Johannesburg, Oct. 4: Johannesburg-born Grant Elliott broke a long-standing hoodoo of sorts when he steered New Zealand into the final of the 2009 Champions Trophy, starring in the Black Caps’ five-wicket win over Pakistan at the Wanderers here on Saturday night.

South Africa have collectively carried the tag of "chokers" in international cricket, but Elliott went some way to debunk that label with a composed 75 not out that helped take New Zealand past Pakistan’s 233/9 and into a face-off with Australia in Monday’s final at Centurion in 47.5 overs.

In association with his captain Daniel Vettori — man of the match for his 3/43 and a doughty 41 — the 30-year-old Elliott put on 104 for the fifth wicket to set up the win after New Zealand had struggled against some accurate early and middle overs bowling from Pakistan.

Reprieved on 42 by Pakistan captain Younis Khan off an absolute sitter at short cover off Mohammad Aamer’s pacy stuff with the scoreboard reading 165/4, Elliott, who left South Africa for greener pastures in 2001, broke loose late in the batting powerplay overs to ensure there would be no panic in the ranks despite the asking rate having crossed the run-a-ball mark. Earlier, teenager Umar Akmal’s 55 and an entertaining last-wicket stand of 35 from Aamer and Saeed Ajmal set up Pakistan’s score of 233/9.

The former partnered veteran Mohammad Yousuf (45) in an 80-run association for the fifth wicket but was the only one in his side to make something of his start as the Kiwis pegged away to keep the chase within manageable limits. For the Kiwis, seamer Ian Butler returned career-best figures of 4/44 alongside Vettori’s three wickets.

"We figured around 280 as the par score here on this deck," Vettori said later. "The boys did well to keep the score within limits and at one time it looked like we would get them for under 200.

"After that last-wicket partnership the first thing I told the team was to put that behind and concentrate on the fact that we had got them for much less than what we had pegged."

The Kiwis were always behind the asking rate thanks to plodding efforts from opener Aaron Redmond (31, 55b, 5x4) and Ross Taylor (38, 61b, 1x4, 2x6) that followed short blasts from Brendon McCullum (17, 16b) and Martin Guptill (11, 10b). Elliott and Vettori, however, did not let that bother them unduly as the too initially grafted before the latter opened his shoulders to signal the charge.

It looked as though Pakistan would take the issue all the way but the batting powerplay, taken in the 43rd over was to change all that. Rana Naved and Umar Gul were hammered for 14 and 16 runs respectively in the 45th and 46th overs to break the shackles and Elliott in particular was severe on the lanky Gul, smashing him for two fours and a six as the asking rate plummeted.

Vettori would have wanted to be at the death but an ambitious charge left him stranded before Elliott and Neil Broom finished the job.

Scores: Pakistan 233/9 in 50 overs (Umar Akmal 55, Butler 4/44) lost to New Zealand 234/5 in 47.5 overs (Elliot 75 n.o., Vettori 41, Ajmal 2/39)