New Zealand's failure to live up to the promise seen in its early rounds of the VB Series has been the biggest disappointment of their loss in the first final in Melbourne last night.

New Zealand had its chances but a poor batting effort and the relentlessness of the South African batting ground New Zealand into the dirt, with the prospect that they may have had their last chance this time to achieve a second New Zealand victory in the history of finals of the tri-series.

Newspaper comment in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa is included below:

The New Zealand Herald: "A day which started reasonably brightly for Stephen Fleming's side - with all team members reporting fit and well, clear skies and the coin falling in his favour - slowly turned into the match from hell, as the batting line-up short-circuited, leaving him with little hope of restricting the South Africans.

"Fleming and Craig McMillan helped to partly rescue their side with a 109-run third wicket partnership.

"But New Zealand folded in the second half of the innings and were all out with 2.1 overs unbowled.

"McMillan patched together his most meaningful contribution of the series, striking 73 off 99 balls.

"Fleming played an equally important hand with 50 off 79 balls.

"But as well as the pair batted, they were possibly as much of the problem as the solution.

"Their painstaking work averted immediate collapse, but by meandering along at a leisurely four an over, they consumed half the overs at their side's disposal as they concentrated on establishing themselves and getting the total past 100."

The Sydney Morning Herald: "The Xhosa man from Alice, Makhaya Ntini, and his pace bowling partner, Lance "Zulu" Klusener, cut down New Zealand's batsmen to pave the way for an overwhelming first final success by South Africa at the MCG last night.

"The 24-year-old Ntini claimed 5-31, his finest return in a career of 37 limited-over internationals, while Klusener captured the crucial wickets of Stephen Fleming (50) and Chris Cairns (0) within five deliveries.

"Capitalising on the foundations laid by their bowlers, Boeta Dippenaar (79no) and Jacques Kallis (59no) produced a record third-wicket partnership of 139 runs from 183 balls to complete the victory.

"Deluge in Sydney permitting, the teams are scheduled to meet in the second final tomorrow.

"New Zealand captain Fleming praised Ntini, saying: 'He's pretty slippery. He's doing damage at the top with his variation and bounce. And he's very accurate.'

"Winning captain Shaun Pollock said: 'We have started to play the way we know we can.'

"As they led the South Africans from the MCG at the dinner break, man-of-the-match Ntini and Klusener (2-27) must have wondered at the extraordinary fortunes of a fickle game. The agony of their team's 3-0 Test match losing series to Australia in December-January seemed an eternity ago.

"Ntini was dropped after going wicketless in the Adelaide Test, while Klusener's performances indicated he would have been omitted from the Sydney Test. He returned home to be with his pregnant wife.

"New Zealand's misfortunes escalated when paceman Dion Nash walked off after his first over, having aggravated an abdominal strain sustained when he fell heavily while batting."

The Australian: "South Africa placed a stranglehold on this summer's tri-series title with a comfortable eight-wicket win over New Zealand in last night's opening final at the MCG.

"With Sydney's wet weather threatening the remaining two matches, a one-nil lead could be enough to land the Proteas the $50,000 for the winner.

"With no reserve days scheduled, matches cancelled due to rain can't be replayed, which meant yesterday's fixture carried even greater significance as it was the only one guaranteed of producing an outcome.

"Sunday's match, if required, has already been changed from a day-night fixture to a day game following a suggestion from the Nine network, which was eagerly agreed to by both teams.

"Despite its significance, only 20,671 people bothered to turn up yesterday, which was 5000 less than the conservative figure Australian officials had predicted when they foreshadowed a financial shortfall of about $1 million.

"The win was set up by Makhaya Ntini, who fortunately proved a final lacking in atmosphere and devoid of local interest does not have to do without a star.

"His career-best one-day return of 5-31 not only won him the plaudits of his team-mates but earned him the adoration of the MCG outer to which he doffed his cap as he retired to the outfield after his 10th over.

"It was a justified return for the 24-year-old from the Eastern Cape, who initially won fame as South Africa's first black African Test player."

The Daily Telegraph: " Australia, you've got a lot to answer for. Yesterday's day-night 'mockbuster' final between South Africa and New Zealand was even duller than the most bitter Aussie fan could have predicted. Just 20,671 turned up at a strangely quiet MCG to watch the South Africans cruise to victory with ridiculous ease.

"The Proteas, chasing 191 on a dream batting deck, took a 1-0 lead in the one-day finals series with 29 balls to spare.

"It's a pity the bonus point system didn't extend to the finals, giving South Africa incentive to win inside 40 overs. We all would have been put out of our misery a bit earlier.

"Full credit to South Africa for making it 16 wins from its past 17 against the Kiwis, but this will not be one for their greatest hits video collection.

"Rapidly improving South African quick Makhaya Ntini produced the best one-day performance of his career to set up the win. It was shame the mood was so flat as he wreaked havoc.

"Ntini took 5-31 off his 10 overs, striking twice early and then returning with a savage knockout blow."

The Mercury (Durban): "It is always possible to imagine a reversal in Sydney - scene of South Africa's most humiliating one-day defeat this summer at the hands of the Aussies - but the Kiwis will have to do an awful lot better to make it happen.

"On Wednesday, everything went right for the Proteas, even those little bits of luck that are often necessary for victory in limited-overs cricket.

"Nevertheless, it is extraordinary that the recent record between two such evenly matched teams is so lopsided in favour of South Africa.

"The Proteas' sixth consecutive victory at the MCG rewrote that record to read 17 matches, one defeat, 15 wins and a washout (which would have been an SA win).

"The Black Caps seem to have been far more aggressive against the Australians, and their 3-1 record in this series against the world champions bears testimony to that. But against South Africa they have been conservative, as if fearful of risking anything.

"It was only when their one genuine match-breaker, Chris Cairns, took control in Brisbane, that the New Zealanders eventually broke their log-jam of defeats. But it took one of the best one-day centuries in years - from a starting point of 98-5 - to get them through to an unlikely win."

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