Debutants Nqobani Mokoena and Connor Esterhuizen rose to the occasion as a fresh-faced Proteas side thumped New Zealand in the opening T20 International in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
Chasing a mere 92 for victory, South Africa romped home by seven wickets with more than three overs to spare on a surface which proved tricky for the batters.
Esterhuizen led the way with an unbeaten 45, while another new cap, Dian Forrester, was there with him at the end, unbeaten on 16.
Stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj was the only remaining player from the recent T20 World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand in a team that featured four debutants.
Ottneil Baartman and Gerald Coetzee took two wickets up front for South Africa before another seamer, Mokoena, stepped up to mow through the middle order to claim three for 26 to cap a memorable debut.
Maharaj also weighed in with two wickets to help restrict New Zealand to their 10th lowest total in this format of the game.
South Africa’s plans were slightly disrupted when Jordan Hermann was withheld from batting after straining a hamstring in the field, and that saw Esterhuizen open the batting with Tony de Zorzi.
The visitors lost three wickets for 55 runs before Esterhuizen and Forrester guided the ship home.
The teams face each other again in the second match of the series in Hamilton on Tuesday (8.15am).
• Amelia Kerr and Georgia Plimmer struck crucial half-centuries to guide New Zealand to an 80-run victory in the first T20I over the Proteas Women at the same venue earlier on Sunday.
Kerr recorded 11 fours and two sixes on her way to a 44-ball 78, supported by Plimmer’s career-best of 63 off 44 balls as the home side posted 190/7.
In response, South Africa were restricted to 110/7, with Sophie Devine taking her best figures of 4/12.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. They lost a wicket with the first ball of the innings after Nadine de Klerk ran out Izzy Gaze (0). The hosts recovered well through Plimmer and Kerr, racing to 61/1 at the end of the powerplay.
The pair shared a 146-run stand for the second wicket before Masabata Klaas (2/15) broke the partnership by dismissing Kerr.
That wicket gave the Proteas Women a route back into the contest in the second half of the innings. Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/29), Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka (1/37) and de Klerk (2/32) combined to slow the White Ferns’ surge, ensuring the hosts finished just short of the 200-run mark.
South Africa struggled to find their rhythm at the crease, with Tazmin Brits (29), Kayla Reyneke (24) and De Klerk (19) being the main contributors in a difficult outing for the visitors.
Their efforts were overshadowed by the New Zealand bowlers, with Jess Kerr (2/13) and Devine striking at regular intervals to seal a commanding win in the first of the five-match T20I series.
The second encounter will take place at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday.
— Additional reporting by Cricket SA media
- Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.
The Herald