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The biggest impression Grant Elliott had made on world cricket came when he was barged by Ryan Sidebottom during a one-day international at the Oval seven years ago and was unwittingly caught in the middle of a major row between England and New Zealand. Now he will be remembered for all the right reasons. Elliott, a little known all-rounder born in South Africa but a naturalised Kiwi, played one of the great one-day innings on Tuesday for his adopted country against the nation of his birth to take New Zealand to their first World Cup final. It led to jubilant scenes at Auckland’s Eden Park, a venue more readily associated with New Zealand’s rugby triumphs than cricketing ones, and breathed life into a tournament in which exciting finishes have been all too rare. Grant Elliott celebrates hitting a six against South Africa to put New Zealand through to the World Cup final. Daniel Vettori embraces Elliott while bowler Dale Steyn lays on the ground after the crucial blow. Elliott, 36, powered his way to what would be a match-winning unbeaten 84 in the Black Caps chase. What a day for New Zealand and what a day for 36-year-old Elliott, who had not played international cricket for 14 months when he became one of coach Mike Hesson’s inspired choices for this World Cup. Elliott beams as he meets the press after the match. Elliott will surely never play another innings like his unbeaten 84 which earned New Zealand the most nerve-racking of victories with just a ball to spare against a South African team who fell short when it most mattered yet again. And Elliott will surely never play another shot like the six that soared over the short long-on boundary with five needed off two balls from the world’s greatest fast bowler in Dale Steyn. A man who has had a largely anonymous career that has taken in Transvaal, Wellington and Surrey was humble enough to console the stricken Steyn in scenes reminiscent of Andrew Flintoff’s Ashes embrace of Brett Lee in 2005. Then Elliott talked of how much this means for a country who will now take on either Australia or India in the final on Sunday after falling short in no fewer than six previous World Cup semi-finals. ‘I was looking to hit that ball for six or four,’ said Elliott. ‘I was just going to line it up and it was going over the boundary. It means a lot to the players but you only had to look to the stands to see how much it meant to a lot of people.’ This was glorious vindication for the attacking, modern brand of one-day cricket that New Zealand have been producing under their impressive captain Brendon McCullum with players who have not always been regarded as dynamic. Elliott goes for broke on the penultimate ball of the match and his sweet strike soars into the stands. Steyn, for many the world's best fast bowler, stands with his hands on his knees as Elliott celebrates. Elliott shakes hands and consoles Steyn as the conclusion of the match at Auckland's Eden Park. The batsman sparked memories of Andrew Flintoff's sportsmanship with Brett Lee in the 2007 Ashes. Elliott has never been seen as the epitome of modern 50-over power and nor has Martin Guptill, who came of age as a limited-overs batsman with his double century in the quarter-final against West Indies. If they can do it, then why not England, if they throw off the shackles and start again in one-day cricket after their embarrassing exit in the group stages? New Zealand were in all sorts of turmoil two years ago when they messily sacked Ross Taylor as captain but what has happened since has been little short of phenomenal, and they will provide the stiffest of opposition to England in both Test and one-day cricket in May and June. Before his semi-final heroics, Elliott was best known for his collision with Ryan Sidebottom in 2008. Then captain Paul Collingwood apologised for upholding the appeal that saw Elliott run out after the clash. This was heartbreaking for South Africa, who did little to shake off their reputation as perennial chokers on the big occasion. Yet to use the ‘c-word’ they hate so much would be harsh on South Africa. They fumbled two crucial run-out chances and then saw JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien collide in the deep (above) when Eliott offered a skyer with 14 needed for victory, but were simply beaten by the better team. ‘I really did feel the pressure, it was stressful towards the end,’ said Elliott, who saw New Zealand home in company with the veteran Dan Vettori. That was of little consolation to South Africa captain AB de Villiers, who struggled to contain his emotions after coming off second best in one of the great World Cup games. ‘We wanted to take the trophy home and lift our nation’s hearts but we weren’t able to do that,’ said De Villiers. ‘But life moves on and the sun will come up tomorrow.’
South Africa-born Grant Elliott hit match-winning 84 not out in semi-final.
Black Caps reached first World Cup final with Elliott's penultimate ball six.
Elliott, 36, had not played international cricket for 14 months when picked.
Win is vindication for the attacking brand played under Brendon McCullum.
New Zealand play the winner of the semi-final between Australia or India.
