SOUTH AFRICA LEFT 57 TO WIN AT ST GEORGE'S PARK

After bowling New Zealand out for 148 in their second innings earlier in the afternoon, South Africa gave themselves a target of 86 to win. By the close of the fourth day the home side had lost the wicket of Boeta Dippenaar in making 29.

Dippenaar lost his wicket without scoring to his second LBW decision of the match. This time, however, there was less doubt about his dismissal. He padded up to Shayne O’Connor as the New Zealand left-arm seamer went around the wicket to him and although he was hit outside the line, television replays strongly suggested that the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.

It was, however, the only success for New Zealand. Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis negotiated a further eight overs before the close with Kirsten ending on 22 and Kallis on 6.

SOUTH AFRICA SET 86 TO WIN AT ST GEORGE'S PARK

With umpire Ian Robinson giving two contentious LBW decisions to end the innings, Klusener finished with figures of three for 8 as the three-Test series appeared to slip irretrievably away from the touring team.

Shayne O’Connor was the first of the wickets to fall after tea when he pushed forward to Klusener and the ball brushed his pad to flick off the off bail. Neither the bowler nor the umpire appeared to notice that O’Connor had been bowled and umpire Robinson raised his finger. Whatever the case, O’Connor was out for 8 with New Zealand 147 for eight.

The ninth wicket fell at the same scored when Kerry Wamsley pushed forward to Klusener and South Africa won the LBW decision even though the ball appeared to hit the pad outside the line of off stump.

And the innings closed one run later in similar fashion, as Brooke Walker pushed forward to Klusener after making 19. This time the pad was again struck outside the line and there was also a hint of bat involved, but Robinson again awarded the decision to Klusener.

New Zealand had been bowled out in less than 70 overs, leaving South Africa 13 overs and the whole of Monday to achieve their winning target.

NEW ZEALAND CRUMBLE ON FOURTH AFTERNOON

At one point three wickets fell in the space of seven balls with Shaun Pollock taking two in two balls. When the players went off for their tea, New Zealand were 127 for seven with Brooke Walker on 10 and Shayne O’Connor on 1.

The lead was just 64 and with four sessions of the match remaining, it seemed only rain could prevent South Africa taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series.

The collapse began in the second over after lunch when Stephen Fleming drove at Nicky Boje for an edge to fly to Daryll Cullinan at slip. Fleming stood his ground, but after first nodding at the batsman, umpire Rudi Koertzen raised his finger to give Fleming out for 8 at 64 for three.

Mark Richardson and Nathan Astle added 47 for the fourth wicket, but the departure of Richardson on 111 sparked a flurry of wickets. Richardson had made 60 in 172 minutes at the crease when he flashed at Pollock to give Mark Boucher a thin edge.

Nelson struck again next ball as Craig McMillan padded up to Pollock and umpire Ian Robinson again awarded the decision to South Africa. Adam Parore allowed the hat-trick ball to pass outside his off stump, but New Zealand had more trouble waiting for them with the first ball of Makhaya Ntini’s next over.

Despite seeing two wickets go at the other end, Astle played an expansive drive at a wide one and Boucher pouched his second catch of the innings. Astle’s 18 had taken him 77 minutes and his departure left New Zealand in deep trouble at 115 for six.

Another injudicious shot accounted for Parore seven runs later when he lifted a drive at Ntini straight to Gary Kirsten at extra cover for 5. At 122 for seven the tourists had lost four wickets in six overs.

NZ STILL IN ARREARS AS SOUTH AFRICANS GRAB TWO BEFORE LUNCH

At the midday interval the tourists were 58 for two with Mark Richardson not out on 33 and Stephen Fleming on 4.

After taking 16 balls to finish off the South African innings at 361, New Zealand set about trying to build a big enough lead to be able to bowl at the home side in the last innings of the match, but their prospects of making a fight of it suffered an early blow when Allan Donald struck in the third over of the innings.

With his 10th delivery, Donald forced Craig Spearman onto the back foot and rapped the pads. Umpire Rudi Koertzen deliberated for a moment before raising his finger and Spearman was gone without scoring with New Zealand 4 for one.

Donald had four overs from the Park Drive End before giving way to Makhaya Ntini, but first innings centurion Mathew Sinclair and Mark Richardson pushed New Zealand closer to the 63 that would wipe out the South African lead.

The pair added 50 for the second wicket and looked likely to take New Zealand to lunch without further mishap until Nicky Boje struck in his second over of the innings, the last before the interval.

Sinclair, then 17, pushed half forward to a ball that straightened on him and umpire Koertzen gave his second LBW decision of the innings. There was time enough before the players left the field for Stephen Fleming to hit Boje for four.

NEW ZEALAND WRAP UP SA INNINGS AT 361

After Nicky Boje played out a maiden to Shayne O’Connor, Chris Martin trapped Allan Donald LBW with his first ball of the morning, rapping the South African batsman on the back pad as he played forward. Donald was out for his overnight score of 9.

Makhaya Ntini played out the rest of the over before O’Connor had Boje flashing at a wide on four balls into his second over and Adam Parore claimed his fourth catch of the innings. It was O’Connor’s 50th Test wicket and Boje was out for 51.

The South African first innings lead was 63 as Mark Richardson and Craig Spearman went to the crease to open New Zealand’s second innings.

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Date-stamped : 03 Dec2000 - 18:34