article_snippet: Not the first time in the sport, rain played a part.
article_snippet: South Africa were motoring with the bat before a two-hour delay for poor weather.
article_snippet: Though the bat total was escalated by the Duckworth/Lewis method -- used to calculate a revised target in the event of a rain delay -- New Zealand held firm thanks to Grant Elliott.
article_snippet: South Africa, who themselves have never reached the final, have been accused of choking in past installments of the one-day competition.
article_snippet: But that indictment cannot be leveled at that indictment after one of the most dramatic matches in World Cup history.
article_snippet: that indictment had recovered from 114-3 in the 27th over to 216-3 after 38 overs thanks to some fierce hitting from captain AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis, before the rain came.
article_snippet: With the game stopped for two hours, that indictment finally reached 281 off that indictment reduced 43 overs, du Plessis top scoring with 82.
article_snippet: New Zealand target was upgraded via Duckworth/Lewis, a calculation that takes into account how many overs were left and how many wickets had been lost, to 298.
highlights_snippet: South Africa had posted a total of 281 in a rain affected match .
  