Cricket: Fleming savours golden memory

By RICHARD BOOCK at the World Cup

Stephen Fleming, at the bar of one of the town's ritziest hotels, a huge cheroot in his mouth, a smile that might stay with him to his grave - these were the after-hour impressions of New Zealand's shock World Cup win over South Africa.

And, of all places, in the City of Gold, practically custom-designed for high-carat winners and gamblers, a category Fleming fell comfortably into after his batting heroics at the Wanderers.

His incandescent unbeaten century had New Zealand speeding towards what seemed a likely win in 50 overs before the rain intervened, and made his task even more straightforward.

One-day international century No 5 might have been a long time coming, but when it arrived it was one to send a shiver down the spine, an effort that would almost choke 30,000 South Africans mid-cry, and rate as a moment in sport to remind the grandchildren about.

At the time it seemed not so much a match-defining innings as a career-defining one, and if he can retain anything like that form for the remainder of the tournament then New Zealand will surely be among the last teams to pack their bags.

This might be his watershed, the innings that set him on his way towards realising more consistently his talents, proving himself in the highest masterclass, along with the Gowers, the Waughs and - dare we say it - the Laras.

To dwell now on his enigmatic career would be churlish, but suffice to say that his latest innings not only highlighted his capacity to bat like a god, but also his past tendency to sometimes bat like an anagram of a god.

Fleming too, is anxious to take his career to another level, a point he made crystal-clear when he talked about his admiration for former England skipper Mike Brearley, saying he didn't want to be lumped with the tag of being a better captain than a player.

Life would indeed be good if he could taste the flavour of winning a match with his own bare hands more often, feel the exhilaration of making the difference and leave the game with a batting record every bit as respectable as his legacy as captain.

What the century might have done for his self-belief is anyone's guess, but it's fair to say that he has experienced some lean trots in the past and would have been as relieved as most when he struck gold on the most important day of New Zealand's group campaign.

Again, it was Fleming who revealed just how significant the win was, when he spoke of it coming at "probably the most important time of the majority of our careers".

There is a feeling in the New Zealand camp now; a seed that began germinating in the coastal heat of St George's Park and then broke ground at the Wanderers, threatening to creep up on unsuspecting rivals and overrun the manicured tournament landscape.

After playing three heavy-duty opponents in six days, the side will now head for Durban and take a short break on the coast, before returning to Johannesburg and preparing for what looms as two important games against Bangladesh and Canada - at least in terms of run-rate.

For Fleming, the challenge now is to carry on from where he left off at the Wanderers, to maintain his momentum and to lead New Zealand's cup hopes from the front.

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