New Zealand v South Africa, 3rd Test, Wellington, Day 5,Test Result DRAW

South Africa 474 for 9 dec (Petersen 156, Duminy 103, Gillespie 6-113) and 189 for 3 dec (de Villiers 68) drew with New Zealand 275 (Guptill 59, Philander 6-81) and 200 for 6 (Williamson 102*, Morkel 6-23)

An outstanding rearguard 102 from Kane Williamson negated Morne Morkel's career-best figures of 6 for 23, as New Zealand held on for 80.4 overs to draw the third Test at the Basin Reserve. South Africa gifted Williamson two lives and the umpires one, but a flawless last session, much of it in the company of a courageous Doug Bracewell, ensured his side could glean positives from a difficult series, though they lost 1-0. New Zealand ended at 200 for 6, 189 short of the target they never attempted. 



The sparse Wellington crowd cheered every wicketless delivery, as the full day's quota approached. Hampered by the loss of Ross Taylor, New Zealand had only nine wickets to play with, but Williamson and Bracewell, who played out 19.1 overs together ensured Mark Gillespie and Chris Martin were left unused. The Test had one final twist when the new ball became available with one over to bowl, but Vernon Philander could not break Bracewell, proving there were some things even he can't to with the ball, despite having enhanced his fearsome reputation with each game this tour. 



Smart stats Kane Williamson's hundred was his second in Tests. It was also the 15th century by a New Zealand batsmanagainst South Africa and the first since 2006. Since their readmission, South Africa have won seven of the eight series against New Zealand. The only drawn series was in 2003-04. Morne Morkel's 6 for 23 was his fifth five-wicket haul inTests and his first since his 5 for 20 against India in Centurion in 2010. Morkel's 6 for 23 was the third-best bowling performance by a South African in Tests against New Zealand. It was also fifth on the list of top bowling performances by visiting bowlers in Wellington. AB de Villiers' strike rate of 138.77 during his innings of 68 was his highest for a fifty-plus score in Tests. Overall, it was second on the list of highest strike rates for fifty-plus scores for South African batsmen.

South Africa added four clear-cut chances in the second innings to the five they'd missed yesterday. Alviro Petersen spilt Williamson on 10, diving to his right at gully only to palm it to the ground. The drop was particularly painful for Petersen who had appeared to take a low chance cleanly several overs before, only for the third umpire to deem Williamson not out, to South Africa's surprise. AB de Villiers was the next culprit, dropping a low chance at second slip with Williamson on 22. Dean Brownlie then got a life from Graeme Smith, though he didn't capitalise, adding no more runs before being dismissed and Bracewell was shelled late in the day, again by de Villiers at second slip. 



If Williamson had been fortunate to survive till tea, his batting through the final session was pure technique and application. Not having to contend with hooping outswing or biting turn, Williamson tuned his mind solely to blunting South Africa's favourite weapon in the third Test: bounce. Picking the lifters early, he'd duck everything South Africa pitched in their own half. If the balls were fuller - just short of a length - he'd climb on his tip-toes, elbows always high, and punch the ball down into the off side. Yorkers came into vogue later in the session, but having seen Morkel unleash hell with those at the other end, he was prepared. He dug them out dutifully, turning down runs into the outfield to keep himself on strike. 



New Zealand's now-abandoned four-seamer policy had been tried partly because Doug Bracewell's first class career had promised runs at Test level. Until his 59-ball 20 here, he'd barely distinguished himself above Chris Martin as a batsman. Bracewell flirted dangerously outside off stump twice; once off Morkel and once off Steyn, and was dropped in the slips once, but otherwise willow met leather comfortably whenever a stroke was offered. He even ventured two consecutive fours either side of the stumps off Marchant de Lange in the last half hour, as South Africa grew desperate. With Bracewell's defence seeming more secure with each stroke, Williamson no longer bothered shielding him from the strike towards the end. 



Williamson's 228-ball vigil had begun when Brendon McCullum was dismissed in the fifth over. With Taylor undergoing surgery, Williamson had been promoted to No. 4, and his inexperience showed, as both he and Martin Guptill shut down their scoring almost completely for the duration of their partnership. Williamson's first ten runs came from 55 deliveries, and with South Africa able to pool all their resources into attack, it was only a matter of time until the wicket came. Guptill edged Morkel to gully soon after lunch. 



