Published: Mar 01, 2017, 12:06 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 01, 2017, 12:09 AM (IST)
New Zealand’s enviable home record in ODIs will be at stake over the next two games. If New Zealand win the fourth ODI against South Africa, they will have one more chance to keep their winning run in ODI series at home intact. New Zealand have won all of their last eight series at home, but if they lose any of the next two games against the touring South Africans — who currently lead the five-match series by a margin of 2-1 — their successful run will come to an end. To maintain this, New Zealand will need their top guns in Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Tim Southee and others to fire.
The fourth ODI will be played at Hamilton after it was moved from Napier due to the latter’s poor record of handling rain water that had resulted in last two matches being washed out. South Africa have remained ahead of New Zealand ever since this tour began, winning the one-off T20I and following it up with a 4-wicket win in the first ODI as well. However, New Zealand bounced back as they won the second game by 6 runs, but a 159-run defeat in the third game put them on back-foot once again. Ahead of the fourth ODI, which could possibly be a decisive contest, let us take a look at the key battles:
Martin Guptill vs Kagiso Rabada: The return of the Guptill will give New Zealand a lot of assurance about their chances in this game. Guptill has been in and out of the side, which will also put him under pressure as he is returning from a long injury lay-off in a contest which his side has to win to keep their hopes alive. However, if his last innings is anything to go by, Guptill will want to make a successful return. Guptill had smashed a rapid 61 against Australia at the Eden Park in Auckland earlier this season, and will be expected to launch an attack early on and get New Zealand quick runs early on.
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Up against Guptill will be one of the best young fast bowlers in the world, someone has rarely allowed batsmen to score off him easily. Rabada utilises pace and bounce to the maximum effect more often than not. He has shown hints of form with 4 wickets in 2 matches. Rabada versus Guptill could turn out to be an intense battle early on.
Kane Williamson vs Imran Tahir: This is clearly a contest between one of the best architects of innings pitted against the best bowler in world cricket in the limited-overs format. With 151 runs in 3 matches (including 2 fifties), Williamson is at the third spot in the list of highest run-getters in this series and the best New Zealand batsman so far. At No. 3, Williamson will be expected to make most of the batting conditions. He will get a lot of overs to bat and New Zealand will trust him with the job of providing stability as well as consolidation.
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Tahir, on the other hand, will be perceived not only as a bowler who can contain the batsman with tight line and length and a perfect mix of the googly and the leg-break, but also the most potent wicket-taking option. Spinners can often cause more panic than fast bowlers in limited-overs cricket by stifling batsman, and Tahir has played that role several times for South Africa. His contest with the Williamson in the middle overs appears very enticing.
Quinton de Kock vs Tim Southee: With 194 runs in 3 matches so far at a strike rate of 98, de Kock has easily been the best batsman from either side. He has scored a half-century in all 3 games so far, and has provided rollicking starts to South Africa. He will be up against Tim Southee, whose slower deliveries and off-cutters will come in handy. Southee does not merely rely on the lateral movement of the ball. He also mixes up deliveries well, and change in pace as well as variation can trouble any batsman who is batting aggressively.
AB de Villiers vs Jeetan Patel/Ish Sodhi: The pitch at Hamilton is expected to support the spinners as it can provide sharp turn, which means, for obvious reasons, the contest between the South African batting mainstay and either of Patel and Sodhi could prove to be decisive. While it is unlikely for New Zealand to play two spinners in this contest, the performance of the one who gets selected can have an impact over the final outcome. AB is likely to bat in the middle overs, which means he will be facing a tough challenge to keep the scoreboard ticking.
