Matiu Workman
at Eden Park
South Africa have clutched victory from the jaws of defeat to seal the Twenty20 series at Eden Park in a last-over thriller.
Some superb death bowling from the South African bowlers - conceding just 21 runs from the final five overs - looked to be spoiled when Marchant de Lange gave New Zealand a life with a no-ball on the last delivery of the match.
It meant Tim Southee was left to hit a boundary to win the match in the final legal delivery. Instead, he took a swipe that produced no run, meaning the series - and the psychological edge - was in the hands of the visitors.
After being set 166 for victory it looked as if openers Martin Guptill and Rob Nicol would dominate proceedings for New Zealand at Eden Park.
Batting was made to look easy by the pair as their 50-run partnership was brought up in just 28 deliveries with a lofted shot over the infield for six from Guptill.
But when both were dismissed within eight runs at 73-2 it looked as if Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum would aim to consolidate their innings.
Instead, a 39-run in the space of five overs ensured New Zealand would be comfortably ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis run rate if the inclement weather that had been ordered away earlier in the day would return unannounced.
McCullum's dismissal for 18 from the bowling of Robin Peterson did nothing to affect Ryder's enthusiasm. His return to the international sporting stage - and the shrines of passionate cricket fans - looked to be complete when he whalloped two sixes from Peterson's final over. Revenge was complete.
Kane Williamson came and went for just six runs, but it was a quick-fire 30-run partnership from just 20 deliveries that emphasised the tourists' struggles.
Then, just as it looked like the Wellington batsman would seal the series in style while on 49, he flinched. After requiring seven deliveries to convert a single to achieve the half century, Ryder was dismissed two runs later to leave the match delicately poised.
In the end it was the maturity shown by one of South Africa's greenest Twenty20 bowlers that got them over the line ahead of the opening One Day International between the two sides in Wellington on Saturday.
South African spinner Johan Botha was awarded Man of the Match for his clinical figures of 2-20 as a part of that stunning death bowling effort.