Proteas win series in New Zealand

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

HASHIM AMLA scored his 16th ODI century to lay the platform for the Castle Lager Proteas to clinch their three-match series against New Zealand’s Black Caps with a 72-run victory in the second ODI at Mount Maunganui on Friday.

They are now 2-0 up in the series and will be looking to clinch a clean sweep at Hamilton on Monday. Amla was named Man of the Match.

In the process Amla became the first batsman to score four ODI centuries in the current calendar year and became the fourth batsman after Kumar Sangakkara, Virat Kohli and Angelo Mathews to score 700 runs.

It is a tribute to the strength of the Proteas top order that Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis all have batting averages in excess of 60 during the current calendar year.

Amla (119 off 135 balls, 15 fours) and Du Plessis (67 off 73 balls, 3 fours and 2 sixes) shared a second wicket partnership of 113 and then De Villiers made certain that effective use would be made of the batting power play with his contribution of 37 (25 balls, 5 fours and a six).

The New Zealand innings was a replication of the first match with five wickets falling before they had 70 runs on the board and the ninth wicket falling at 134. Once again the Proteas were to be frustrated by a last wicket partnership that eventually reached 76 between Luke Ronchi and Mitchell McClenaghan and improved on the NZ 10th wicket partnership record that Ronchi and Trent Boult had achieved in the previous match.

This and the fact that the Proteas were restricted to 73/7 in their last 10 overs took the edge off what was otherwise a perfect performance.

The Proteas brought David Miller back into the side in place of Ryan McLaren and the absence of a specialist fifth bowler provided the opportunity for De Villiers to take his maiden ODI wicket and he finished with a respectable 2/28 in 6 overs.

Imran Tahir fell on his left shoulder in making a boundary save which will be one area of concern for the Proteas.