The Black Caps congratulate Rob Nicol after catching Albie Morkel. Photo / Getty Images
The Richard Levi show didn't get a re-run tonight and South Africa were restricted to 165 for seven, batting first in the deciding Twenty20 cricket match against New Zealand in Auckland.
It is a gettable target at Eden Park with its short boundaries straight, but the rogue element is Auckland's
weather, which has threatened to turn all evening. The curtain-raiser between the New Zealand and England women was shortened by rain and any further falls could make the game a lottery.
Levi, who plundered 117 not out off just 51 balls in the last match in Hamilton, looked to start where he left off with a six and a four in his first six deliveries. But the opener fell to the seventh for just 11 when he was well caught by Rob Nicol at fine leg trying to hit James Franklin for consecutive sixes.
Instead it was left to Hashim Amla (33 off 22), AB de Villiers (29 off 23) and JP Duminy (38 off 20) to help the Proteas set a total that is probably 15-20 runs short.
Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell, who might have been left out of the side had Kyle Mills not picked up a stomach bug, were the pick of the bowlers. Both bowled with good pace and weren't afraid to mix it up with short deliveries, which hurried up the batsmen.
