Fleming's knock best ever as NZ smash South Africa

From Stuff, 17 February 2003

JOHANNESBURG: It was a cricketing innings hailed as his greatest ever by the man himself and his long-time batting partner.

And for captain Stephen Fleming and his New Zealand team the timing couldn't have been better as it saw off South Africa by nine wickets and kept their World Cup bid right on track.

Fleming said his matchwinning 134 off 132 balls today was his highlight in a career spanning 73 tests and 192 one-day internationals.

"It was my best innings. I say that because there was a lot on the line," Fleming said.

"With the Kenya decision (to boycott their match in Nairobi) and the must-win situation of the last two games, I felt that as captain I had to make a mark at a World Cup."

Fleming has been hailed as one of the world's best captains but his batting hasn't always lived up to that - just four test centuries and three one-day international tons since his debut in 1994.

Today's was amazingly his first one-day international century in nearly five years since his 111 not out against Australia in Napier.

The man who has probably batted with Fleming the most in his international career, Nathan Astle, was in no doubt where the knock rated.

"It's the best I've seen him play by a long, long way and it was one of the best hundreds I've ever seen," Astle said.

"He hit it so sweetly, there were no risks, sure he got dropped once but that's the game. Everything was coming out of the middle."

Astle was no slouch either today. New Zealand's highest one-day international runscorer registered his 32nd half-century with a slick 54 off 57 balls as he and Fleming added an unbroken stand of 140 to see the run chase home with 13 balls to spare.

South Africa captain Shaun Pollock also conceded his bowlers had no answer to Fleming's hitting.

"Fleming was superb, he struck it really well... we were outplayed by the better side."