Cricket World Cup 2015: Top Run-Scorers and Wicket-Takers After 1st Semi-Final

New Zealand beat South Africa by four wickets in their World Cup semi-final, in what will surely go down as one of the greatest cricket matches ever played.

South Africa posted 281 for five after winning the toss in a rain-interrupted 43 overs. Faf du Plessis helped steady the ship for the Proteas after losing both openers with a fine 82, while late flurries of 65 not out and 49 from AB de Villiers and David Miller respectively helped the visitors to a decent total all things considered.

New Zealand were given some fine foundations thanks to a blistering 59 from Brendon McCullum. But after his dismissal triggered a clutch of Black Caps wickets, it was left to Grant Elliott to score the winning runs off the penultimate ball of the day; his unbeaten knock of 84 is one of the very best you’ll ever see in such high pressure.

Here’s how this incredible match affects various individual classifications and a look at some of the standout performers as New Zealand booked their spot in the Melbourne showpiece.

Top 10 Run-Scorers

Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Player	Team	Runs
Kumar Sangakkara	Sri Lanka	541
Martin Guptill	New Zealand	532
AB de Villiers	South Africa	482
Brendan Taylor	Zimbabwe	433
Tillakaratne Dilshan	Sri Lanka	395
Faf du Plessis	South Africa	380
Shikhar Dhawan	India	367
Mahmudullah	Bangladesh	365
Misbah-ul-Haq	Pakistan	350
Chris Gayle	West Indies	340

All statistics via ESPN Cricinfo.     

Top 10 Batting Averages

Ross Setford/Associated Press

Player	Team	Average
Kumar Sangakkara	Sri Lanka	108.20
AB de Villiers	South Africa	96.40
Sarfraz Ahmed	Pakistan	80.00
Martin Guptill	New Zealand	76.00
Glenn Maxwell	Australia	75.25
Mahmudullah	Bangladesh	73.00
Brendan Taylor	Zimbabwe	72.16
Suresh Raina	India	69.25
Sean Williams	Zimbabwe	67.80
Tillakaratne Dilshan	Sri Lanka	65.83

All statistics via ESPN Cricinfo.    

Top 10 Strike Rates

Phil Walter/Getty Images

Player	Team	Runs	SR
Dinesh Chandimal	Sri Lanka	52	216.66
Farhaan Behardien	South Africa	74	205.55
Brendon McCullum	New Zealand	328	191.81
Andre Russell	West Indies	104	185.71
Glenn Maxwell	Australia	301	183.53
James Faulkner	Australia	23	176.92
Tawanda Mupariwa	Zimbabwe	19	172.72
Tim Southee	New Zealand	12	171.42
Daniel Vettori	New Zealand	41	164.00
Brad Haddin	Australia	119	163.01

All statistics via ESPN Cricinfo.     

Top 10 Wicket-Takers

Phil Walter/Getty Images

Player	Team	Wickets
Trent Boult	New Zealand	21
Mitchell Starc	Australia	18
Mohammed Shami	India	17
Jerome Taylor	West Indies	17
Morne Morkel	South Africa	17
Wahab Riaz	Pakistan	16
Daniel Vettori	New Zealand	15
Imran Tahir	South Africa	15
Josh Davey	Scotland	15
Tim Southee	New Zealand	15

All statistics via ESPN Cricinfo.   

Top 10 Bowling Figures

Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Player	Team	Runs	Wickets
Tim Southee	New Zealand	33	7
Mitchell Starc	Australia	28	6
Trent Boult	New Zealand	27	5
Mitchell Marsh	Australia	33	5
Imran Tahir	South Africa	45	5
Sohail Khan	Pakistan	55	5
Steven Finn	England	71	5
Mitchell Starc	Australia	14	4
Daniel Vettori	New Zealand	18	4
Kyle Abbott	South Africa	21	4

All statistics via ESPN Cricinfo.    

Top 10 Economy Rates

Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Player	Team	Runs	Wickets	Econ
Michael Clarke	Australia	14	1	2.80
James Tredwell	England	25	1	3.57
Jeevan Mendis	Sri Lanka	18	2	3.60
Mirwais Ashraf	Afghanistan	63	2	3.66
Mitchell Starc	Australia	176	18	3.74
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	India	19	1	3.80
Dwayne Smith	West Indies	27	1	3.85
Ravi Bopara	England	31	2	3.87
Daniel Vettori	New Zealand	282	15	3.98
Sohaib Maqsood	Pakistan	24	1	4.00

All statistics via ESPN Cricinfo.    

