Oram Bowls New Zealand To Win Over South Africa

Oram Bowls New Zealand To Win Over South Africa

Jacob Oram (centre) raises his arms following his dismissal of Francois du Plessis (left) in the World Cup quarter-final

©REUTERS/Andrew Biraj (BANGLADESH - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

New Zealand 221-8 (Ryder 83, Morkel 3-36) beat
South Africa 172 (Kallis 47, Oram 4-39) by 49 runs
ICC Cricket World Cup quarter-final, Dhaka
Scorecard | Video Update

Jacob Oram took four wickets to bowl New Zealand to a 49-run ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 quarter-final victory over South Africa in Dhaka.

At the halfway stage of the game, South Africa looking in a good position having restricted New Zealand to 221 for eight but the Black Caps hit back to bowl the Proteas out for 172 in 43.2 overs.

Only Jesse Ryder, who made 83, had many answers to a stern examination offered by South Africa's bowlers, for whom Morne Morkel returned three for 36 but the New Zealand bowlers then produced an even more impressive display.

Fellow quick bowler Dale Steyn and leg-spinner Imran Tahir both grabbed a brace of wickets with left-arm sopnner Robin Peterson striking early, removing Brendon McCullum caught and bowled for four, to also pick up a wicket.

Neither New Zealand opener was able to get going as Martin Guptill was caught by Johan Botha off Steyn for one to leave the Black Caps in early trouble at 16 for two.

However, Ryder, who faced 121 balls in a necessarily patient half-century, and Ross Taylor, who made 43 in 72 deliveries, put the innings back together with an important 114-run stand for the third wicket.

Although they batted as the situation demanded, they would both have been disappointed to have been dismissed within range of milestones that might have pushed the New Zealand team up to a far bigger total; both men succumbing to catches off the bowling of the impressive Tahir, who has now taken 14 wickets in the tournament.

Kane Williamson was the only other batsman to make a start, ending the innings unbeaten on 38 in 41 balls as wickets tumbled at the other end.

Morkel bowled scott Styris (16), Jacob Oram (7) and Daniel Vettori (6) while Steyn had Nathan McCullum caught by JP Duminy for six.

Unbeaten on three was Luke Woodcock as New Zealand, like South Africa, opted for a three-pronged spin attack.

However, it proved to be Oram who was the star man with the ball, as he dismissed Graeme Smith (28), Francois du Plessis (36), Johan Botha (2) and Robin Peterson without scoring to deny South Africa the chance of any further progression in the tournament.

New Zealand got a stroke of luck early on in South Africa's innings when Hashim Amla (7) chopped Nathan McCullum onto wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum's boot with the rebound being safely taken by Daniel Vettori at slip.

Oram then took a superb catch to dismiss Jacques Kallis off the bowling off Tim Southee for 47 and McCullum starred again, returning three for 24 with the wickets of JP Duminy (3) and Steyn (8).

The key wicket for New Zealand was that of du Plessis, who was holding the innings together and although wickets were falling at the other end, his knock of 36 in 43 balls gave South Africa a ray of hope.

That was extinguished when he was caught by Southee off Oram in the 43rd over and the curtain came down on South Africa's campaign when Morkel was caught off the bowling of Woodcock for three.

New Zealand will now play the winners of the quarter-final between England and Sri Lanka.

© Cricket World 2011