 Dippenaar is bowled during the fourth one-day match |
South Africa captain Graeme Smith said his side is struggling on unfamiliar wickets as New Zealand took an unassailable 3-1 one-day series lead. New Zealand made better use of the conditions in the fourth match in Dunedin, topping South Africa's 259-7 to win by six wickets.
"It's fair to say we haven't adapted too well to the various pitches and grounds," Smith said.
"The wicket was sort of spongy early on and we struggled."
Smith and fellow opener Herschelle Gibbs got off to a slow start, scoring just 53 runs in the first 15 overs.
Boeta Dippenaar laboured to 18 from 44 balls, and only Jacques Rudolph (70) and Nicky Boje (50) adjusted to the wicket.
New Zealand's batsmen made short work of the total, with skipper Stephen Fleming, Hamish Marshall and Scott Styris notching half centuries.
Marshall and Styris shared in a New Zealand record third wicket partnership of 126 off 123 deliveries.
"There was a lot of pressure on us and we haven't been having good starts in some of the matches and today was the same," said Smith. "New Zealand have been very clinical in the last two games.They really out-performed us.
"I really think we've given it all and we've been out-performed and that's basically it."
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
If you look recently, South Africa have always struggled where the bowlers have the edge