Positivity eventually found its way into Williamson's game, and he and Dean Brownlie resisted, making their second 50-run stand of the game. A serene straight drive off Vernon Philander was followed by consecutive sweeps to the fence off JP Duminy, and Williamson flew towards his second fifty of the series as the field relaxed somewhat. Kruger van Wyk contributed another gritty knock, holding the visitors at bay for 80 deliveries either side of tea, and was perhaps unlucky that Morkel stuck out his left hand on his follow-through to snatch a bludgeoned drive. He partnered Williamson for the longest time of his team-mates, as their stand ate up more than a quarter of the overs New Zealand batted out. 



South Africa were hamstrung by a pitch that had flattened out significantly throughout the Test, but would have been disappointed that in spite of all the missed chances, only Morkel was able to take wickets. Philander was threatening, as always, sticking methodically to the back-of-a-length and off-stump line that had reaped him so much success in the series, but having suffered at his hands so severely, New Zealand finally seemed capable of combating his threat - even if the pitch did much of this for them. Steyn was unlucky, as he has been all series. Most of the dropped chances in the match were off his bowling, and Steyn swung the ball early, at good pace, for no reward. 



Three of Morkel's wickets came from searing yorkers. McCullum couldn't get bat to one that would have hit leg stump, Brownlie let one slip beneath his bat and Daniel Vettori barely had time to register being at the crease before Morkel bowled him first ball. Late in the day, Morkel tried everything to dismiss Williamson and Bracewell, but the batsmen were resolute. An over of short balls was followed by one where he pitched full, but nothing worked. 



Smith vexingly wasted thirteen overs by using JP Duminy, who never looked like breaking through, though among his other regrets may be batting for too long at the start of the day. Though de Villiers made good use of the time they kept New Zealand in the field, making a 49-ball 68, perhaps 388 was far too conservative a lead, given New Zealand had not passed 300 in the series.

New Zealand v South Africa, 3rd Test, Wellington, Day1,Cricinfo

South Africa 136 for 2 (Amla 63, Petersen 44*, Duminy 23*) v New Zealand 

A fluent 63 from Hashim Amla eased South Africa to 136 for 2 at stumps, after a wet outfield in the morning and poor light late in the day only allowed 42 overs to be bowled. Ross Taylor chose to field on a green surface expected to seam, but although Graeme Smith was removed by one that jagged off the pitch, New Zealand struggled to achieve pronounced movement for extended periods, with spinner Daniel Vettori called on to contribute more than a quarter of the hosts' overs. Alviro Petersen played a restrained knock to end the day in sight of his first half-century of the series, while JP Duminy, who replaced an injured Jacques Kallis, was unbeaten on 23.

Amla was gifted a leg-glance to the fine-leg fence to ease him into his innings, but it wasn't long before the offside repertoire was humming happily as well. A back-foot stroke through the covers was more unwound, than punched or played, while two cuts either side of point disappeared to the boundary before the fielder had budged, much less moved, to intercept the shot. He was beaten soundly twice on the inside edge, but didn't allow either ball to dent his positivity, dispatching Dean Brownlie for three commanding boundaries in the same over he went past 50.

But the languid nature of Amla's strokeplay was increasingly matched by the slowness of his movement in the middle - perhaps hampered by a ball he'd edged onto his groin early on - and he perished playing an uncharacteristically flat-footed pull off Mark Gillespie soon after tea.

Alviro Petersen was reserved in comparison, often finding sprightly fielders when he played full-blooded shots, but content to defend nonetheless. He had struggled with the ball that came into him, falling to it thrice in four innings so far in the series, but navigated Chris Martin's inswingers with more poise on this occasion, dabbing it straight against the early movement. He charged Daniel Vettori to loft him over the ropes before leaning back to blast him through square leg as tea approached, but they were rare shows of violence in a dour display.

New Zealand had started well through Martin and Doug Bracewell, but waned in threat as the movement steadily gave out despite their discipline. Gillespie could find neither the direction nor the pace that decimated South Africa's middle order in the first innings in Hamilton, and was lucky to claim Amla with a short, wide ball. That wicket breathed some edge into the New Zealand attack in the nine overs after tea, but Duminy only helped himself to some quick runs into the vacant outfield with the bowlers attacking.

