Postpublished at 04:43 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Auckland
"And now back on. Covers hokey-cokey."
Summary
New Zealand reach first World Cup final
Grant Elliott 84 not out - wins it with a six
NZ 299-6 from 42.5 overs (D/L adjusted)
SA 281-5: Du Plessis 82, De Villiers 65*
Rain reduced match to 43 overs per side
Winners to play Australia or India
Postpublished at 04:43 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Postpublished at 04:41 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Auckland"Covers are coming off."
Postpublished at 04:39 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Jeremy Coney
Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special"Duckworth-Lewis will not take into account the AB de Villiers factor. He will score faster than whatever numbers computers throw out.
"It is compelling seeing a captain wanting to attack, bowlers who can take wickets and the batsmen smashing them."
Postpublished at 04:39 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
An interesting point Neil Manthorp makes with regard to possible Duckworth-Lewis calculations. While it takes into account that South Africa's innings has only lasted 38 of a possible 50 overs, it doesn't take into account that if they did come back on for the full 50, five of the last 12 overs would have to be bowled by a combination of the "fifth bowler" - Anderson, Elliott and Williamson. Harsh to call them part-timers?
Postpublished at 04:35 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Auckland"In these situations I always feel sorry for the stewards asked to guard the outfield from invaders. There's seven of them out there at the minute, dressed in fluorescent orange coats, all looking pretty hacked off. They form a circle around the white sheets that covers the wicket. Are they guarding against pitch invaders? Surely even intruders prefer to stay dry?"
Postpublished at 04:35 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Jeremy Coney
Ex-New Zealand captain on BBC Test Match Special"I think if you were playing now, you'd stay on."
Listen to Test Match Special commentary via the audio icon.
Postpublished at 04:35 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Still no let-up in the rain at Eden Park, which has kept the players off for more than 40 minutes. It's been persistent rather than heavy, but TMS's Neil Manthorp thinks it's nearly stopped...
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 04:33 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Neil Manthorp
BBC Test Match Special"Swanny, I reckon you could be onto something when you suggested AB de Villiers may have done something to his hair. It definitely has a reddish tinge today. One of his friends Jacques Kallis has led the way there."
Postpublished at 04:31 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match SpecialOn TMS, our pundits have been discussing potential new additions to the England squad this summer.
"There are fast bowlers in England. Stuart Meaker at Surrey. Tymal Mills is as quick as anyone I have ever played. We played against Essex in a warm-up game, I tried to pull it and it hit me on the arm before I knew about it.
"He is raw, but he has the most beautiful action. But Essex wouldn't play him in the County Championship and he moved to another county (Sussex). I would have him involved for England."
Listen to Test Match Special commentary via the audio icon.
Join the debate at #bbccricketpublished at 04:31 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
DrHolmes: Fielders anywhere, anytime. Leave to the captains' imagination. Two new balls is a farce. Contest between bat and ball must be even.
Postpublished at 04:31 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Graeme Swann - clearly a fan of 40-over rather than 50-over cricket - points out on TMS that the reason England's domestic one-day competition was changed from 50 overs to 40 overs last summer was because it was cited as a reason for the national side's poor World Cup performances that domestic and international formats didn't match.
Join the debate at #bbccricketpublished at 04:28 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Jay: NZ Plan A: Play well, choke SA. NZ Plan B: Pray to the rain gods for two days, do the secret rain dance, proceed to the finals.
Postpublished at 04:28 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Allan Border
Ex-Australia captain on BBC Test Match Special"Australia's Achilles heel at the moment is the spin bowling area. We have Xavier Doherty who does a decent job for us in one-day cricket. But we have a lot of decent fast bowlers.
"Against India we fancy our chances. MS Dhoni has revitalised himself through the World Cup, he lifted his game and dragged a few of the others with him. But our guys will feel comfortable about winning."
Australia play India in the second semi-final on Thursday. Our live commentary will begin at 03:00 GMT on Thursday.
Join the debate at #bbccricketpublished at 04:21 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Seany Ekon: Rain no good not now. Why? 1) breaks our momentum, 2) It is 4am UK time, 3) Don't know when the rain will stop? To sleep or not to?
Postpublished at 04:19 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Some news from Australia: Former Queensland and Victoria batsman Matthew Mott has been named as the new head coach of the Australian women's team, taking over on 30 March on a three-year contract - and his first task will be preparing them for this summer's Women's Ashes in England.
He replaces Southern Stars legend Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who recently announced she was stepping down after winning the 2013 World Cup and back-to-back World Twenty20 titles.
Mott, better known in the UK for a three-year spell coaching Glamorgan, has coached New South Wales to Sheffield Shield, Big Bash and Champions League T20 titles.
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 04:14 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special"I heard how when Allan Donald became South Africa's bowling coach, they went for a middle practice and AB de Villiers told him to go down to third man as he was going to hit every ball there, and wanted to practice that skill. Dale Steyn and the other bowlers were bowling inswinging bouncers and everything, but he just hit every ball to third man."
It's rainingpublished at 04:13 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
If you're waking, bleary-eyed, from your slumber back in the UK, I'm afraid the players have been off for rain for around 20 minutes, with South Africa 216-3 after 38 overs - with Faf du Plessis (82 from 106 balls) and AB de Villiers (60 from 38) having amassed a century stand.
Image source, ANTHONY PHELPSJoin the debate at #bbccricketpublished at 04:13 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
George Brann: As great as seeing 350-400 runs per innings, it hasn't been a real bat vs bowl contest apart from the first 15 overs. Needs to be evened up.
Join the debate at #bbccricketpublished at 04:10 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Former Australia batsman Damien Martyn:, external The Black Caps will be happy for the rain. Game was slipping away. The world's best batsman AB de Villiers putting on a show.
Ex-Australia batsman Matthew Hayden:, external AB de Villiers looking dangerous. Rain break has come at the right time for New Zealand who have been kissed the entire tournament.
Postpublished at 04:06 Greenwich Mean Time 24 March 2015
Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Auckland"The rain caught us a little off guard - mizzly at first, but heavier now. It's dark, fans are leaving the stands. The longer the delay, the better it is for New Zealand, so long as they get back on today. If they don't, South Africa bat on tomorrow."
Each knockout game has a reserve day - but they'll try to finish the match today if they can (even if it's reduced to a 20-over thrash).
Image source, Getty Images