By John Mehaffey
AUCKLAND (Reuters) - - South Africa faltered yet again at the critical moment of a cricket World Cup on Tuesday when New Zealand snatched a semi-final victory which had appeared to be beyond their grasp for much of a rain-affected match at Eden Park. 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, an impression confirmed on Tuesday when they scored an impressive 281 for five from 43 overs.
However, as man-of-the-match Grant 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 captain AB 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 Brendon 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.
De Villiers was in tears at the post-match news conference after overseeing another South African defeat on the big stage. "It's a tough one," he said. "We had our chances in the second half of the game but we didn't take them. It's difficult to say the kind of emotions I'm feeling." De Villiers said the team had badly wanted to take the World Cup back home. "I guess life moves on, the sun comes up tomorrow," he said.
"We had a lot of fun in this tournament and I'm proud of the guys.
"It hurts quite a bit, we had our chances and we didn't take them."
He agreed that the missed run-out chance had been one of the opportunities to win the game.
"I guess if you want to see it that way that I cost us the game," he said.