Cairns inspires Kiwis

Boeta Dippenaar was beaten by an accurate throw

VB Series: Brisbane: New Zealand 244-6 (49.1 overs) beat South Africa 241 (48.3 overs) by 4 wickets

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Chris Cairns hammered a brilliant unbeaten 102 to steer New Zealand to their first one-day win over South Africa since March 1999.

The Kiwis were heading for defeat on 98 for five, but Cairns dominated stands of 62 with Chris Harris and 84 with Adam Parore as they moved to the top of the VB Series table.

He rounded off the match in style by driving the first delivery of the final over to the extra cover fence to reach the fourth limited overs century of his career.

  VB Series table

New Zealand
P4 W3 L1 12 pts

South Africa
P3 W2 L1 8 pts

Australia
P3 W0 L3 0 pts

It was his ninth boundary and he also hit three sixes in a superb 99-ball knock, which revived memories of his match-winning 102 against India in the 2000 ICC Knockout final.

South Africa went into the game as favourites having beaten the Black Caps in the nine previous one-day meetings between the two sides, but paid the price for losing last five wickets for 10 runs.

They were all out for 241, with paceman Shane Bond returning figures of four for 37.

Early breakthrough

Both teams went into the game with eight points following New Zealand's win over Australia in Sydney on Thursday.

South African skipper Shaun Pollock chose to bat first after winning the toss but they made the worst possible start as Herschelle Gibbs was bowled first ball by James Franklin.

Jacques Kallis, back in the side following an ankle injury, looked in excellent nick from the start of his innings, however, and he and Gary Kirsten brought up a 50 partnership in only 37 minutes.

Stephen Fleming switched his bowlers around in an attempt to slow the scoring rate but Kallis, who played some glorious drives through the off side, reached his half century off 49 balls, with seven fours.

Jonty Rhodes plays the reverse sweep

Harris eventually made the breakthrough when he took a return catch to remove Kirsten for 43 and Kallis followed in the next over when he tried to pull a rising ball from Bond, but mis-timed the stroke and was caught by Lou Vincent.

Mark Boucher and Jonty Rhodes produced the second substantial stand of the innings as they added 73 in 14 overs for the fifth wicket.

They kept the scoreboard ticking over with some excellent running between the wickets before Rhodes gave a catch to Harris at point from the bowling of Cairns after making 44.

Pollock became Franklin's second victim for 15 and Justin Kemp lasted four balls before he was dismissed by Cairns.

Bond wrapped up the innings in the space of seven deliveries, having Boucher (51) and Steve Elworthy caught and then removing Justin Ontong in his next over.

Pollock's double

New Zealand's reply began in similar fashion to the South African innings as Mark Richardson pulled Shaun Pollock's opening delivery straight to Justin Ontong.

Pollock also dismissed Vincent in an excellent new ball spell and they tightened their grip with the wickets of Fleming (23) and Brendon McCullum (37).

Cairns acknowledges the crowd's applause

Craig McMillan's exit for six brought in Harris, who had dashed back across the Tasman for the game after flying home on Friday for undisclosed personal reasons.

He proved the ideal foil for Cairns, who reached his half century from 63 deliveries and with 10 overs to go, New Zealand needed another 75 for victory.

Harris was lbw to Steve Elworthy for 24, but Parore helped keep the momentum going.

Cairns was lucky to escape being run out on a couple of occasions. but the crucial let-off came in the 45th over when Pollock failed to hang onto a difficult diving chance at long-off.

It proved a decisive moment as New Zealand, needing 30 off the last four overs, reached their target with five balls to spare.

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South Africa: Shaun Pollock (captain), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Jonty Rhodes, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher, Justin Kemp, Steve Elworthy, Makhaya Ntini.

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Mark Richardson, Brendon McCullum, Lou Vincent, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Shane Bond.