The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

The Roar’s Cricket World Cup countdown: When the Black Caps won a semi-final for the ages

Autoplay in... 6 (Cancel)
Up Next No more videos! Playlist is empty -
Replay
Cancel
Next
Expert
26th May, 2019
8

There are several candidates for match of the tournament at the 2015 Cricket World Cup, but none come close to the drama, tension and excitement on display in Auckland on semi-final day.

One of two host nations – in all sorts of form – was set to take on the perennial chokers of the grandest tournament cricket had to offer, and with the weather, reduced overs and an unbelievable finish, the Black Caps fought their way into a World Cup final for the first time against the Proteas.

The Black Caps came into the 2015 World Cup under remarkable pressure. There was no two ways about it – they had to make something happen in the 2015 Cup, and didn’t they ever?

New Zealand had made the semi-finals of the tournament on six different occasions, including 2007 and 2011. Both ended in heartbreak, and both at the hands of Sri Lanka, who beat them by 81 runs in 2007 and five wickets in 2011.

Both semi-finals were one-sided, and the Black Caps had nothing but revenge on the mind when they came out in 2015.

Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum led the charge throughout the tournament, piling up the runs, while Tim Southee and Trent Boult’s two-man destruction of England was also a highlight.

It was maybe the most complete New Zealand team ever seen on the global stage, and the pressure to take a step further was immense, particularly after they ruthlessly tore the West Indies apart in the quarter-finals, scoring 393.

Advertisement

But South Africa were far from the underdogs heading into this semi-final, having racked up multiple scores of 400 throughout the tournament, and possessing a bowling attack which gave top-order batsmen nightmares.

It was back-to-back performances against the West Indies and Ireland, where the Proteas scored 408 and 411, that had made everyone sit up and take notice. The quality of opposition mightn’t have been high, but the quality of South Africa’s batting and clean striking certainly was.

Fad du Plessis and Ab De Villiers were at the forefront, with the now-retired skipper’s 162 off 66 balls against the Windies unlikely to ever be beaten for a display of clean and pure hitting.

Like New Zealand, the Proteas were ruthless in their quarter-final, rolling Sri Lanka for 133 before chasing that total down for the loss of one wicket.

(AP Photo/Theron Kirkman)

(AP Photo/Theron Kirkman)

And so the stage was set for a mammoth semi-final in Auckland. The chokers against the under-pressure hosts at the cauldron of Eden Park.

The game didn’t disappoint. Not even one little bit, although some would point to the weather of the day as a factor which had the potential to spoil the contest.

Advertisement

AB De Villiers, the man who had been so cool all tournament won the toss and elected to bat first, bringing in Vernon Philander for Kyle Abbott, while New Zealand stayed on the front foot, aggressive as ever by bringing in Matt Henry.

McCullum reckoned he would have batted first as well, but as history will show, that pesky Duckworth-Lewis had a role to play.

As had been the case all tournament for the Black Caps, Tim Southee and Trent Boult got their hands on the new ball, but the short Eden Park boundaries had Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla looking solid at 0 for 20 off three overs.

Amla was removed by Boult shortly afterwards, but that only brought Faf du Plessis to the wicket.

By the end of the powerplay though, South Africa were 2 for 39 and behind the eight ball as Riley Rossouw and Du Plessis set about rebuilding the innings. Their partnership would come to an end at 3 for 114 in the 27th over, but the platform had been built for the powerful South African middle order to explode.

When the rain set in just ten overs later though, De Villiers and Du Plessis had added 102 runs in just a tick over ten overs, putting South Africa on the front foot, with De Villiers 60 from just 38 balls.

Advertisement

But, as can so often happen, the rain came at the best possible time for the home side, with the sides sitting around watching it fall for an hour and a half before they came out with the game reduced to 43 overs.

Those final five overs of the Proteas innings were complete and utter chaos. History will go to show they added a stunning 65 runs from five overs, with David Miller the star of the show before he lost his wicket at 49 off 18 balls.

With the rain holding off, Duckworth-Lewis decided New Zealand would need 298 from 43 overs, by no means a walk in the park, and there were multiple times during the chase where they looked behind the game.

It was a strong start with Brendon McCullum going crack, crack, boom. He signalled the intent by whacking Dale Steyn for a six on the fourth ball, then sending Vernon Philander for 14 in the second over.

Brendon McCullum

(AFP PHOTO / Michael Bradley)

Making the most of the opening powerplay, McCullum motored past 50 and before long he was 59 from 25 balls with eight fours and four sixes to his name.

That’s just about where he would end though, with Morne Morkel’ introduction into the attack enough to send the Kiwi skipper packing.

Advertisement

Still, the great start had eased the pressure, and the game settled into an uneasy rhythm with everyone on the edge of their seat.

Kane Williamson’s dismissal inside the first ten overs was a mega moment, as was the removal of Ross Taylor in the 17th over. He fell to the crafty spin of Imran Tahir, and all of a sudden, a resurgent New Zealand were looking more than a little shaky.

Enter, Grant Elliott.

If South Africa could have picked anyone to end their campaign, it wouldn’t have been him. Born in South Africa before playing for the Black Caps, Elliott built his innings slowly, keeping the required run rate in check, but not going crazy early on.

It was, in hindsight, the perfect one-day innings, although it felt anything but through the first part of it.

After 34 overs though, Elliott had been joined by Corey Anderson, and the required rate had crept up to over eight with the batting powerplay halfway done.

It felt like now or never, and Elliott must have thought so too. He and Anderson tried to accelerate, but when Anderson was dismissed by Morkel, the Kiwis were left with 46 required from 30 balls.

Advertisement

It got worse before it got better, reaching a point of 36 needed from four overs, and 29 from three. Then, it became 23 from two – and suddenly the Proteas seemed to be the favourites.

Sports opinion delivered daily 

   

Morkel stepped up to bowl the second last over and performed admirably. Daniel Vettori got one, Elliott got two and one and Vettori flipped strike back over, but it was only seven from four balls.

The South African-born Kiwi then managed to manipulate the crease and whack one for four, and grabbed two from the final ball of the penultimate over.

Twelve was needed from a single Dale Steyn over, and the Proteas had Vettori on strike. Surely now, they would make the final.

But New Zealand had other plans. They scampered a bye from the first, before Elliott had no choice but to grab a single. Then, it was Vettori hitting a boundary and grabbing another bye.

Advertisement

Suddenly, it was do or die. Five from two. Elliott didn’t want to wait two balls though.

He took one. He sent Steyn over long on for a maximum. A huge six. A six which New Zealand and their fans had been waiting three decades for.

Grant Elliott Black Caps

(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)

It was incredible. It was cricket at its absolute best.

The raw emotion, heartbreak and elation of what this sport can do.

close