ODI World Cup 2023: South Africa scored 357 runs against New Zealand

South Africa and New Zealand came head to head in a crucial match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. New Zealand after winning the toss put South Africa into bat. Both teams named one change each to their playing 11 from the previous match. Tim Southee replaced Lockie Ferguson in the New Zealand team while Kagiso Rabada replaced Tabraiz Shamsi in the South African team. South Africa scored 357 runs. Here is a recap of the first innings.

New Zealand bowlers bowl with control

Trent Boult and Matt Henry for New Zealand started with some tight overs conceding just six runs in the first three overs. South African skipper, Temba Bavuma broke the shackles with two boundaries in the fourth over. Boult continued to bowl miserly and bowled a maiden over. Bavuma hit another six in the sixth over. De Kock scored his first four in the seventh over. Boult finally got his reward for disciplined bowling with the wicket of Bavuma in the ninth over. Bavuma scored 24 runs in 28 balls hitting four fours and one six. Tim South came into the attack replacing Henry to bowl the final over of the powerplay. Southee five runs in his first over of the World Cup. South Africa ended the powerplay with 43 runs on the scoreboard.

De Kock and Van Der Dussen provide control

Mitchell Santner and Southee right after the powerplay kept things tight and conceded just 16 runs off the first five overs after the powerplay. De Kock hit a four and a six to increase the scoring rate in the 16th over as Southee conceded 12 runs. Both De Kock and Rassie van der Dussen started to attack the Kiwi bowlers and scored 38 runs in a matter of six overs (18-23). De Kock meanwhile, completed his half-century as his purple patch in the World Cup continued. The South African opener went past Jacques Kallis’ tally of 485 runs in the 2007 World Cup and became the highest run-scorer for South Africa in a single edition. 

South Africa in control

Glenn Phillips trying to fill up overs for the fifth bowler was smashed for a six by van der Dussen in the 26th over. Henry bowling his sixth over injured his right hamstring and walked off the field as the misery continued for New Zealand. His over was completed by James Neesham. The South African duo completed the 100-run partnership in the 27th over. 

Tom Latham brought Boult back into the attack in an attempt to take control of the match. The sole wicket-taker for the Blackcaps bowled a two-over spell conceding eight runs. Santner and Neesham came into the attack in the 33rd and 34th over respectively. They conceded 45 runs in five overs as South Africa started to hit the acceleration. De Kock completed his fourth half-century in just 103 balls in the 36th over. De Kock now has the joint second-most centuries in a single edition tied with David Warner. 

Southee and Boult were called back into the attack in search of a wicket. Southee conceded nine runs in his first over while Boult went for seven in his first. Southee finally broke the 200-run stand on the last ball of the 40th over. The veteran Kiwi pacer dismissed de Kock. The opener scored 114 runs in 116 balls hitting 10 fours and three sixes.

South Africa eye up yet another big score

Santner came back into the attack in the 41st over and conceded four runs in the over. New Zealand wasted a review while challenging a caught-behind call against David Miller. Van Der Dussen after a string of low scores scored his second century of the tournament with a four in the 42nd over. 

Neesham continued to be expensive in the death over just like his performance against Australia in the previous match. He conceded 20 runs in the 44th over as van der Dussen hit him for a four and two sixes. Van der Dussen continued with his aggressive approach hitting another six in the following over. Phillips replaced Neesham but he too went for runs as Miller hit him for two sixes resulting in an 18-run over. Southee got rid of the dangerous-looking van der Dussen in his final over. Van der Dussen scored 133 runs in 118 balls hitting nine fours and five sixes. The over still went for nine runs as Miller struck a six in the over. Southee on his return ended with figures of 10-0-77-2. Boult’s final over went for 14 runs as Miller hit him for a four while Heinrich Klassen hit a six. Boult ended his quota with figures 10-1-49-1. Miller completed his fifty in the final over by hitting a six off Neesham’s bowling. He reached the milestone in just 29 balls. He was dismissed on the following delivery thanks to a great catch by Darryl Mitchell positioned at long-off.