Early in the day's play, New Zealand's first wicket was marred somewhat by controversy. Martin beat Smith's outside edge repeatedly with movement in the air and off the pitch, but it was the other edge that brought the batsman's demise, even though Smith felt he had not made contact. Aleem Dar and New Zealand were convinced ball brushed the willow when Bracewell brought one in past Smith's cover drive, but despite a review from the batsman, and Hot Spot showing nothing, Dar's decision was upheld.

New Zealand Sweep Series

New Zealand v Zimbabwe, 3rd ODI, Napier

New Zealand 373 for 8 (McCullum 119, Guptill 85, Nicol 61) beat Zimbabwe 171 (Brendan Taylor 65) by 202 runs 

A violent opening stand and a superbly-paced Brendon McCullum ton handed New Zealand their third huge win in as many one-dayers, as Zimbabwe fell 202 runs short of their gargantuan target of 374. Martin Guptill and Rob Nicol added 153 in 22 overs to provide the platform once more, before McCullum's 88-ball 119 propelled New Zealand beyond 370 for the second consecutive innings. Brendan Taylor's 65 was the only knock of note in Zimbabwe's reply with the visitors once more opting to spend time in the middle rather than go for the unlikely win. Zimbabwe were dismissed for 172 in the 44th over.

McCullum consolidated to begin with, following the quick demise of both openers, before exploiting some woeful death bowling to hurtle past 100. Keen not to let the early tempo abate, McCullum opted for the batting Powerplay in the 29th over with Jacob Oram for company, but allowed his partner to attempt the big shots while he turned over the strike. He continued to accumulate alongside Kane Williamson, as the flat Napier wicket and a worsening Zimbabwe attack allowed risk-free progress.

McCullum got a life on 48; Zimbabwe have seemed intent on giving every New Zealand batsman one of those at some point in the series, and it must have been his turn. Having worked his way to a run-a-ball strike-rate soon after reaching fifty, McCullum exploded in the 43rd over, launching Elton Chigumbura over long-off, before carving Kyle Jarvis through cover. Zimbabwe served up full tosses, half-volleys and length deliveries abundantly, and McCullum duly gorged, slapping Chigumbura into the leg-side stands twice in a row, before demolishing the woeful Brian Vitori to complete Zimbabwe's misery.

McCullum's breathless finish was set up by Guptill and Nicol, who began laying waste to the Zimbabwe attack almost immediately, as they carried New Zealand's Whangarei belligerence to Napier. Utterly unafraid of a pedestrian attack that had failed to test them throughout the tour, the pair had seemingly decided they would test themselves - by igniting the New Zealand innings at the most furious pace yet.

Nicol survived two close calls, one lbw shout that was overturned on review, and a top-edged pull that was predictably shelled, but apart from those early stutters, precious little troubled the openers. They blasted seven sixes and 13 fours between them, and took their combined half-century tally to five in three matches. Only Nicol missed out in the first ODI of the series.

Zimbabwe's bowlers rarely bowled two balls in the same place, but their woes were not all their own making against batsmen so cocksure, they could dispatch any ball in their chosen direction. Guptill favoured the leg side as he moved around the crease to pepper the ropes with an array of sweeps, paddles, pulls and pick-ups. Nicol meanwhile preferred to manipulate length by advancing, carting two balls over the stands at square leg.

Spin and a spread-out field stymied the breakneck pace somewhat after the first 10 overs, but while Nicol reined in his game, Guptill continued to attack, beating the field with innovation rather than power. When Taylor brought in fine leg to push long-off back, Guptill shovelled the next ball over his shoulder. When the leg side was strengthened, he shuffled to leg to send the ball screeching through the covers.

Guptill was eventually stumped as he knotted himself up after advancing down the pitch, a ball after Nicol had also fallen, but McCullum's furious innings ensured the base wasn't squandered.

Williamson accumulated busily, before Nathan McCullum thumped 21 runs off seven balls - 18 of them coming from the three successive sixes off Vitori, who became only the fourth bowler to concede over 100 runs in an ODI innings, and that despite bowling one over short.

For the fifth time in as many innings on tour, Zimbabwe's openers failed to reach double figures. As has been the case throughout the tour, Taylor was the only Zimbabwe player that batted positively, even dominating the New Zealand attack at times. Taylor measured out aggression methodically, rarely straying from the routine of rotating the strike after boundary hits, instead of attempting to tear apart a disciplined attack.

