adminHAMILTON (New Zealand). — South Africa’s attempt to top the one-day cricket rankings before next year’s World Cup will depend on a showdown with Australia next month after rain dashed their hopes in New Zealand yesterday.
The Proteas needed to complete a three-match clean sweep against the Black Caps to overtake the current number-one ranked Australians.
But after comfortably winning the first two matches, the third was washed out in the 31st over at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
South Africa were well placed on 157-3 with Quinton de Kock unbeaten on 80 and AB de Villiers on 33.
The pair had put on 87 for the fourth wicket as they cashed in on an unsettled New Zealand attack in gloomy conditions before rain forced the players from the field.
The game was abandoned three hours later with no sign of the weather clearing.
“It’s a shame about the weather. We set it up nicely. We could have got a decent total,” de Villiers said before he immediately turned his attention to the five-match clash with Australia starting in Perth on November 14. “We’d love to go to Australia and win that series as well. That will give us a nice confidence boost,” he said. New Zealand and Australia co-host the World Cup starting next February, and de Villiers said the Proteas’ Australasian tour was about getting used to the conditions so “hopefully we are prepared as well as we can be for the World Cup”. — AFP.
Online Reporter