Wayward Proteas bowlers let slip a fine start in Hamilton
They had New Zealand in trouble in a rain-reduced first ODI before some poor death bowling undoes much of the good work.
Chris Morris took four early wickets but then conceded 38 in his last 2 overs. Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images.
Chris Morris on Sunday learnt the hard way that you always need to finish what you started in international cricket.
The lanky Proteas seamer was the victim of New Zealand’s excellent fightback in the first ODI in Hamilton.
Driven by a late assault by Colin de Grandhomme (34 off 19) and Tim Southee (24 from 13), the home side managed a competitive 207/7 in their permitted 34 overs.
Play started 165 minutes late due to poor weather.
It certainly didn’t seem that such a recovery would be possible after they slipped to 108/5.
That was down to Morris, who varied his bowling well in his first two spells to pick up 4/24 in five overs.
He had Dean Brownlie (31) and Neil Broom (2) caught through well-directed short balls, while bowling fast and straight to dismiss the dangerous Ross Taylor (1) and Tom Latham (0).
But things well apart for the 29-year-old at the death as his wayward lengths got smacked for 38 runs in his last two overs.
South Africa will hope it doesn’t cost them on a two-paced pitch that isn’t necessarily easy to bat on.
Captain Kane Williamson was the mainstay of the early Black Cap batting effort as he stroked a fine 59 off 53 deliveries.
His lack of support eventually put too much pressure on him as he cut a Tabraiz Shamsi (1/39) turner onto his stumps.
The Proteas generally delivered a strange bowling performance.
None of the attack in the end managed to keep the runs down except Kagiso Rabada.
The brilliant quick clearly benefited from being rested in Friday’s T20 and looked his old self again with an excellent haul of 2/31 from his seven overs.
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