Once he fell at 115 for 5, New Zealand simply stayed patient to wait for the remaining wickets. Tarun Nethula had an impressive second spell that yielded his first two international scalps, as he found the confidence to flight and turn the ball after a nervous debut. Doug Bracewell and Michael Bates were both lively, considering the flatness of the pitch, and picked up a wicket apiece, before Nathan McCullum polished off the tail to end the hopelessly one-sided series.

Highlights

• Brendon McCullum scored his fourth century in his 198th match. It is also his highest score against Zimbabwe. The strike rate of 135.71 is the highest for a 100-plus score for McCullum.
• McCullum's century is also the third-highest score and the eighth century overall to be scored by a captain-wicketkeeper in ODIs. MS Dhoni is the only player to do so more than once (four occasions).
• Both Brian Vitori and Elton Chigumbura went for over 90 runs in the New Zealand innings. This is the first timein ODIs that two bowlers have conceded 90-plus runs in the same innings.
• Vitori also narrowly missed out on becoming the bowler to concede the most runs in an innings, a record held by Mick Lewis, who conceded 113 runs against South Africa in 2006. However, his economy rate of 11.66 is the highest among bowlers who have bowled at least eight overs in an innings.
• New Zealand, who scored 373, surpassed their total of 372 which they made in the second ODI. The 373 is their third-highest total overall in ODIs and the second-highest against Zimbabwe after the 397 in Bulawayo in 2005.
• New Zealand's victory margin of 202 runs is their largest in ODIs against Zimbabwe and their fourth-largest overall. It is also the fifth time they have won by a margin of 200 runs or more.
• For the second time in two ODIs and the third time against Zimbabwe overall, New Zealand hit 16 sixes in their innings. It is the joint second-highest on the list of most sixes hit in an innings by any team.
• The opening pair of Rob Nicol and Martin Guptill went past their previous best partnership of 131 with a 153-run stand. It equals the third-highest opening stand for New Zealand against Zimbabwe.
• Ray Price became the fourth Zimbabwe bowler to reach the 100-wicket mark in ODIs. His average of 35.75 is second only to Heath Streak's 29.81 among Zimbabwe bowlers with over 100 wickets.

New Zealand v Zimbabwe, 1st ODI, Dunedin,Cricinfo

New Zealand ease to win By Zimbabwe

Brendan Taylor's 58 was the only resistance the New Zealand bowlers faced, as they bowled Zimbabwe out cheaply to secure a 90-run win in the first one-dayer in Dunedin. Pace and bounce were the visiting batsmen's bane once more, with the New Zealand seamers sharing four of the top seven scalps between them. But Zimbabwe's own bowlers had enjoyed those same conditions, having dismissed New Zealand for a spluttering 248 in the 49th over.

Taylor had spent two months playing in the HRV Cup prior to his side's arrival, and the experience clearly showed, as only he mastered the hosts' steady seam on a lively, green-tinged track. With three batsmen perishing in 6.1 overs, in what seemed a continuation of Zimbabwe's rolling collapse in Napier, Taylor counter-punched with a volley of calculated straight boundaries, while Tatenda Taibu groped his way past early jitters to help erect a 52-run partnership.

The pair first averted another top-order collapse before Taylor began hauling in a rapidly rising run-rate, with boundaries to the leg side and some hurried running. Taibu perished attempting aggression, but Taylor found the rope when he looked for it, hitting debutant Andrew Ellis for two successive leg-side boundaries to close in on a 25th ODI half-century, which he completed in 59 balls.

Zimbabwe's hopes of successive one-day wins over New Zealand effectively ended with Taylor, who holed out to long-off to leave his side at 97 for 5 in the 26th over. Taylor had hit Rob Nicol out of the University Oval off the previous delivery, but the bowler's bravery in flighting the ball once more brought him his first scalp, and all but secured the result.

Malcolm Waller had struck a match-winning unbeaten 99 in the sides' last encounter, in Bulawayo. But rarely seemed comfortable here, and though the tail added late runs and entertainment after his demise, New Zealand simply stayed patient to close out the Zimbabwe innings at 158.