Standout Performers

Phil Walter/Getty Images

McCullum Sets the Tone

You know exactly what you’re going to get with Brendon McCullum opening the batting and the New Zealand captain put on another masterclass in ball striking during his 59 from 26 balls.

After being set a revised target of 298, the Black Caps were always going to need early momentum to cling to. Thanks to McCullum they got that and then some, and as we can see here courtesy of Cricket Record, the batsman loves making big scores in no time whatsoever when it comes to the World Cup:

"

Fastest 50s in WC 18-ball McCullum 20 McCullum 20 Mathews 21 Boucher 21 McCullum 21 Maxwell 22 McCullum today 22 Boucher 22 Chandimal #CWC15

— Cricket Record (@cricinfo_record) March 24, 2015"

His innings here with the whole of his country watching on was simply sensational. He struck eight fours and four sixes during his time at the crease, heaping the pressure back onto the South Africa bowlers, who subsequently became pretty ragged.

As noted by Scyld Berry of the Sunday Telegraph, South Africa’s Dale Steyn—who is ranked as the second best one-day international bowler in world cricket, per ESPN Cricinfo—was hammered to all parts of Eden Park:

"

Stunning cricket. Clash of titans: McCullum v Steyn. McCullum hits 24 off Steyn's third over. NZ 71-0 off 5,chasing 298, McCullum 59* off 25

— Scyld Berry (@scyldberry) March 24, 2015"

McCullum deserves a mention for his exceptional leadership, too. His captaincy has been creative, purposeful and perhaps most admirably, unrelentingly aggressive throughout this tournament.

It’s an attitude that has been at the core of this New Zealand effort and with this magnificent batsman leading from the front, the Black Caps will feel as though they have every chance of tasting glory at this World Cup.

Elliott Stays Cool in the Heat of Battle

When Grant Elliott strode out to the crease, New Zealand looked second favourites by a long way in this match. But his 103-run partnership with Corey Anderson and his late flourish to sway the game his team’s way was simply remarkable. Scoring the winning runs—a towering six off the penultimate ball of the innings—in such a brash manner was just showing off.

Here’s a look at the winning moment, courtesy of Sky Sports Cricket:

"

What a game! What a finish. NZ are in the final. More at http://t.co/oTILnRnmOg #fireitup #CWC15 http://t.co/qyWV80HsDs

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 24, 2015"

Elliott finished up unbeaten on 84 in what was one of the best ODI knocks you'll ever see. To stay cool under those circumstances takes a very assured character and as noted by former England bowler Graeme Swann, it was some moment when he smashed the winning boundary:

"

WHAT A GAME!!!! The eruption of Eden park there was spine tingling huge! Grant Elliot take a bow #cricketisawesome

— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) March 24, 2015"

The likes of McCullum, Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill have hogged the spotlight when it comes to New Zealand batsmen at this World Cup so far after some excellent individual performances. But to win a World Cup you need players down the order who have the composure to help a team over the line; Elliott has that kind of nous in spades.

After reading the situation when coming out to bat, he dug in alongside Anderson before both accelerated their scoring rate. But even when he lost his longstanding partner and Luke Ronchi not long after, Elliott remained almost entirely unflustered.

He did receive a lifeline after being dropped in the field late on, but as noted by Simon Wilde of the Sunday Times, the Black Caps simply handled the occasion better than their opponents:

"

South Africa should have run out Anderson on 33, run out Elliott on 65 and caught Elliott on 75. Truth is, the pressure told on them

— Simon Wilde (@swildecricket) March 24, 2015"

Elliott will be the toast of New Zealand tonight after this stunning display and winning the game in such circumstances will only serve to inject further initiative into this motoring Black Caps cause.

Thanks to the serene 36-year-old, this New Zealand team now have the chance to win the ultimate prize in the backyard of their biggest rivals. Surely for a Kiwi there's no better place to lift the trophy than the Melbourne Cricket Ground?