WELLINGTON
South Africa’s spinners played a decisive role as the tourists won the fourth Twenty20I against New Zealand by 19 runs on Sunday to square the five-match series 2-2.
New Zealand were well placed to clinch the series midway through their chase in Wellington after the Proteas scored 164-5.
However, from 88-3 after 10 overs, they lost wickets in rapid succession to be all out for 145 off 18.5 overs.
It sends the series, played between weakened sides from both countries, to a decider on Wednesday.
The match swung in favour of South Africa when spinners Keshav Maharaj and Prenelan Subrayen turned the screws through the middle stages of the chase.
Captain Maharaj is comfortably the most experienced member of an experimental tour squad and proved hard to score from as he took 2-22 off four overs.
Subrayen, playing his first T20 International, bowled Dane Cleaver for 26 to spark New Zealand’s middle order crumble and finished with 2-13 off three overs.
Maharaj said his side played with more energy than in defeats in Hamilton and Auckland.
“It was a perfect response to two disappointing losses in a row,” he said. “Coming into this game, you could see there was a little bit more energy and hunger. “We are a young team, finding our way in international cricket so it takes a little bit of time.”
Opener Tim Robinson top-scored with 32 for New Zealand while Proteas paceman Gerald Coetzee took 3-31.
South Africa’s innings were dominated by 57 off 36 balls from wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen.
He was dismissed by a spectacular outfield catch from Katene Clarke, on his international debut, off Ben Sears’ bowling.
Paceman Sears impressed, taking 1-22 off four overs, which included conceding just two runs off the last over of the innings.
On Friday, New Zealand comfortably defeated South Africa by eight wickets in Auckland to take a 2-1 lead.
New Zealand openers Tom Latham (63 not out) and Devon Conway (39) gave their team a rollicking 96-run start in 11 overs as they chased 137 for victory at Eden Park.
The hosts eventually overhauled the modest total in 16.2 overs while losing only two wickets. Latham struck seven fours and two sixes during his knock while Conway cracked four fours and a couple of maximums as both took full control.
Earlier, South Africa, after being sent in to bat first, posted a modest 136 for nine.
Nqobani Mokoena (26 not out), batting at number 10, and number seven batter George Linde (23) made sure South Africa cross the 100-mark. For New Zealand, Ben Sears (2-27), Kyle Jamieson (2-42) and skipper Mitchell Santner (2-21 in three overs) were the major wicket takers while Lockie Ferguson (1-9) bowled four incredible overs which earned him the man-of-the-match award .
