A depleted Black Caps have roared back into their Twenty20 International series against South Africa, and taken victory by 68 runs at Hamilton’s Seddon Park.
Two days on from a seven-wicket defeat that saw New Zealand bowled out for just 91, the Kiwi bowlers got their own back, after the batters posted a competitive target.
While the Kiwi batting order looked to be meandering, the seventh-wicket pair of Cole McConchie (18 not out off 12 balls) and Josh Clarkson (26 not out off nine) hammered an unbeaten stand of 35 in just 13 deliveries to swing momentum away from the Proteas.
That stand, which included hitting 24 runs off the innings’ final over from South Africa captain Keshav Maharaj, saw the Black Caps post 175-6 from their 20 overs, before restricting the Proteas to 107 in response.
New Zealand’s attack was led by the two express bowlers, as Ben Sears (3-14) and Lockie Ferguson (3-16) gave the visitors nothing, as all 10 South African wickets fell caught.
Mitchell Santner was outstanding with the ball, taking 2-19, while his captaincy proved invaluable, showcasing his understanding of how to bowl on his home ground.
Devon Conway led from the front for the Black Caps with a game-high 60 of 49 balls, while South Africa’s best was George Linde (33 off 12), before he was the final man dismissed.
Either side can take a crucial 2-1 advantage on Friday, as the series heads to Auckland’s Eden Park.
In Tauranga, the Black Caps’ highest partnership was just 26 runs. In Hamilton, openers Conway and Tom Latham (11) put on 48 in 39 balls, to go some way to make sure South Africa would have to chase triple figures.
After the powerplay, South Africa’s spinners intervened to reduce the Black Caps to 55-2, even as Conway raised his half-century in 39 balls, as New Zealand reached the halfway stage at 81-2.
As the death overs approached, Conway lost Nick Kelly (21) and Santner (20), before his knock ended on 60 as a top-edged slower ball from Wiaan Mulder (2-14) was caught behind by Connor Estherhuizen.
From 125-5 after 16 overs, a final flurry from McConchie and Clarkson belted 24 off the final over to ensure South Africa needed more than eight runs an over for a 2-0 series lead.
While South Africa’s openers scored just five runs in the first two overs, Mulder launching Kyle Jamieson out of the ground in the third showed the Proteas’ intent in the chase, before the Black Caps bowlers struck.
Estherhuizen made just eight before he was caught at point off Sears. At the other end, Mulder couldn’t make the most of a life on 13, when he was dropped by Ferguson off his own bowling, when he hit Santner straight to Conway at cover for 16.
Having crept to 31-2 at the end of the power play, South Africa lost their third with the first ball after the field went back, as Tony de Zorzi (1) was caught at short fine leg, top-edging a sweep off McConchie (1-24).
And after Rubin Hermann (19) hit Jimmy Neesham’s (1-10) third ball to Ferguson on the cover boundary, South Africa reached drinks at 59-4, needing 117 from the last 63 balls.
As the required scoring rate approached two runs per ball, South Africa’s last remaining specialist batter, Jason Smith (12), fell sweeping Santner, leaving the Proteas in need of a hero.
Linde hitting two sixes and a boundary in McConchie’s second over kept South Africa in the contest, but lost Dian Forrester (10) five balls later, caught by Ferguson off Sears to put the team’s weight on his shoulders.
Sears had his third when Gerald Coetzee (2) holed out to McConchie at midwicket, while Ferguson’s night was rewarded with the wicket of the South African captain, Maharaj, for a first ball duck at 92-8.
Nqobani Mokoena’s first delivery faced in international cricket was edged to slip off Ferguson. Ottneil Baartman survived the hat-trick delivery, but could only watch from the other end as the final wicket fell, to square the series with three to play.
New Zealand 175-6 (Conway 60; Mulder 2-14)
South Africa 107 (Linde 33; Sears 3-14, Ferguson 3-16)
New Zealand win by 68 runs
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.