Esterhuizen powers South Africa to series win over New Zealand

Connor Esterhuizen smashed 75 off 33 balls as South Africa defeated New Zealand by 33 runs in the fifth Twenty20 in Christchurch, sealing the five-match series 3-2 with a strong batting and disciplined bowling performance

Christchurch: Connor Esterhuizen blasted a career-best 75 from 33 balls to propel South Africa to a 33-run win over New Zealand in the fifth Twenty20 on Wednesday and a 3-2 win in the five-match series.

Esterhuizen’s second consecutive half-century, after his previous best of 57 in the fourth match on Sunday, helped South Africa post 187-4 after being sent in.

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New Zealand managed only 154-8 in reply.

Esterhuizen paced the second half of the South Africa innings after coming to the crease in the 11th over with the total at 76-2. He was dropped a place in the order on Wednesday and batted behind Rubin Hermann, who hit 39 from 31 balls to lift the run rate after a slow start.

South Africa was only 43-1 after the powerplay and 76 at the midpoint of its innings. The last 10 overs produced 111 runs, thanks to Esterhuizen and Dian Forrester, with whom he added 61 in just over four overs for the fourth wicket.

“I think the nice thing was that I got to come in and play with some freedom because of the nice platform from the guys up top with wickets in hand,” Esterhuizen said. “Early on, the openers assessed it and said 160 was competitive. The more myself and (Forrester) were out there, we said 170 was a good score and we got 187.”

Esterhuizen’s innings included five fours and six sixes. He was dropped on 49 by Bevon Jacobs off the bowling of Zak Foulkes and made New Zealand pay, stretching his innings into the last over. In total, the South Africa innings contained 15 fours and 10 sixes, along with 47 dot balls.

With wickets in hand, South Africa added 52 runs from the last five overs, including five sixes. New Zealand’s problems were compounded by poor catching, though Nick Kelly held a brilliant one-handed catch, the best of the series, to dismiss Hermann.

The New Zealand run chase was also poorly executed, and the home side found itself bogged down by accurate bowling, well supported in the field.

Gerald Coetzee bowled quick spells at both ends of the innings and took 2-21 from four overs, while Ottneil Baartman used variation and took 2-33. The spinner Prenelan Subrayen conceded only 22 runs from his four overs and captain Keshav Maharaj also tested the New Zealand batters.

New Zealand was 46-2 after the powerplay and 65-3 after 10 overs, when the required run rate was 12.3 per over. After 15 overs, New Zealand was 116-4 and the required run rate had risen to 14.4. New Zealand finally needed 47 from the last two overs.

Jacobs was the best of the New Zealand batters, scoring 36 from 19.

The match was the highest-scoring of the series. New Zealand was bowled out for 91 in the first match, which South Africa won by seven wickets. South Africa was bowled out for 107 in the second match, which New Zealand won by 68 runs, and was held to 136-9 in the third match, which New Zealand won by eight wickets. South Africa restricted New Zealand to 145 in the fourth match, which it won by 19 runs.