Martin Guptill’s unbeaten 180 off 138 balls at Seddon Park will go down as one of New Zealand's greatest ever ODI knocks.
Guptill conjured up a performance for the ages to help the BLACKCAPS topple South Africa’s first innings total of 279-8.
His first game since returning from a hamstring injury, a slow difficult pitch, the pressure of needing to win to keep the series alive; Guptill overcame all obstacles on Wednesday at Seddon Park to create a special night.
Series 2-2. Decider at Eden Park on Saturday.
GUPTILL
Records in short
Highest score by a New Zealander in the second innings (also owns the highest first-innings score)
Fourth highest second innings total ever
New Zealand’s 3rd highest ODI score ever - he owns all three
Only player in history to have scored 180 or more three times in ODIs
Second most sixes (11) in an innings by a New Zealander (Corey Anderson hit 14)
A handsome start
The crowd welcomed back our favourite red-headed opener to warm-applause when he strolled out to the wicket. That applause would grow in decibels over the next 45 overs, but that all started with the 30-year old’s ability to see the BLACKCAPS through the first power play. After a semi-watchful beginning, he quickly got into his stride and by the time he reached 50 had a strike rate well over 100.
100 #12
After a mere 82 balls Guptill was treated to a standing ovation from Seddon Park. The opener has barely put a foot wrong on his way to three figures and it was quickly becoming apparent that this innings would stick in the mind for some time. It was a good innings at this point - it would soon become great. He now sits third on the BLACKCAPS all time ODI century list.
Record buddies
Good mates off the park and record holders on it. Guptill and Ross Taylor put on 180 for the third wicket - New Zealand’s largest against South Africa. While somewhat over-shadowed, Taylor’s innings of 66 could be considered one of the most important half-centuries of his career. His experience allowed him to soak up periods of pressure and play the perfect second fiddle. He also got the best seat in the house to watch his friend tee off at the other end.
Homer Hamilton
We apologise for the baseball reference, but the man himself is a big MLB fan - Miami Twins supporter.
There were no less than 11 exclamation marks in Guptill’s innings, with more than half of them threatening to leave the stadium altogether. Coming to Eden Park for the fifth ODI? Make sure you keep your eye on the ball.
To the end
Seeing out the job himself made the night all that much better for Guptill. He savaged Tahir with two colossal sixes in the final over, before pushing himself for two to see the job out. With bat raised high, Guptill walked off a hero of the night.
Earlier in the day...
Hamilton heat
Metaphorically and literally. Trailing in the series 2-1, the BLACKCAPS were under pressure to keep the series alive with a win at Seddon Park. The hot form of South Africa matched the Hamilton climate, with sapping humidity and tropical-like conditions for the crunch encounter. After being asked to bowl first, the BLACKCAPS bowlers bore the brunt of the conditions during peak sunshine hours.
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Presto Patel!
The 36-year-old made the best possible start to his return, dismissing the destructive Quinton de kick in the first over of the match. Drafting just outside off-stump, de Kock wafter his bat and caught the faintest of edges, which wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi gleefully accepted. Followed it up by dislodging Amla’s bails with a misplaced lap shot. Not a bad couple of scalps for the old fella.
Couple of interesting stats from Patel’s dismissal of de Kock
1. The dismissal line of 'bowled Patel, caught Ronchi' sees the combined pairs' age 71.
2. Quinton de Kock’s first ever golden duck in and ODI.
Knocking it around
Having sent two world-class openers back to the shed, the BLACKCAPS were presented with two more road blocks in JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis. The experienced duo played the long game, rotating the strike and pouncing on any stray deliveries. At 125-2, they’d given the visitors a strong platform to continue building from.
Clawing back
Tim Southee accounted for Duminy (25), Jimmy Neesham was back in the wickets with the big wicket of du Plessis (67) and Mitchell Santner benefitted from an errant sweep from David Miller (1). With South Africa 143-5, the BLACKCAPS had taken back the initiative and were arguably ahead of the game. There was just one problem...
Deja vu De Villiers
We’re out of superlatives for his freakishness, but de Villiers impact was once again significant. His genius was once again on full display and difficult not to admire, as he caressed, bludgeoned and willed his team through to an imposing 279-8. Empowering his little order along the way, de Villiers wrestled 106 off the final 10 overs of the innings and remained unbeaten on 72 from 59 balls. Simply - the man is good.
