Fleming sees NZ to tri-series final
By Mark Geenty
From Stuff, 5 July 2004
BRISTOL: Captain Stephen Fleming ushered in New Zealand's
best one-day cricket winning streak as the tourists
booked a tri-series final at Lord's with a six-wicket
win over a struggling England here today.
Despite falling for 99 just seven runs short of victory,
the captain led the chase for 238 as he and Nathan Astle's
opening stand of 122 made the win a formality with 16
balls to spare.
It was the eighth consecutive win for the well-oiled
New Zealand one-day machine under coach John Bracewell,
excepting their washout against West Indies in Birmingham
last month.
The previous best was seven straight, set in the 1982-83
season and in the 1992 World Cup on home soil.
Having bemoaned the scheduling of a double-header,
it gave man of the match Fleming extra reason to smile
after they put away West Indies in equally impressive
style in Cardiff yesterday.
The result put England in danger of missing their own
tri-series final, and needing to beat West Indies on
Tuesday and hope New Zealand do the same in Southampton
on Thursday.
New Zealand got there today without their top allrounder
Chris Cairns, who was rested with a minor ankle injury
after his three for 29 inspired their five-wicket win
in Cardiff.
Fleming won his fourth successive toss of the series
and sent England in. As with every other match it led
to a win despite Andrew Flintoff's career-best 106 off
121 balls.
Before a packed house of 15,000 at Bracewell's former
Gloucestershire home turf, the run chase was highlighted
by a return to form for Astle who had scored 13, 15
and 19 in the series to date.
He scored 53 off 85 balls and saw off the early threat
of Stephen Harmison before the England speedster yorked
him.
Fleming took command from the start, reaching 50 off
66 balls and hammering debutante Sajid Mahmood who went
for 56 off seven overs. The New Zealand skipper faced
126 balls and hit 10 fours and a six, before narrowly
missing out on what would have been his seventh one-day
century.
Hamish Marshall's 55, to go with his man of the match
75 not out against West Indies yesterday, helped Fleming
add 104 off 97 balls before he was run out by a Paul
Collingwood direct hit trying to scamper his captain's
100th run.
Fleming remained anchored on 99 as Scott Styris departed
cheaply, then Fleming chipped a catch to mid-wicket
as New Zealand finally lurched home in the 48th over.
It could have been even easier for New Zealand who
were ruing their let-offs of Flintoff and Andrew Strauss
in England's innings.
The Black Caps' best fielder Marshall was the villain
both times, both at backward point, dropping Strauss
on one off Jacob Oram then an easier chance from Flintoff
off Styris on nought with the total 57 for three.
The pair added 122 for the fourth wicket to set up
an England charge at the death when they added 74 off
the last 10.
Oram again kept a grip on the England batsman after
his three for 23 in Durham, taking two for 27 off 10
overs including nine off his last two when Flintoff
was flaying away at the end.
Ian Butler's dangerous pace was again an asset in the
middle stages, taking three for 57 to give him six wickets
for the weekend in his comeback matches.
There was also more frustration for Chris Harris who
replaced Cairns and ended with none for 37 off eight
overs.
It was his sixth match poised on 199 wickets, and he
had a huge caught behind appeal against Flintoff on
23 turned down by Australian umpire Daryl Harper when
gloveman Gareth Hopkins appeared adamant.
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