South Africa vs New Zealand ODI 3

[sguraldo]

life line for the kiwis.........? is the series lost?

[sguraldo]

great start by the front line Ntini and Polly.......I wonder if they will finish it ..........?

[John]

NZ fighting back with Fleming and Styris. How will SA bat without Kallis in the lineup? If NZ can post a reasonable total with Shane Bond and Mills bowling well it will be interesting.
NZ 91-3

[Kirsty Harris]

I've quite enjoyed this series, it's been pretty competative. SA deserve to be on top, but NZ have battled hard. Styris is playing well today.

[John]

I tell you what if NZ can find a world class bowler and Bond and Mills fit they will be up their for the World cup. They are a resilient side. Things haven't been going well in SA but they have showed they have got a lot of talent.
So SA need over 240 to win without Kallis we shall see.

[Kirsty Harris]

Originally Posted by John

They are a resilient side. Things haven't been going well in SA but they have showed they have got a lot of talent.

yes, I agree - there is something admirable about the NZ OD side, but as you say they need to sort out their bowling reliability problems.

240 could be a testing total for SA

[John]

Gibbs playing his usual chancy innings, great shots and lazy shots.
Rudolp out of form. These two have to stay together and not worry about the run rate. They are 78-2. I think if you can put on a long partnership together even at a low scoring rate the fielding side begin to get worried.

[Kirsty Harris]

Once again, it was a case of so near but yet so far for NZ...They are 3-0 down, yet have compted well in every game so far!! Still, good clinical finishing by SA when they looked to be letting things slide....

[crabs]

My hat really goes off to South Africa. They have improved so much since the World Cup and deserve to be ranked up at #2. NZ have shown they are not far behind South Africa at all but unfortunetely have slumped to #5 on the rankings. If they lose the next 2 matches (and chances are they will as these things seem to follow a pattern) NZ will fall lower and lower, and it doesn't help that they face Australia for 3 ODI's in December. NZ could slump to #7 when really they should be around 3 or 4. Good thing they have home matches this season against Sri Lanka (who don't seem that great on NZ pitches) and the West Indies.

[CD Stags]

Poor Shane Bond........ all those expectations....... we NZ'ers expect him to win games single handedly, we expect him to defend 10 in the last over........ but he is only human and has shown it this series....... Mighty shame but he's not at his best yet....... just hope he gets there for the Chappell-Hadlee series