start to the tour and it’s hard to see them not continuing that here.

South Africa to go 1-0 up.

Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of the first ODI from 12pm – midday (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.

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