McCullum savours the experience of lifetime

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum sends one to the fence during his 26-ball 59 against South Africa yesterday. (AFP)

Reuters/AucklandNew Zealand captain Brendon McCullum savoured the experience of a lifetime as his team celebrated an epic World Cup semi-final victory over South Africa at Eden Park yesterday. Grant Elliott gave the co-hosts a four-wicket victory when he struck Dale Steyn over long-on off the penultimate ball of the rain-reduced match. “Pretty amazing,” McCullum said at the presentation ceremony. “It was a great advertisement for cricket, everybody will remember this for the rest of their lives. “It’s the greatest time of our lives. We have enjoyed the experience, the crowds that have turned up, the brand of cricket we have tried to play. We hope the crowds are all dreaming the way we are. “We don’t mind who we face in the final, they are both quality sides but we know if we play the way we want to we are a good chance. I’m really proud to represent New Zealand.” Man-of-the-match Elliott, who scored 84 not out, said the support from the crowd had been amazing as New Zealand chased down their demanding target. “It’s not for myself, not for the team but it’s for everyone here. The support has been amazing,” he said. “We just wanted to take it as deep as we could. Corey (Anderson) batted fantastically well. We timed the pace of the innings to perfection. “When you have got 40,000 fans screaming at you every ball, it’s been an absolute pleasure playing at Eden Park, playing in front of the home crowd. Now it’s the first final we have been in as the New Zealand team.” South Africa captain AB de Villiers said it had been an amazing game of cricket. “Probably the most electric crowd I have ever heard in my life,” he said. “I guess the best team has come out on top. We gave it out best.”   McCullum laid the foundation of the win, making a 26-ball 59 to get his side off to a blazing start.For South Africa, Faf du Plessis made 82, captain de Villiers was not out 65, while David Miller smashed an 18-ball 49. But the rain came at the worst possible time as they were well-set at 216 for three in the 38th over when play was halted for two hours. “These boys, I am so proud of them. A lesser team would have laid down today. To see Grant come in and be as calm as he was... we’ve given ourselves a chance of the big prize. Credit to South Africa, they gave as good as they got. I feel for them at the moment. But our boys were outstanding. And it was a great semi-final” “These boys, I am so proud of them. A lesser team would have laid down today. To see Grant come in and be as calm as he was... we’ve given ourselves a chance of the big prize,” said McCullum. “Credit to South Africa, they gave as good as they got. I feel for them at the moment. But our boys were outstanding. And it was a great semi-final.” De Villiers was distraught as South Africa, who’ve yet to reach a World Cup final, once again came up short. “It’s really painful but we have no regrets. We left it all out on the field. We had opportunities and it will take us a long time to get over this,” he said. “All the best to New Zealand—they played a great game.”The pre-tournament favourites had dismissed suggestions that they could succumb under pressure as they have in previous editions of the 50 overs tournament despite losing to India and Pakistan in the first round. A ruthless demolition of Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals, their first knockout win at a World Cup, indicated had put the demons of the past behind. However, as Elliott and Corey Anderson systematically chased down a victory target of 298 from 43 overs, signs of panic began to creep in. Anderson received a let-off when de Villiers made a total mess of a run-out opportunity, knocking the bails off without securing the ball in his hand with the batsman stranded. Elliott was dropped when JP Duminy crashed into substitute fielder Farhaan Behardien who had lined up the ball and was poised to secure the catch. South Africa’s leading strike bowler Dale Steyn was smashed all round the field by McCullum at the start of the innings and then conceded a four to Daniel Vettori and the six to Elliott which gave New Zealand their dramatic victory.