Zimbabwe had repeatedly threatened to derail New Zealand in their innings, but managed only to contain them. The hosts' innings never found fluency following the loss of two early wickets, with regular blows thwarting hopes of a commanding total. But Zimbabwe never closed in for the kill, with inconsistent bowling allowing New Zealand's inexperienced batting order to lurch their side to an underwhelming, but competitive total in spurts.

Martin Guptill's 66-ball 70 at the top of the order was the only notable score for the hosts, as he and Kane Williamson rescued New Zealand who threatened a familiar collapse at 4 for 2. Opener Rob Nicol was undone by a Meth's outswinger on zero, before Brendon McCullum padded up to a Kyle Jarvis indipper three deliveries later, with the ball shown to be clipping the top of off stump on review.

Zimbabwe should have had Guptill soon after too, had they been more patient. Having been stifled by early movement, Guptill lashed out at Meth with a lofted drive over mid-on and Tatenda Taibu saw enough cause in the batsman's first boundary to move up to the stumps. He regretted his decision the very next delivery, when he spilt an edge he would have comfortably pouched in his regular position. A chance that would have restricted New Zealand further and perhaps changed the match's outlook.

Placement and sharp running was the hallmark of Guptill's association with Kane Williamson, as the pair put on 88 to rebuild, then consolidate after early losses. Both men eased runs through the leg side as the Zimbabwe seamers strayed straight too often - perhaps spurred by early success to look for big swing. Guptill's fifty came from 44 deliveries as he punctuated singles and twos with regular boundary blows, particularly to the off side.

None of his team-mates though, could convert starts into innings of substance. Five of New Zealand's middle-order batsmen failed to reach fifty having made more than 15 in not unfriendly conditions. Promising partnerships were crimped just as they sought to wrest the advantage, with an occasionally lively pitch and canny limited-overs bowling from Zimbabwe hauling the hosts back at regular intervals.

Shingi Masakadza bagged 4 for 46 from his 9.3 overs, while Elton Chigumbura was also effective through the middle overs, taking 2 for 46. Both bowlers bowled a consistent off stump line and found slight movement on occasion, as well as uncomfortable bounce and carry to prevent the hosts' batsmen from settling.

Nathan McCullum and Ellis put on 57 at almost a run a ball to reverse a wicket-induced mini stagnation towards the end of New Zealand's innings. But though Zimbabwe dismissed them and the tail without much ado, their batsmen failed once more and New Zealand take the early lead in the three-match series.

New Zealand v Zimbabwe, Only Test, Napier, Day3,Cricinfo

Innings Zimbabwe 0 for 0 and 51 (Waller 23) trail New Zealand 495 for 7 dec (Taylor 122, Watling 102*) by 444 runs

Zimbabwe sunk to their lowest Test total in a catastrophic first innings that lasted less than 29 overs. They had succumbed for 54 against South Africa on their last away Test tour in 2005, but they trumped even that ignominy in Napier, getting bowled out for 51, leaving themselves them 444 behind New Zealand's 495 for 7 declared.

Malcolm Waller offered the only resistance amid a procession of abysmal surrender, when he managed 23 before edging Tim Southee to the slips. At least he made a double-figure score - something that evaded each of his team-mates, who between them recorded three ducks, two twos and three threes.

Zimbabwe's batsman conveyor belt kicked had kicked into gear in the hour before lunch, after BJ Watling's maiden ton heralded New Zealand's declaration. They lost five wickets for 20 runs before the break, ensuring the task of saving their first away Test in six years became almost impossible. The visitors might have hoped to breach the follow-on target of 295, but not only did that seem a fanciful pipe dream at lunch, the rate of implosion suggested they wouldn't even manage 40.

Waller defied New Zealand for 42 balls - a paltry show in truth, but a rearguard given the context, with momentary support from Regis Chakabva and Graeme Cremer who stayed around for 20 and 23 balls respectively. Once those three were dismissed though, the tail bowed as meekly as those who had gone before them at the top of the innings, who in turn were padding up again for the second time in two hours.

Lunch Zimbabwe 20 for 5 (Chakabva 1*, Waller 0*, Martin 2-5) trail New Zealand 495 for 7 dec (Taylor 122, Watling 102*) by 475 runs

Zimbabwe face a mammoth first-innings deficit after losing five wickets for 20 in response to New Zealand's 495 for 7 declared on the third morning in Napier. The New Zealand pacemen dismissed the opposition top order in just over an hour after BJ Watling completed a maiden Test hundred in his first innings as wicketkeeper-batsman.

