Connor Esterhuizen struck and impressive 57 from 36 balls to lay the platform for South Africa’s modest total of 164-5 which nonetheless proved sufficient for a 19-run victory in the fourth T20 International against New Zealand at the Hnry Stadium in Wellington on Sunday.
Gerald Coetzee claimed 3-31 but it was the spin of captain Keshav Maharaj (2-22) and Prenelan Subrayen (3-0-13-2) which played the more important role in dismissing the Black Caps for just 145 in 18.5 overs to leave the five-match series tied at 2:2 with the decider set for Christchurch on Wednesday.
24-year-old right hander Esterhuizen swept, pulled and drove three sixes to go with seven fours during his maiden half century and added 81 for the second wicket with Tony de Zorzi who slapped a six over cover during his 21 from 18 balls before driving offspinner Cole McConchie to extra cover after South Africa had chosen to bat first.
Dian Forrester pulled a brace of sixes in his 19 from 14 balls before falling lbw to a Zak Foulkes full toss and Esterhuizen’s innings ended with a stunning, diving catch at deep square leg by Katene Clarke following a hook shot against fast bowler Ben Sears.
Like his predecessors Jason Smith was never able to find the necessary acceleration for a dominant total and holed out to long off against seamer Kyle Jamieson (4-1-29-2) having scored 19 from 14 balls with two fours and a six.
The excellent Jamieson began the match with a wicket-maiden having Wiaan Mulder caught at wide slip off the second ball as the allrounder’s experiment as an opener continues to yield no dividends with a second successive duck.
Rubin Hermann hooked a six and drove a pair of fours during his stuttering 28* from 25 deliveries but it was accomplished bowling performance from the hosts with the exception of stand-in captain Jimmy Neesham who leaked 49 runs from his four overs.
Debutant Katene Clarke (9) hooked Mulder to Hermann at square leg and fellow opener Tim Robinson (32) sliced a rapid delivery from Coetzee to the same fielder at backward point.
Subrayen, delivering his offspinners around the wicket, bowled right handers Dane Cleaver (26) and Bevon Jacobs (3) with well disguised quicker balls and Jimmy Neesham (6), having been dropped in the deep with successive deliveries from Ottneil Baartman, obliged with a third hoik in the over which Coetzee caught after dropping the first offering.
Maharaj picked up two wickets in the 14th over with Nick Kelly (19) slog-sweeping to Herman at deep midwicket and Cole McConchie (10) bowled by a ‘slider’ and the Black Caps slipped to 120-8 when Foulkes spliced a hook against Baartman into Esterhuizen’s gloves.
NEW ZEALAND: Tim Robinson, Katene D Clarke, Dane Cleaver (wkt), Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, James Neesham (captain), Josh Clarkson, Cole McConchie, Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears.
SOUTH AFRICA: Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen (wkt), Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Prenelan Subrayen, Ottneil Baartman.