Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott produced a superbly timed 103-run partnership to take New Zealand into their first cricket World Cup final with a tense four-wicket win over South Africa at Eden Park on Tuesday.
Anderson (58) and Elliott (84 not out) had been thrust together at 149 for four in the 22nd over of the rain-effected semi-final and calmly took their side within sight of victory before Daniel Vettori joined Elliott to guide their side home to ecstatic scenes in Auckland.
Earlier, South Africa captain AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 103 from 73 balls to power their team to an imposing 281 for five.
The co-hosts were set 298 to win from 43 overs on the Duckworth-Lewis system after a rain break five minutes short of two hours.
Neither side has ever played in a World Cup final. De Villiers, who was dropped on 38 by Kane Williamson at short cover off Corey Anderson in the first over of the batting powerplay, was unbeaten on 65 while Du Plessis anchored the innings with a composed 82.
David Miller then smashed 49 from 18 balls, including consecutive sixes off Anderson, in the remaining five overs after the break.
New Zealand made an impressive start after De Villiers opted to bat following heavy overnight rain.
Openers Hashim Amla (10) and Quinton De Kock (14) fell cheaply to Trent Boult who broke Geoff Allott’s New Zealand record of 20 wickets at the 1999 World Cup.
Read More At SuperSport.com
