SA keep semi hopes alive

AB de Villiers scored an unbeaten half-century as South Africa revived their semi-final hopes by beating New Zealand by five wickets in their ICC Champions Trophy match at SuperSport Park in Centurion yesterday.

After losing to Sri Lanka by 55 runs in their first match of the tournament the Proteas could ill afford another loss but, after holding New Zealand to 214 all out, De Villiers led the way for his team by scoring 70 not out off 76 balls with nine fours.Fittingly, De Villiers struck the winning runs as South Africa reached their final total with 53 balls of their innings remaining.South Africa had lost the wicket of Graeme Smith in the sixth over before Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis combined for a 52-run second-wicket stand to revive the home side’s innings.Kallis looked particularly fluent at the crease before he was caught behind by keeper Brendon McCullum off the bowling of speedster Shane Bond for 36 runs off 39 balls. Amla (38) and JP Duminy (11) then fell in relatively quick succession as South Africa slipped to 138 for four in the 27th over.However, De Villiers found a willing partner in Mark Boucher and the pairs’ fifth-wicket partnership produced 42 runs to settle the home fan’s nerves before Boucher was caught behind off the bowling of seamer Daryl Tuffey with South Africa on 180 for five.De Villiers and Albie Morkel (19 not out) then ended any doubt in how the match would finish as their rapid unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership garnered 37 runs off 32 balls. – Supercricket