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Robin Peterson celebrates dismissing Brendon McCullum. - Source: Photosport
New Zealand have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, losing at the death in the series deciding Twenty20 against South Africa at Eden Park tonight.
The Black Caps looked to be cruising after 15 overs, only 25 short of their modest target of 166, but some superb death bowling from the visitors combined with some naive batting saw them lose by three runs to go down in the series 2-1.
Johan Botha was the hero for the Proteas making returning figures of 2/20 from his four overs, bowling two of the final five overs at a cost of only five runs.
Tim Southee had a chance to win the match off the final ball, needing to hit a four, but he was unable to make contact, giving the South africans an unlikely victory.
It was a disappointing end after the Black Caps top order had promised much with the opening pair getting off to a flying start, before Jesse Ryder made 52 from 42 balls on his international return.
However when Ryder should have led the team home he started to look nervous before throwing his wicket leaving the bowlers to finish the job.
Top New Zealand start
Power hitter Richard Levi threatened a repeat of his Hamilton
heroics smashing a six off James Franklin, but it wasnt to be and
he picked out Rob Nicol on the square leg boundary.
Albie Morkel was next to go for 10 when he holed out to Nicol while
trying to slog Southee over midwicket.
Then Hashim Amla was given a lifeline on 30 when he was dropped by
the normally reliable Martin Guptill. Fortunately for Guptill, Amla
only made three more runs before Doug Bracewell found his outside
edge with the first ball of his spell, giving Brendon McCullum an
easy take behind the stumps.
That brought JP Duminy to the crease who blasted 38 from 20
balls in a 62 run stand with AB de Villiers.
However he was run out backing up by Rob Nicol, who produced a
sharp piece of fielding off his own bowling.
Nicol then had de Villiers in his next over when the South African
skipper tried to slog sweep one over midwicket, but missed and was
bowled for 29.
Two balls later Nicol had Justin Ontong when he tried the same
thing and the ball struck his pad and he was sent on his way
LBW.
Tim Southee was next to get in on the act, building pressure
with four consecutive dot balls before Guptill took a stunner above
his hand when Johan Botha tried to blast one through the
covers.
New Zealand made a flying start to their run chase with Nicol and
Guptill continuing their strong form at the top of the order.
They raced to 65 in the first six overs before Nicol got a top edge
to Richard Levi at fine-leg to be on his way for 33 off just 19
deliveries.
Guptill followed in the next over for 26 when he found Amla at long
off and New Zealand were under pressure at 73/2.
However Brendon McCullum and Ryder responded and the familiar
duo kept the pace up, combining for 39 before Robin Peterson
found McCullums bottom edge and de Villiers snaffled the
catch.
Ryder looked to kick on, but looked nervy, taking seven deliveries
to make the single to bring up his half century, with Botha's
bowling stifling the big hitter.
Kane Williamson and Ryder both fell quickly, leaving the bowlers to
finish the job. New Zealand needed six from the last over and lost
the wickets of Nathan McCullum and Doug Bracewell in three
balls.
It left James Franklin needing six from the last ball, but Marchant
de Lange bowled a front foot no ball to give Southee the chance to
be a hero.
The one-day series starts in Wellington on Saturday.
