New Zealand openers, Devon Conway and Tom Latham, added 96 for the first wicket to lead the Black Caps to an overwhelming eight-wicket victory with 22 balls to spare in the third T20 International at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.
All six bowlers used by New Zealand claimed at least one wicket as South Africa delivered an exhibition of hapless batting to reach 136-9 after being asked to bat first and the hosts cruised to 137-2 for the loss of Conway, caught at deep midwicket by Rubin Hermann off Keshav Maharaj, and Tim Robinson (17) who was trapped lbw by Lutho Sipamla with the scores level.
Latham was unbeaten on 63 from 55 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
Only George Linde (23 from 19 balls) passed 20 among the top nine Proteas batsmen as Black Caps captain Mitchell Santner (2-21) and Kyle Jamieson (2-42) turned the screws on the middle order.
The Proteas were 112-9 with 22 balls remaining before an unlikely but highly entertaining 26* from 20 balls by Nqobani Mokoena added the thinnest veneer or respectability to the total. Mokoena thumped his first ball for six over mid wicket and added two more maximums to put whimsical smiles on the faces of both teammates and opposition.
Latham was dropped on 27 by Dian Forrester off Mokoena at deep midwicket to add to a wretched all round performance from the Proteas.
Having been asked to bat first Wiaan Mulder (0) drove his fourth ball from paceman Lockie Ferguson (4-0-9-1) straight to extra cover, Tony de Zorzi (15 from 18 balls) top-edged a silly ramp shot and Connor Esterhuizen (15) launched an ambitious backfoot drive against Santner straight to mid off.
Jason Smith (10) could barely reach the wide from Santner which he toe-ended to cover and Hermann (4) contrived to drag an even wider ball from offspinner Cole McConchie onto his stumps.
Forrester continued the catching practise with a tame slap to cover against Jimmy Neesham (1-22) and Linde’s innings, containing two fours and a six, ended with an edge to ‘keeper Latham against a Jamieson slower ball.
Gerald Coetzee briefly fought back with two fours and a six in his 16 from eight balls before edging another Jamieson off-cutter to the ‘keeper before Mokoena displayed his hitherto unsuspected hitting skills.
The hosts now enjoy a 2-1 lead in the five match series after South Africa won the first game at Mount Maunganui by seven-wickets and the home side bounced back with a 68-run victory in Hamilton on Tuesday. The fourth and fifth matches take place in Wellington and Christchurch on Sunday.
NEW ZEALAND: Devon Conway, Tom Latham (wkt), Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, Micthell Santner (captain), Jimmy Neesham, Cole McConchie, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Lockie Ferguson.
SOUTH AFRICA: Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen (wkt), Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Nqobani Mokoena, Lutho Sipamla.