SA vs NZ

Vivek Maurya: "Only if Dewald Brevis applied himself a bit more then this was South Africa's game all the way. He is a brilliant ball striker but needs to play the situation a bit more as he goes ahead in his career."

Mitchell Santner (New Zealand Captain) - " It was a great team effort. The partnership from Bevan and Robinson was brilliant. We were put under pressure in both the innings but we managed to get out of it. I thought we got a par score on the surface. It looked like a tough wicket to start off with. It's always good to see Jimmy Neesham in his element in the field. We have a large squad and I was happy to park myself at mid off today. " 

Tim Robinson is the Player of the Match for his 57-ball 75. Here's what he has to say: Obviously feel great. To contribute to a win is fantastic. We had a rough start there. Me and Bev batting out there was fun. Credit to the Proteas bowlers, I thought they bowled really well. Especially when the new batters came in they made it tough. Bev and I discussed to take it as deep as we could. It was a really good wicket and the ball sure flew when we hit it. It was a good surface. The South Africans used the big side really well. They bowled very straight from the far end and hit their lengths well. Once you got in you could trust the wicket.

Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa captain): They put us under pressure. The bowlers did really well to keep them to 173. It was a really good pitch out there. The bowlers did their part, the batters just couldn't get it together. There's a certain way we want to play. You've got to take the rough with the smooth and accept that you're going to get it wrong at some stage. We want to try and hone in on a game plan that we want to execute. Sometimes we may get it wrong and that's fine. (On the plan while chasing) Just using the boundaries smartly. There was a short boundary and it's often tough to defend both sides. Not a good batting performance but it's okay, it's not the end of the world. We tried a few things and we'll keep trying until we get it right. (On Muthusamy) Brilliant. There wasn't really any spin to work with either. He's a really skilful bowler. It was easy for me to just bowl him through.

South Africa 152 all out in 18.2 overs
Dewald Brevis 35(18) | Jacob Duffy 3/20
George Linde 30 (20) | Matt Henry  3/34

We've have had an exhilarating game of cricket here at the Harare Sports Club and New Zealand have beaten South Africa by 21 runs here after the two sides clashed for the first time in 8 years. The Proteas went hard at this run chase but they kept losing too many wickets. They did bat deep but in the end just ran out of options as New Zealand kept picking up the wickets. George Linde and Gerald Coetzee kept them in the hunt but the 18th over from Jacob Duffy yielded two wickets and he set the game up for his side. 

Earlier, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius got himself off to a flyer as the run chase began. He smashed as many as six boundaries in his innings before it was cut short by Matt Henry who picked up the first wicket for New Zealand. Jacob Duffy came in and dismissed Rubin Hermann who had scored the highest for the Proteas in the previous game. The power play hung in balance therefore as the scoreboard read 50/2.

The Proteas collapsed post the powerplay as Reeza Hendricks was dismissed by Santner and Sodhi came in to pick up Senuran Muthusamy. Rassie van der Dussen, the skipper didn't last long either and he was dismissed run out courtesy a confusion. Dewald Brevis lit up the game for a while as he smashed a flurry of sixes again but he was dismissed for 35 by Matt Henry as the Proteas were 6 down at the end of the 12th over.

For New Zealand, Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy were the pick of the bowlers as they picked up three wickets each. Ish Sodhi took a bit of tap but he did his job as he picked up a couple of wickets as did the skipper Mitchell Santner who picked up a wicket as well. It was a collective effort from the Kiwis and they always had the Proteas under pressure as they kept chipping away at the wickets. 

18.2 Matt Henry to Gerald Coetzee, SKIED...AND NEESHAM PULLS OFF A STUNNER! Such a fitting end to this contest! Length ball with pace off outside the off stump. Coetzee swings for the bleachers but miscues it over mid-wicket where Neesham comes charging in from the deep. He dives forward and plucks a stunner before holding on as he tumbles over and it brings the contest to a close. New Zealand get on the board with a 21-run win!

18.1 Matt Henry to Gerald Coetzee, LEADING EDGE! FOUR! Pace off on a full length wide of off. Coetzee swings hard as the leading edge balloons over short third man and makes its away to the fence

Unbelievable over from Jacob Duffy. He picked up two wickets in two balls including George Linde and Maphaka and South Africa are 9 down now. This is New Zealand's game surely from here onwards. South Africa need 26 runs from 12 balls. 

17.5 Jacob Duffy to Kwena Maphaka, TAKEN AT COVER! Maphaka slams this one straight to Santner. Full outside the off stump. Maphaka controls his drive uppishly but hits it straight to the Kiwi skiper at short cover. But hang on - there's a no ball check. This looks very touch and go. The TV ump has a look at it multiple times and eventually concludes that there was a smidgen just behind the line. That's that for Maphaka and Duffy is on a hat-trick!

Kwena Maphaka, LHB, comes to the crease. 

Massive wicket in the context of the game and New Zealand are back into the contest again. South Africa have lost the set batter and it's up to the tail now. Surely, New Zealand are the favorites.