It could have been much worse for the Black Caps as South Africa lost their last five wickets for 52 and bizarrely managed to score nothing off the final double wicket maiden of the innings bowled by Corey Anderson.
The South African innings was based around a fine 119 off 135 balls by opener Hashim Amla.
Early in his innings, he skied a ball into the outfield but Daniel Vettori was unable to pick up into the sun.
Faf du Plessis blazed away in impressive fashion in scoring 67 off 73 balls, including a six off Anderson which landed in the media tent, just missing a line-up of laptops.
South Africa's famed pace bowlers ripped into their work against Black Caps openers Martin Guptil and James Neesham.
Guptil had a life in the fourth over after a comic mishap in the outfield starring captain AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn saw a simple catch spilled off Vernon Philander.
Guptil and Neesham were out with 29 on the board and Tom Latham was struck on the head by Morne Morkel before he hit a gentle half tracker off part-time bowler De Villiers down Amla's throat.
Dean Brownlie played "down the Bakerloo line" to be out for 20 and Anderson's run of poor form continued as he holed out for just one to leave the Black Caps reeling at 69-5.
Captain Brendon McCullum twice slogged across the line to spinner Imran Tahir and was given out LBW.
He won his first review with the third umpire but was sent packing on the second as his team crashed further to 90-6.
Daniel Vettori fell quickly, after another ugly slog across the line, which hopefully the thousands of young cricketers watching will not try to emulate.
But the good-sized crowd left happy after the late innings hijinks and rightly pride of the Bay's newest international sporting venue.