Skriv höjdpunkter för denna artikel: Det största intrycket Grant Elliott hade gjort på världs cricket kom när han pråmades av Ryan Sidebottom under en endagsinternational på Oval för sju år sedan och var omedvetet fångad mitt i en stor rad mellan England och Nya Zeeland. Nu blir han ihågkommen av alla de rätta skälen. Elliott, en lite känd allrounder född i Sydafrika men en naturaliserad Kiwi, spelade en av de stora endags inningar på tisdagen för sitt adopterade land mot nationen i hans födelse att ta Nya Zeeland till deras första VM-final. Det ledde till jublande scener i Aucklands Eden Park, en plats som lättare förknippas med Nya Zeelands rugby triumfer än krickande sådana, och andades in livet i en turnering där spännande avslutningar har varit alltför sällsynta. Grant Elliott firar att slå en sexa mot Sydafrika för att sätta igenom Nya Zeeland till VM-final. Daniel Vettori omfamnar Elliott medan bowlaren Dale Steyn lägger sig på marken efter det avgörande slaget. Elliott, 36 år, tog sig till vad som skulle bli en matchvinnande oslagbar 84 i Black Caps-jakten. Vilken dag för Nya Zeeland och vilken dag för 36-åriga Elliott, som inte hade spelat internationell cricket på 14 månader då han blev ett av tränaren Mike Hessons inspirerade val inför detta VM. Elliott strålar när han möter pressen efter matchen. Elliott kommer säkert aldrig att spela ytterligare en omgång som hans obesegrade 84 som tjänade Nya Zeeland den mest nerv-racking av segrar med bara en boll att skona mot ett sydafrikanskt lag som föll under när det mest spelade roll ännu en gång. Och Elliott kommer säkert aldrig att spela ett skott till som de sex som svävade över den korta lång-on gränsen med fem behövs av två bollar från världens största snabba bowlare i Dale Steyn. En man som har haft en till stor del anonym karriär som har tagit i Transvaal, Wellington och Surrey var ödmjuk nog att trösta den drabbade Steyn i scener som påminner om Andrew Flintoffs Ashes famn av Brett Lee 2005. Då talade Elliott om hur mycket detta betyder för ett land som nu ska ta sig an antingen Australien eller Indien i finalen på söndagen efter att ha hamnat under i inte mindre än sex tidigare VM-semifinaler. — Jag var ute efter att slå den där bollen för sex eller fyra, sade Elliott. – Jag tänkte bara rada upp det och det gick över gränsen. Det betyder mycket för spelarna, men du behövde bara titta på läktaren för att se hur mycket det betydde för en hel del människor.’ Detta var härlig hävdande för den attackerande, moderna varumärke av en dag cricket som Nya Zeeland har producerat under deras imponerande kapten Brendon McCullum med spelare som inte alltid har betraktats som dynamiska. Elliott går för pank på matchens näst sista boll och hans söta strejk svävar in på läktaren. Steyn, för många världens bästa snabbskålare, står med händerna på knäna som Elliott firar. Elliott skakar hand och tröstar Steyn som avslutningen på matchen på Aucklands Eden Park. Batsmannen tände minnen av Andrew Flintoffs sportsmannaanda med Brett Lee i 2007 års Ashes. Elliott har aldrig setts som sinnebilden för modern 50-över-makt och inte heller Martin Guptill, som blev myndig som en limited-over-batsman med sitt dubbelsekel i kvartsfinalen mot Västindien. Om de kan göra det, varför då inte England, om de kastar av bojorna och börjar igen i endags cricket efter deras pinsamma utträde i gruppskedet? Nya Zeeland var i alla möjliga kaos för två år sedan när de messly sparkade Ross Taylor som kapten men vad som har hänt sedan dess har varit lite underlägset fenomenalt, och de kommer att ge den styvaste motståndet mot England i både Test och en dag cricket i maj och juni. Inför sina semifinalhjältar var Elliott mest känd för sin kollision med Ryan Sidebottom 2008. Då bad kapten Paul Collingwood om ursäkt för att ha upprätthållit den vädjan som såg Elliott springa ut efter sammandrabbningen. Detta var hjärtskärande för Sydafrika, som inte gjorde mycket för att skaka av sig sitt rykte som perenna kvävare vid det stora tillfället. Men att använda det ”c-ord” som de hatar så mycket skulle vara hårt mot Sydafrika. De fumlade om två avgörande run-out chanser och såg sedan JP Duminy och Farhaan Behardien kollidera i djupet (ovan) då Eliott erbjöd en skyer med 14 som behövdes för seger, men slogs helt enkelt av det bättre laget. — Jag kände verkligen trycket, det var stressigt mot slutet, sade Elliott, som såg Nya Zeeland hemma i sällskap med veteranen Dan Vettori. Det var till föga tröst för Sydafrikas kapten AB de Villiers, som kämpade för att begränsa sina känslor efter att ha kommit av näst bäst i en av de stora VM-matcherna. — Vi ville ta hem trofén och lyfta vår nations hjärtan, men det förmådde vi inte, sade De Villiers. ”Men livet går vidare och solen går upp i morgon.”