Tino Mawoyo and Forster Mutizwa perished in identical fashion, flailing wildly at Chris Martin's indippers that went on to disturb their stumps, before Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor and Tatenda Taibu also continued the spectacular surrender, pushing hard outside off stump to provide the slips with a supply of edges.

Zimbabwe would have begun their innings with hopes of breaching the follow-on target of 295, but that now seems the most fanciful pipe dream, with even their lowest ever Test score of 54 looking unlikely at the current rate of implosion. Stand-in New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum employed no fewer than seven catching men in addition to the keeper in the final overs of the morning, with his opposition so willing serve up their scalps to the hosts' sharp but hardly extraordinary bowling.

Zimbabwe had dislodged Doug Bracewell three balls into the third morning, but their start should have been yet brighter had Shingi Masakadza not overstepped two balls later. Watling was given out lbw to a delivery angling in to him, but was handed his first life upon review - one of many costly misses for Zimbabwe in the field.

Tim Southee, on orders to partner Watling for as long as possible rather than wield his characteristic long handle, ended up doing both. He battled out the first 20 minutes risk-free before two straight fours off Kyle Jarvis signaled intentions to propel New Zealand towards 500. Greed ended his enterprising innings at 44, as he looked to slam a third consecutive boundary off Graeme Cremer over midwicket only for Malcolm Waller to swallow his mishit.

Boult saw Watling through to his ton, which didn't come without drama. He was dropped in the gully off Jarvis at 90, and at 94, was hurried-up by the dressing room who granted one more over to reach three figures before the declaration would come. A slog to midwicket off the next ball he faced brought him four, and he was almost run out attempting an ambitious two to get his century, with Watling only able to celebrate the milestone after the third umpire ruled him home by a whisker.

New Zealand v Zimbabwe, Only Test, At Napier, Day1

Tea New Zealand 194 for 2 (McCullum 82*, Taylor 41*) v Zimbabwe

Two wickets in the hour after lunch raised Zimbabwe's hopes in the Test against New Zealand at McLean Park, but the hosts' most experienced batsmen combined to lift their team towards a commanding first-innings total on a Napier surface getting flatter by the minute. Brendon McCullum was unbeaten on 82 at the break, reining in his aggression towards the close of the session once more, as he had done prior to lunch, while Ross Taylor was not out on 41.

A punch through midwicket and a thrash through the covers in the first over after lunch propelled McCullum to a twentieth Test fifty, as the New Zealand batsmen coolly resumed the positivity of the first session. Martin Guptill was content to collect twos and threes on a slowish outfield, while McCullum punctured the ring with more intent, even launching Shingi Masakadza into the square-leg stand when the bowler let an errant beamer fly.

But Masakadza's largely good work in the first two sessions was rewarded when he found some spring in the surface just after Guptill reached his half-century. Having persevered just short of a length outside off stump, Masakadza got one to leap off the pitch to take Guptill's bat high on the edge on its way to the keeper.

That wicket and the run-out to follow injected excitement after a sleepy start to the Test. Kane Williamson, looking to make amends for a poor tour of Australia, was left stranded on 4 by McCullum, who first responded to Williamson's call for a quick single before abandoning the idea and his unwitting partner, who had nearly completed the run before realising his predicament. Even a fumble by Tatenda Taibu did not grant enough time for a reprieve, and in the space of a few minutes, Zimbabwe had lurched towards equality after a 124-run opening stand.

McCullum, though, combined with Taylor to wrest back the initiative, despite the turn on offer for legspinner Graeme Cremer. He soon discovered how miniscule his margin for error was against two batsmen who relish hitting boundaries more than most, particularly against spinners. The hitting, though was canny, and interspersed with risk-free consolidation. The pair made the most of Brendan Taylor's reluctance to maintain a packed infield.

Zimbabwe's bowlers, too, failed to make the most of the momentum the two quick wickets had afforded, with Brian Vitori, and even Masakadza spraying the ball towards the tea break. The modest movement from earlier in the day had all but disappeared by the sweltering afternoon session, and New Zealand's batsmen, and a determined McCullum in particular, were well on their way to grinding down the opposition.