Gibbs blitzes Black Caps
2 Dec 2007
Herschelle Gibbs put in a batting master class to score a century that secured the ODI series against New Zealand.
Gibbs was at his dismissive best, clobbering the Black Caps’ bowlers to all areas of Newlands with consummate ease. His 119 runs came off just 100 balls and featured seven sixes and 10 fours.
The home town kid survived a early leg before appeal that looked out for all money, but never allowed Daniel Vettori’s side another opportunity until he had inflicted the damage which saw his side cruise to yet another home series victory, by five wickets. They’ve last lost an ODI series on home soil in 2001, and despite a flurry of wickets after Graeme Smith fell, never looked in any danger of surrendering that phenomenal record.
If Gibbs was the embodiment of class and fluency, his captain was the embodiment of desperation. Smith struggled to find the middle of his willow and his timing was atrocious. Yet he battled to 51 and provided the anchor that his cavalier partner needed.
They shared a 173-run opening partnership but South Africa wobbled ever so slightly when they lost four wickets for 18 runs. But Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher brought some stability to down the Black Caps and end their two month misery.
New Zealand had earlier struggled to 238/8 but would have felt confident of defending that total on a difficult wicket.
There were good contributions from Matt Sinclair, Scott Styris and Jacob Oram but ultimately a poor start and barren middle period thwarted their chances of posting anything in excess of 250.
Dale Steyn, in the side for Albie Morkel, struck twice in his first spell, to peg back the tourists. The Proteas were disciplined on a pitch that offered significant lateral movement. Testament to this was the first ball of the innings from Shaun Pollock that jagged back sharply at Brendon McCullum. The veteran seamer, who conceded just 26 runs in his 10 overs, proved to be the perfect foil for Steyn who capitalised on the pressure Pollock created.
Steyn removed McCullum and destroyed Lou Vincent’s stumps with a smoking yorker reducing the Black Caps to 27-2. Styris and Jamie How sought to consolidate, but the latter was nowhere near the level of fluency he exhibited in the first two matches. He was trapped leg before by Charl Langeveldt and Ross Taylor continued his woeful form, cutting a wide delivery onto his stumps.
Styris was resolute but conservative for his 60 before being dismissed by one of the best catches you’ll see this season – a diving effort by Andre Nel at deep mid-wicket.
Ultimately it was Sinclair’s 73 that got New Zealand to a defendable total. The right hander was severe on anything off line and his 56-run partnership with Jacob Oram (34) guided them to a score that many thought would be difficult to surpass.
But Gibbs’ performance spat in the face of those predictions. When his awful his painful to watch. But when he is in the mood he was in today, not many batsmen in the world can match him for pure entertainment value.
By Ryan Vrede
New Zealand 238-8 (50 overs)
Matt Sinclair 73, Scott Styris 60, Charl Langeveldt 2-46, Dale Steyn 2-50
South Africa 242/5 (45.2 overs)
Herschelle Gibbs 119, Graeme Smith 51, Jacques Kallis 30, Mark Boucher 26*, Daniel Vettori 3-33
South Africa win the match by five wickets and the series 2-1.
Click here for full score card.
29 Comments
2 Dec 2007, 10:25 am
Time to set the record STRAIGHT Mr Smith !!!
2 Dec 2007, 10:25 am
I see Steyn is in !
2 Dec 2007, 10:51 am
Board is left with paw-paw on the face once again both wickets to steyn. Smith hope you get well soon maybe then we’ll have you back again! Respect for playing even tough your sick.
2 Dec 2007, 11:16 am
Actually that’s a pretty good “one day” Team NZ has put out.
SA look very strong as well. Plenty of experience.
2 Dec 2007, 13:53 pm
Pollock as scrooge-like as normal… 26 runs in his 10 overs…
2 Dec 2007, 14:38 pm
Early call for the fat lady
2 Dec 2007, 14:43 pm
We really needed that LBD in the 2nd over
2 Dec 2007, 14:59 pm
Gibbs is looking pretty sharp! About time!
2 Dec 2007, 15:52 pm
Gibbs 100 off 77 balls… Smith barely surviving…
2 Dec 2007, 18:00 pm
Gibbs is becoming a liability. He does not seem to care anymore he should be dropped. We do not need this
Comment by Cricketlover : November 30, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
Sjoe Gibbs! Really made me eat my words! This was one of his finest innings ever! Funny how he always comes and proves me wrong. Great stuff!