Write highlights for this article: The greatest impression Grant Elliott had made on world cricket came when he was barged by Ryan Sidebottom during a one-day international at Oval seven years ago and was unwittingly caught amid a large row between England and New Zealand. Now he is remembered for all the right reasons. Elliott, a little known all-rounder born in South Africa but a naturalized Kiwi, played one of the great one-day innings on Tuesday for his adopted country against the nation in his birth to take New Zealand to their first World Cup final. It led to cheering scenes in Auckland's Eden Park, a place more easily associated with New Zealand's rugby triumphs than cricketing ones, and breathed life into a tournament where exciting finishes have been too rare. Grant Elliott celebrates hitting a sixth against South Africa to put through New Zealand to the World Cup finals. Daniel Vettori embraces Elliott while bowler Dale Steyn settles on the ground after the decisive blow. Elliott, 36, made it to what would be a match-winning unbeaten 84 in the Black Caps chase. What a day for New Zealand and what a day for 36-year-old Elliott, who had not played international cricket for 14 months when he became one of coach Mike Hesson's inspired choices for this World Cup. Elliott's beaming when he meets the press after the game. Elliott will certainly never play another round as his undefeated 84 who earned New Zealand the most nerve-racking of victories with just one ball to spare against a South African team that fell under when it most played a role once again. And Elliott will certainly never play another shot like the six hovering over the short long-on limit by five needed by two balls from the world's largest fast bowler in Dale Steyn. A man who has had a largely anonymous career who has taken in Transvaal, Wellington and Surrey was humble enough to comfort the afflicted Steyn in scenes reminiscent of Andrew Flintoffs Ashe's embrace by Brett Lee in 2005. At the time, Elliott spoke about how much this means for a country that is now to take on either Australia or India in the final on Sunday after falling under in no less than six previous World Cup semifinals. “I was looking to hit that ball for six or four,” Elliott said. I was just gonna line it up and it crossed the line. It means a lot to the players, but you just had to look at the stands to see how much it meant to a lot of people.’ This was lovely vindication for the attacking, modern brand of one day cricket that New Zealand has produced under their impressive captain Brendon McCullum with players who have not always been considered dynamic. Elliott goes for broke on the penultimate ball of the game and his sweet strike floats into the stands. Steyn, for many the world's best speed bowler, stands with his hands on his knees celebrating Elliott. Elliott shakes hands and comforts Steyn as the conclusion of the game at Auckland's Eden Park. The batsman lit memories of Andrew Flintoff's sportsmanship with Brett Lee in the 2007 Ashes. Elliott has never been seen as the epitome of modern 50 over power nor has Martin Guptill, who came of age as a limited-over batsman with his double century in the quarterfinals against the West Indies. If they can do so, why not England, if they throw off the shackles and start again in one-day cricket after their embarrassing exit in the group stage? New Zealand was in all sorts of chaos two years ago when they messly fired Ross Taylor as captain but what has happened since then has been a little outnumbered phenomenal, and they will give the stiffest resistance to England in both Test and one day cricket in May and June. Prior to his semi-final heroes, Elliott was best known for his collision with Ryan Sidebottom in 2008. At the time, Captain Paul Collingwood apologized for upholding the appeal that saw Elliott run out after the clash. This was heartbreaking for South Africa, who did little to shake off his reputation as a perennial suffocator on the great occasion. But using the “c-word” that they hate so much would be hard on South Africa. They fumbled about two crucial run-out chances and then watched JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien collide in the depth (above) as Eliott offered a skyer with 14 needed for victory, but was simply beaten by the better team. “I really felt the pressure, it was stressful towards the end,” said Elliott, who saw New Zealand at home in the company of veteran Dan Vettori. It was of little comfort to South Africa's captain AB de Villiers, who struggled to limit his feelings after coming off second best in one of the major World Cup matches. “We wanted to take home the trophy and lift the hearts of our nation, but we were unable to do that,” said De Villiers. “But life goes on and the sun rises tomorrow.”
Sydafrika-födde Grant Elliott slog matchvinnande 84 inte ut i semifinal. Black Caps nådde första VM-final med Elliotts näst sista bollsexa. Elliott, 36 år, hade inte spelat internationell cricket på 14 månader när han plockades. Win är hävdande för det anfallande varumärket som spelas under Brendon McCullum. Nya Zeeland spelar vinnaren av semifinalen mellan Australien eller Indien.
South Africa-born Grant Elliott batted match-winning 84 not out in semi-finals. The Black Caps reached the first World Cup final with Elliott's penultimate ball six. Elliott, 36, had not played international cricket for 14 months when he was picked. Win is asserting for the attacking brand played under Brendon McCullum. New Zealand plays the winner of the semi-final between Australia or India.