Katene Clarke drops the ball in the fifth T20 between the Black Caps and South Africa in Christchurch. Photo / Photosport
Catches win matches - that will be the Black Caps’ biggest takeaway after falling to defeat to South Africa in Christchurch, and surrendering their five-match T20 series in the process.
New Zealand shelled a total of six chances of varying difficulty in the field, as South Africa plundered 187-4 from their 20 overs, before the Black Caps responded with 154-8 to fall 33 runs short.
As a result, the Black Caps have gone from holding a 2-1 series lead after three games, to losing it 3-2 after five, as the men’s summer ended with a whimper with New Zealand’s best players already travelling for franchise commitments around the world.
Considering both sides were missing the bulk of their first teamers to tournaments in India and Pakistan, the series has shown the strength of the Proteas’ bench, given their exposure to high pressure situations in their SA20 league, as opposed to New Zealand’s Super Smash.
South Africa’s total was built on a 33-ball 75 from wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen, who made the most of being put down on four and again on 50, to impress with his more senior countrymen unavailable, hitting five boundaries and six sixes.
In response, New Zealand couldn’t capitalise on South Africa putting down four catches of their own. Bevon Jacobs was the best on display for the Black Caps, hitting 36 from 19 balls, but ultimately lacked genuine support from the other end to challenge the total.
All up, victory gives South Africa their first bilateral away T20 series win since August 2022.
The rotated Black Caps side will get another chance to impress next month, when another host of second-string players will tour Bangladesh for three ODIs and three T20s.
If there was any consolation for the Canterbury crowd in attendance, though, they at least were treated to one of the great allround displays from Amelia Kerr and the White Ferns a few hours earlier.
While Zak Foulkes (1-22) trapped Tony de Zorzi (12) LBW early, the Black Caps’ dropped efforts in the field dogged their innings. Wiaan Mulder was dropped on four and 16, while Rubin Hermann was grassed on 15, on their way to 31 and 39 respectively, adding 55 off 39 balls together.
Mulder’s exit, caught by captain Jimmy Neesham off the underused Josh Clarkson (1-14) brought Esterhuizen to the crease at 76-2, only for him to be dropped on four by Nick Kelly, who spilled it over the boundary for six.
Kelly atoned with a one-handed stunner off Ben Sears (2-37) to remove Hermann, but South Africa were still primed for a big finish at 125-3, as New Zealand’s fielders continued to struggle.
Jacobs dropped the fifth, when he put down Dion Forrester on 15, as Clarke put down the sixth when he spilled Esterhuizen, shortly after he reached 50 in 25 deliveries.
In the final over, Esterhuizen’s stay ended when he was caught at long-off by Neesham off Sears, but the damage was after he and Forrester hit 61 off 27 together to lift South Africa to 187-4.
Clarke’s night was compounded by adding only two runs to go with his two drops when he was strangled down leg by Mulder in the second over, as the Black Caps’ chase started on the back foot.
South Africa returned the dropped catch favour, when Dane Cleaver was given a life on one when he was grassed at cover, again on four at deep third man, and a third time on six at backward point.
Cleaver couldn’t emulate Esterhuizen, and fell before the end of the power play for 22 when a leading edge was finally taken, this time at point by Jason Smith off Ottneil Baartman (2-33).
Needing more than 10 per over, Tim Robinson was run out coming back for a second off Keshav Maharaj (1-35), who had Nick Kelly drag on to his stumps after halfway at 69-4.
With the run rate climbing, Jacobs upped his aggression, and hit Maharaj over cover and deep backward square leg for back-to-back sixes, before Neesham found the long-off boundary after he was dropped by Gerald Coetzee (2-21).
Jacobs raised the 50-stand in 30 balls with another boundary over cover, but hit Baartman straight to long-on for 36 to realistically end Kiwi hopes, and then mathematically end them when the equation became 43 needed off eight in the 19th over.
South Africa 187-4 (Esterhuizen 75; Sears 2-37)
New Zealand 154-8 (Jacobs 36; Coetzee 2-21)
South Africa win by 33 runs
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.