Tom Latham delivered a confident batting performance at Eden Park on Friday night, scoring 63 not out as New Zealand cruised to a convincing eight wicket win over South Africa in the third T20 match in Auckland.
The victory gave New Zealand a 2-1 lead over their opponents in the five match series, with the fourth match to be contested in Wellington on Sunday.
New Zealand, who decided to bowl first restricted South Africa from the start.
The tourists struggled to 41 for three in the powerplay, and their situation was not helped by being reduced to 46 for five in just two overs.
Captain Mitchell Santner was the pick of New Zealand’s bowlers, taking two wickets for 21 runs from his overs.
With the new ball, Lockie Ferguson was equally impressive, scoring an incredible one for nine in his four over, the second most economical spell in men’s T20 cricket at the venue. All six of New Zealand’s bowlers took at least one wicket.
George Linde (23 from 19 balls) and Gerald Coetzee (16 from eight) helped steady the ship a little with a 34 run partnership for the seventh wicket.
The innings was back on track, but Coetzee fell in the 15th over and South Africa found themselves in danger of being bowled out inside 20 overs for the second match running.
The match was saved by debutant Nqobani Mokoena, who remained unbeaten on 26 from 20 balls, sharing an unbroken 10th wicket partnership of 24 with Lutho Sipamla, a record for that wicket in a T20 international.
The visitors eventually closed their innings on 136 for 9.
In response, Latham and Devon Conway took their time to get going, scoring just 12 from the first three overs.
However, they accelerated from there, taking 21 from Sipamla as the Kiwi opening duo found the boundary with ease.
The duo had put together 96 from 11 overs before Conway fell for 39, having set up an ideal platform.
Latham got to his fourth fifty from as many games in T20 internationals off his 45th delivery with a sweep over square leg, staying unbeaten as New Zealand chased the target with 22 balls to go.
The Black Caps tied the series with a 68 run victory in Hamilton, but South Africa won the first match by seven wickets after bowling New Zealand out for just 91.
Notably, Conway, Santner and Ferguson played their last game of the series they will all be rested for the next two games. As the series moves to the capital, their absence will put New Zealand’s depth to the test.