Graeme didn’t look comfortable at all and that made his fifty even more brilliant. He had to work for every run. His technique is still not what it should be but getting 50 while your in bad form and whith a virus and a enlarged spleen really is impressing in my eyes! Smith needs time infront of the wickets and Gibbs taking control really did the world of good for Smith. Hope he gets well soon.
The colapse at the end gave me quite a fright but Mark Boucher’s batting saved the the day.
Good series despite that lose friday, a good wake-up call was just what did the trick.
Nice one boys.
2 Dec 2007, 18:09 pm
The day Gibbs remembered how to use his feet! Well done Gibbs but please forgive me if I don’t jump up and down for joy! This is sooooooo typical of you. 15 **** innings’ and then you pull out a blinder!!
Be more consistent and I’ll sing your praises!!
Well done SA on a fine win. Glad the selectors FINALLY decided to play Steyn!
Now for the Windies. I really can’t see them posing much of a threat though!!
2 Dec 2007, 18:36 pm
Smith never can do good enough in anyones eyes, can he? After Bad innings he is criticised and made to nothing but if he sticks out and does good nothing is praised- his efforts are ignored and something else to criticise pops up.
2 Dec 2007, 21:19 pm
Ryan in your last paragraph, you used the shortening of the words “he is” incorrectly twice. The correct way is “he is”. There is no shortening. “His” is definitely (shockingly) wrong, and “he’s” is bad English.
How on earth a bowler like steyn is left out of the team after the test series is unbelieveable. If he had got 6/50 in an ODI, we would have been happy, so what is wrong with his bowling for the ODI team?
Smacks of politics…
2 Dec 2007, 22:53 pm
I suppose the pleasing thing from a South African viewpoint is that NZ had never beaten you in a bilateral one day series had home. You kept your proud record intact and sent the kiwis home feeling miserable after a wretched tour. The win at Cape town was just as resounding as the defeat they inflicted on you in the second game.
3 Dec 2007, 00:31 am
Q: Why don’t the Kiwi fielders need pre-tour injections? A: Because they never catch anything.
3 Dec 2007, 04:20 am
I knew the Black caps could not compete with South African cricket oh well maybe in another lifetime.
3 Dec 2007, 04:37 am
marvinb, they did in one one-dayer at least…
3 Dec 2007, 08:52 am
Marvinb they competed in the T20 and the first 2 ODI’s. Remember we won the first ODI off the last ball so I don’t know how you can say they weren’t competitive!
3 Dec 2007, 10:50 am
Sjambok,
Ryan may have used “his” incorrectly, but there really is nothing wrong with using “he’s” when abbreviating he is.
As in “he’s the man for the job” or “he’s he’s on fire”.
It’s been perfectly acceptable for a long time now.
(Or should I have said “It has been…”?)
3 Dec 2007, 10:50 am
excuse the repitition of he’s.
3 Dec 2007, 12:10 pm
NZ’ders, I must say, that Morrison guy, used to bowl medium-quick, commentator is one of the nicest funniest guys around.
He was a pleasure to listen to. Seriously, the stint on Nel’s batting in the second game is one of the classiest pieces of commentating that I’ve ever heard.
Shiz, somebody with the know-how should really put that on Youtube or something, just a transcript would be hilarious as well. Genuinely bloody marvelous.
3 Dec 2007, 12:10 pm
Excuse the spelling of repetition!!!
3 Dec 2007, 14:33 pm
Well Kat…I guess his he’s can be on fire.
4 Dec 2007, 09:35 am
What do you guys think of many of your top players being rested from first class cricket? Ours basically have played most of the games available to them after the SL test series save for the few who’ve been injured.
4 Dec 2007, 11:15 am
It’s the usual excuse Saturday. They’re playing too much cricket bla bla bla!
Whenever we lose that’s the excuse that’s used yet,as you say, the Aussies are playing domestic cricket. Our batsmen need as much practice as possible and all the net sessions in the world can’t make up for a decent middle session.
4 Dec 2007, 15:26 pm
Another brilliant move by our brilliant board and our brilliant coach…
5 Dec 2007, 09:57 am
I see CL where Smith has been ordered to have a protracted rest; he needs time to work on his technique though.
6 Dec 2007, 11:07 am
The guy is extremely sick and all you can do is b!tch about his technique. Gosh! The virus kills his concentration- that being key to a test innings. So maybe if he is well again he can bat again. And the great captain that he is he sticked out and played a captain innings. So please get something better to b!tch about.
16 Dec 2007, 12:22 pm
Saturday give the guy a break.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.