Date-stamped : 25 Feb95 - 10:31
NZ Centenary ODI Tournament, New Zealand v South Africa
Lancaster Park, Christchurch, 24 February 1995

(postponed from 23 Feb 95 due to rain.)

New Zealand yesterday qualified for the final of their  country's
centenary  limited-over tournament against Australia at Eden Park
in Auckland tomorrow by  beating  South  Africa in  their   rain-
delayed match by 46 runs at Lancaster Park in Christchurch.

The home side made 7-249 and the visitors could manage  only  203
in 47 overs. Gary Kirsten top scored for South Africa with 63 and
Auckland seamer Justin Vaughan was the pick of  the  New  Zealand
bowlers with 3-37 from 10 overs.

The turning point in the game  was  Adam  Paroroe's  stumping  of
South   Africa's  captain  Hansie  Cronje  (34)  from  a leg-side
delivery by Vaughan, subsequently signalled a wide by World   Cup
final umpire Brian Aldridge. Cronje had smashed off-spinner Shane
Thomson for two successive sixes through mid-wicket  before   his
unusual dismissal, for which South Africa were awarded one run.

Following his return to the New Zealand team, left-handed  opener
Mark   Greatbatch  continued  his  punishing performances  in the
tournament with 76 runs from 85 balls, as well as taking two fine
catches.   It  was  Greatbatch's highest one-day innings since he
rattled off back-to-back centuries against England in 1990.

Skipper Ken Rutherford and Greatbatch put their side on the  road
to  victory  with a match-winning partnership of 98 off 130 balls
for the second wicket.

With New Zealand's leading batsman Martin  Crowe  out  of  action
until  the  centenary  Test  on March 4 with a torn thigh muscle,
selectors  chose  opening  batsman  Mark  Douglas following   his
century  for  Wellington  against South Africa on Monday. He made
eight yesterday.

(Thanks : Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald)
<END> Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au)