Kemp calls the shots

19 September 2007

Justin Kemp launches one of his six sixes to lead South Africa safely home © Getty Images

Big-hitting Justin Kemp powered South Africa to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand at Kingsmead - and eliminated England from the ICC World Twenty20.

Kemp smashed six sixes and six fours in an unbeaten 89 to guide the Proteas to their 154-run target, and leave Paul Collingwood’s side’s Group E contest against India on the same ground later in the day irrelevant from an English perspective.

Kemp concluded matters with a six, off the first ball of the final over to wreck Mark Gillespie’s previously pristine figures of 3-1-5-2.

South Africa were wobbling at 45 for three in the eighth over but Kemp’s magnificent 56-ball innings ensured Mark Boucher (23) and Shaun Pollock (16 not out) merely needed to acoompany him at the crease.

The hosts may have been chasing a few more in Durban but for a brilliant display from fast bowler Morne Morkel, who finished with 4-17 - he would have become the first man to take a five-wicket haul in 20-over internationals but umpire Billy Doctrove erroneously called a no-ball when Morkel bowled Gillespie at the death.

Once again it was the unmistakable figure of Craig McMillan who provided the first-innings fireworks as he jumped to the top of the individual sixes table.

Despite a thrusting start from openers Brendon McCullum and Lou Vincent, who added 68 before being parted in the ninth over, New Zealand lost their way in mid-innings.

After their departures within the space of a few deliveries, it became a one-man show with McMillan - so destructive against England 24 hours earlier - once again revelling at one end as wickets tumbled at the other.

Having introduced himself with a six off Vernon Philander, the McMillan hit two more maximums in one Albie Morkel over to surpass Chris Gayle’s 10 for the tournament.

Morne Morkel removes Shane Bond, the last of his four wickets © Getty Images

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McMillan made it a personal dozen in just five matches with an extraordinary hit in the final over of the innings as a delivery from Johan van der Wath spiralled over wicket-keeper Mark Boucher’s head and into the stands.

Kemp is now the highest scorer in the tournament with 168 runs, including 10 sixes.

“If you are in good nick and you get hold of a few it’s the kind of ground where you can catch up with the rate pretty quickly,” he said.

“We still haven’t hit our straps completely but if we keep on improving there is no reason we can’t go all the way.”

With the Morkel brothers strengthening an already formidable limited-overs unit, South Africa appear to have the brute strength required in the shortest format of the game.

“Our young guys have stepped up and shown a lot of bottle,” said captain Graeme Smith.

“In Durban it can be easy to go two or three wickets down and I thought Kempy and Mark Boucher marshalled the middle part of the innings was finished off superbly.”

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori is now hoping for at least one India defeat, which would send his side into the semi-finals.

“It wasn’t quite a competitive total but we fought pretty well in the field,” he said.

“We were quite sloppy with our extras and when you come up against a team like South Africa and let yourselves down like that it hurts you.”