PHOTO: AFP

FINE EFFORT: Jacob Oram pulls off a good catch to dismiss South African captain Graeme Smith.

ST. GEORGE'S (GRENADA): Craig McMillan took three wickets on Saturday as New Zealand gave itself a good chance of the win it needs to clinch a World Cup semifinal place, reducing South Africa to 193 for seven wickets in the Super Eight match here.

Speed and movement from the pace bowlers and accuracy from the spinners restricted the scoring in the match at the Grenada National Stadium, creating such pressure that three batsmen were out trying to smash the apparently unthreatening McMillan.

Early trouble

James Franklin and Shane Bond had reduced South Africa to three for two and the Proteas did not get to 100 until the 33rd over.

New Zealand's bowlers benefited from more favourable conditions than in Thursday's six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka and its hugely improved fielding.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming opted to bowl in the hope that his attack could take advantage of the early moisture after a light morning rain. His decision was justified as the openers fell inside three overs.

Bond beat the bat with a couple of off-cutters before tempting Smith into a cover drive that Jacob Oram pouched with a diving effort.

The South Africa captain departed for one, and A.B. de Villiers, who hit 146 at the same ground in Tuesday's win over West Indies, was trapped in front by Franklin for nought.

Franklin and Bond sent down a series of unplayable deliveries aided by the most overcast conditions since the Super Eight moved here at the start of the week.

Slow progress

South Africa did not score more than two from an over until the 10th, when Herschelle Gibbs struck a four off Bond.

Kallis and Gibbs each struck a six as they started advancing down the wicket. Wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum donned a helmet and stood up to the stumps, a brave move against Bond's pace and after the blow to the groin he received doing the same against the West Indies.

With South Africa rocking, Fleming took his second and third Power Plays as early as possible and brought on spinner Jeetan Patel, the one change in the line-up from the team beaten by Lanka.

Daniel Vettori also came on against a team that often struggles against spin, and Kallis took a swipe from his first over, Bond taking a catch at cover to make it 52-3 off 20 overs. Kallis made 22.

Unlikely hero

Gibbs and Ashwell Prince shared a 76-run stand for the fourth wicket and threatened to take South Africa to a respectable total. But McMillan came on and took a wicket in three of his first four overs.

He got Gibbs to play on with and depart for a 100-ball 60, lured Prince (37) into hitting back up the wicket to Patel, and had Mark Boucher caught by Peter Fulton for 16.

Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall upped the scoring rate but Hall holed out to Bond after a run-a-ball 17 with Oram taking the catch. Bond finished with two for 26. — AP

New Zealand was 39 for one after 10 overs.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa: G. Smith c Oram b Bond 1, A.B. de Villiers lbw b Franklin 0, J. Kallis c Bond b Vettori 22, H. Gibbs b McMillan 60, A. Prince c Patel b McMillan 37, M. Boucher c Fulton b McMillan 16, S. Pollock (not out) 21, A. Hall c Oram b Bond 17, R. Peterson (not out) 8; Extras: (lb-3, w-7, nb-1) 11; Total: (for seven wkts. in 50 overs) 193.

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-3, 3-52, 4-128, 5-145, 6-149, 7-187.

New Zealand bowling: Franklin 7-2-16-1, Bond 10-1-26-2, Oram 5-2-23-0, Patel 10-1-36, Vettori 10-0-50-1, Styris 3-0-16-0, McMillan 5-0-23-3.

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